The earliest reference to a mill at Ryton is in Boldon Buke (1183 survey of land belonging to the Bishop of Durham, Hugh du Puiset) , when it was held by the men of Ryton. Temp. Bishop Bek there is a reference to repairing the mill, and in the late C14 the men of Ryton still held what was then specifically described as a watermill, for the rent of 106s 8d. In 1647 there was a water corn mill in Ryton Lordship "now in the tenure...of the Lady Troth Tempest by virtue of a lease made by John Bishop of Durham unto Sir Thomas Tempest Baronett dated the 24th October 1631...". Whether these references are all to the same mill is impossible to say, and where it/they may have been sited is unknown. No mill is shown on the OS 1st edition 6 in map, and by Bourn's time all trace of a mill had disappeared though he did say, "Tradition says that a flour mill formerly stood on the side of the ravine, driven by the water which ran down the dene".(Holburn Dene). Dated C12th.

The earliest reference is in Boldon Buke (a 1183 survey of land belonging to the Bishop of Durham, Hugh du Puiset), where it is described as a town held at farm by the men of Ryton. There is specific reference to a mill, and an implicit one to a pound. Hatfield's Survey records some 25 messuages which were bond lands, and 11 described as lands of the exchequer, plus a water mill and a communal forge. It was one of the largest and most important of the bishop's villages, and the centre of a parish. Roberts and Austin describe Ryton as of regular 2 row plan with green. This layout is still apparent, with the east-west long axis widening into a triangle at the west end, giving access to the rectory, church and motte to the NW. The village core is now largely 18th century-19. Pevsner calls it the prettiest village on Tyneside, tucked away between the A-road and the river and sufficiently high on the wooded bank to give a handsome setting to the church spire. In his gazetteer of County Durham in 1964, Ian Nairn describes Ryton 'Climate, site and temperament do not give much opportunity for Arcadia in Co. Durham. Ryton, convoluted and leafy, is a natural for it; near Newcastle, on a sheltered downhill slope to the Tyne. The old village centre with itstriangular green has always been softand cosy in a very attractive way, so that there would be no question of overriding the existing character. But so far, the tricks have not been taken: the new housing is neither varied enough nor sophisticated enough. This is a special place for whimsy and follies, not one more site for overspill. Dated C12th.

Basically Early English, it consists of a W tower and broached lead-covered spire, a 3 bay aisled nave, chancel and S porch. There is no suggestion that the aisles were added so perhaps the nave was always thus. Though lancet windows survive in the S wall of the chancel, those which may have existed in the nave have mostly been replaced. The principal alterations seem to be these: in the late Middle Ages a reduction in the height of nave and chancel roofs, a big Perp 6 light window in E wall. In 1627 the S wall of the S aisle was rebuilt and given "modern-sashed windows". These had been renewed again before Surtees' time (1820), and Billings' view of 1845 shows that the crenellations of the nave roof had been removed, and the E window replaced by 3 lancets. There was a further restoration in 1886. Pevsner - altar rails with carved figures, C16, continental. Screen and stalls - in the Cosin style, said to have been put in by a rector of 1617-59, but a post 1660 date is more likely, when Cosin's brother-in-law Ralph Blakiston held the living. The screen is decorated by flamboyant tracery. Strapwork and poppyheads on the stall ends like those at Sedgefield. The carving is quite fine, but too small in scale. Panelling in the aisle perhaps made up of pew-backs. Spiral stair to the tower inside the nave, 1886. Not at all imitation-Gothic except for the most discreet ogee arches - an example of how courageous new work can improve even a venerable building of the C13. Sculpture - two seated Apostles on the communion rail look like they might be from the Lower Rhine, c.1500-10. Stained glass - some painted glass, probably Flemish. Monument - deacon with book, lare C13, effigy of Stanhope marble. Peter Ryder produced an assessment of the church in 1993. In November 1998 he recorded the timber bell frames which appear to be of 18th century date. The four bells are inscribed LESTER & PACK OF LONDON FECIT 1763 (two of these), CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1868, CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SOND LONDON 1881 IN MEMORY OF CHARLES BARING BISHOP OF DURHAM 1879. In 2004 Peter surveyed 24 ledger stones which made up the churchyard path before they were lifted for a new sewer. The subsequent ground works were monitored and two skeletons were revealed. In 2006 Peter recorded the front pews, which date to the church refurbishment of 1885-6. Dated C13th.

The earliest reference to a settlement at Axwell is apparently in 1362 when the manor was held of the see of Durham by Wm de Birtley. Temp. Hatfield's Survey the heirs of Hugh de Redhugh held the vill of Asshels. It passed through various owners - Roger Thornton in the early C15; Lumleys; in 1604 John Ogle conveyed the capital messuage or Axwell house, and land, to Roger Lumley; in 1629 it was sold to John Clavering of Newcastle. Bourn describes the old manor house of Old Axwell, suggesting it may have been demolished c. 1740, and locating it close to the farm of that name, which was demolished some time ago. Dated C14th.

A bronze bowl was found in 1883 as a result of the partial removal of Blaydon Island to wide the River Tyne opposite the mouth of the Blaydon Burn. It was 16.5 in diam, 6.5 in deep, and made in one piece except for a plain rim, 2 in deep, which had been rivetted on. It was presented to the Society of Antiquaries by Dr Bruce. Canon Greenwell thought it late Celtic or Sxon, while Hodgkin included it in his list of Roman vessels discovered in Northumberland. It is now thought more likely to be Roman. Though in the accession records of the Museum of Antiquities, its whereabouts are unknown.

"As early as the year 1318 - at which time Clockburn was named Clockinthenns - there was a water-mill here. It is described as situate on New Dene Burn. There is now only one house at Clockburn, which may occupy the site of the miller's dwelling of the 14th century". He also mentions an erstwhile water corn mill at the end of the lane on the south side of the Derwent. "The miller's house is still standing, but the mill has disappeared". Dated C14th.

In a letter from Lord Conway in 1640, there is reference to an order having been given to cast up works against the fords at Newburn, and a further reference to "two sconces or breastworks" being raised by the English, into each being put 400 musketeers and 4 pieces of ordnance. On 28 August the greater sconce was breached by the Scottish cannon, and the English withdrew. Tradition has it that the two prominent, high but shapeless earthworks at the first grid reference, and a third (longer and straight, but now ploughed out) at the second, were the "royalist breastworks" thrown up before this battle. There has never been universal acceptance of this idea,- some of the antiquarians visiting the site in the 1880s were convinced the "old crescent- shaped embankment was part of a wagonway…the top…was covered with pieces of coal". Indeed a desk based survey in 2004 of the early wagonways of Gateshead, does in fact show that the Crawcrook and Risemoor Way (HER 3321) built in 1663, runs directly through these embankments. Nevertheless, the land owner in 1987 produced lead musket balls which he had dug up in his garden close by (Whinhaven).

In the mid C12 Bishop William of St. Barbara granted "Stellinglei", with all appurts of woodland, meadows, fisheries, mills etc. to the Nunnery of St. Bartholomew in Newcastle. Allowing for Bishop Puiset apparently granting it to the master of his mint, the nunnery held the manor of Stelley, as it was called in Hatfield's Survey, for 13s 4d p.a. until the Dissolution. There is no clue as to how the nunnery used this property, or what buildings they may have had here. After the Dissolution it passed through a number of R.C. families - Tempest, Widdrington and Townley, and belonged to Joseph Cowen in the late C19. Stella Hall (SMR 1694) was a large irregular building of the late C16/early C17, with 18th century-C19 alterations, and was demolished in 1955. Dated C12th.

In 188 , W.L.S. Charlton donated a 2 ae coin of Constans found at Ryton to the museum of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle. The O.S. noted in 1959 that neither the Society nor the Museum of Antiquities had any record of this coin.

"Near to the door leading from the rectory are the remains of the village stocks, which stood at one time near the Cross".(1) The above grid reference is to the cross. That old know-all, W.A.Cocks, told the O.S. in 1952 that while he remembered seeing the stocks near the Rectory when he was a boy, they had since disappeared.