An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Ian Farmer Associates in advance of the construction of a motor part store. The site was occupied by the Team Hemp Ropery of R.S. Newell & Co. which was in existence in 1840 and the Team Gut Staiths which formed the terminus of the Team Colliery Waggonway as early as 1670 but were removed by 1897. The firm of R.S. Newell amalgamated with Dixon and Corbitt by 1887. The long ropery building remained derelict until the late 1980s when it was cleared for the Gateshead Garden Festival of 1990. The trenching exercise recorded the lower sandstone-built courses of the ropeworks building and a coal and ash floor. The industrial remains were left in-situ, avoided by the raft and piled foundations of the new store.

This Quarry is marked as ‘Old’ on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey plan, so was probably out of use by 1857.

Northbanks Way was the second waggonway to Dunston. Permission to build a waggonway was obtained by the Hon Charles Montagu in leases dated 1689/90 and confirmed in May 1692. However, because of a shortage of capital, no serious thought seems to have been given to building one until 1695. Montagu was faced with a choice of four routes from the colliery as well as which staiths to choose – Dunston or Swalwell. The choice rested not only with cost and technology, but also with politics. Montagu ended up opting for Swalwell, Dunston and an option for keeping wains. The way to Dunston had been completed by 1699. Modifications seem to have been made after only the first year of running and a new way was to be made ready by spring 1701.
The abrupt closure of Northbanks has left more waggonway remains than many others, for example embankments at Gellesfield and behind Southfield Road, and a quarter of a mile of double cuttings and trackbed down the north face of Dunston Hill. A more lightly built way lies lower down the slope and is that shown in the last year of the way’s existence. At the bottom of the main Northbanks Way, higher up, is a remnant of the battery of Battery Well which probably represents the cure of this run.
In 1703, the Northbanks Way was valued at £5739 17s 8¼d, the most expensive so far built. The expense was justified according to accounts for 1704-23 which show the Northbanks Way was carrying annually over 1600T. During this period some 781,675 waggonloads were carried to Dunston, something in the order of 1.75 million tonnes.
A Northbanks branch to Blackburn was probably built in 1717. Blackburn Colliery was redeveloped in 1722 and a waggonway was built over Blackburn Fell. It opened in 1723 and reused timbers lifted from Northbanks; much of the Blackburn Way is still visible. However, the way had a short life as way leaves were denied and it was quietly killed off. A section of the wagonway, at Whickham is marked as Old on the 1st edition OS mapping, so was out of use by 1857.

This coal pit is marked as ‘Old’ on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey plan, so was probably out of use by 1857.

Historic Ordnance Survey map evidence shows a quarry at this location.

Baker’s Quarry shown on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey plan.

A quarry is shown on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey plan of the area.

Late 18th century/early 19th century listed forge built in sandstone rubble with some internal features surviving, notably a central wooden plank panel in a stone block floor and a forge and anvil {2}. Sandstone rubble with irregular quoins. Welsh slte roof with flat stone gable coping. One low storey, 3 bays. Dutch door with flat stone lintel flanked by horizontal sliding sash windows with similar lintels and projecting stone sills. Roof has one end brick chimney with cornice at right, truncated rendered chimney at left {3}. The earliest blacksmith on record at Loosing Hill was Luke Brown in 1797. He died in 1808 aged 81. Edward Stoker took over as blacksmith. His son Edward continued to 1875. His son Martin went to work as a blacksmith at Byermoor Pit. Joseph Wallace (1844-1913) took over the smithy in 1875. He had been working as a smith at Andrews House Pit. He moved from Granby Terrace into Lottie's cottage (the smith's cottage). In 1885 a new brick cottage was built adjoining the smithy. The Wallace family brought up 11 children there. In the close behind the smithy Joseph's wife Isabella kept a cow, pig and some hens. Isabella ran the smithy for a few years after Joseph died. Her edest son John (born 1876) then took over. He had worked at Byermoor Pit as a farrier and pick sharpener. He moved with his 8 children to Forge Cottage in 1923. George Wallace took on the smithy after his father. During the 1930s most of the work was shoeing Clydesdale horses. Other work included repairing ploughs, harrows and scythes, making iron tyre rims for cartwheels, ironwork for the domestic fireside, wrought iron gates, hinges, bar fasteners for cattle wagons and scrufflers for weeding. A platform was set in the ground outside the forge for fitting iron hoops onto cartwheels. The forge cottage was extended in 1992.

This Quarry is marked as ‘Old’ on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey plan, so was probably out of use by 1857.

This Coal Pit is marked as ‘Old’ on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey plan, so was probably out of use by 1857.