In the parochial chapelry of St. Andrew, Newcastle. First reference 1272. A place of pilgrimage in the Middle Ages. To the end of the 18th century "a part of the ruins was known as the Hospital, through having been the hospice of the pilgrims". Dissolved in 1548; dismantled before 1562. Had various owners until Lord Armstrong gave it to the City in 1883. The ruin consists of a fragment of the east end of the nave, incomplete chancel arch, substantial remains of the chancel, and a building of uncertain use on the north side of the chancel. Sources 8 and 10 do not wholly agree as to date and number of the building periods, but roughly: 1) early C12 chancel arch 2) chancel twice enlarged, either early and mid C14, or C14 and early C15 3) North building C14 or C15. Human remains have been found here. Chapel. First half C12; early C14 alterations and mid-C14 addition of sacristy. Nave, chancel and north sacristy. Coursed squared sandstone. Roofless. Fragments of east end of nave survive and shafts of chancel arch, which have cushion capitals, (with scroll carving on that at south) and some voussoirs showing roll and zig-zag mouldings. 2-light opening with cusped tracery in south chancel wall, and 2 cusped ogee-headed lights in similar square-headed opening in north sacristy wall. North door in sacristy. Interior shows piscinae: in chancel south wall and sacristy. east wall. Walls survive up to a height of about 4 metres. Source: W.F . Dendy in Archaeologia Aeliana 3rd series vol. I pp.130-147; M. Hope Dodds History of Northumberland vol. XIII 1930 pp.298-310. St. Mary’s Chapel in Jesmond displays the earliest Norman architecture in Newcastle. In 1479 William Ecopp, rector of Heslerton in Yorkshire, provided in his will fourpence to various shrines, including ‘the Blessed Mary of Jesmownt’ to be delivered by visiting pilgrims. Indeed, the chapel was a well-known place of pilgrimage and was equipped with a hospital which offered accommodation to travellers. It may be that there was a miraculous healing at the nearby well. Pilgrim Street takes its name from the route used by pilgrims to the chapel, leaving the walled town by the Pilgrim Gate. The earliest documentary reference is 1272, although architectural evidence suggests that the building is around 150 years older than that. The chapel had a burial ground – a gardener found several skulls in 1829. A medieval grave slab is built into the south-eastern quoins of the nave. The chapel was ‘dismantled’ following the Reformation and the ruin used as a barn and stable. Durham University and Peter Ryder have recorded this fascinating ruin. Dated C12th.

Gesemuthe in C14, Jesmuth (mouth of stream) in C15, Jesemond in C16 and Jesmond from C17. The earliest reference to Jesmond is as a member of the barony of Ellingham in the late C12; it is not in the 1296 Lay Subsidy Roll. It is assumed that the site of the original village was south of the ruined chapel, and aligned along the Grove, the path by the well. "Jesmond village green was to the south of the old village of Jesmond..."(5) No nucleated shape survives on any map, just a scatter of houses of uncertain date, and today the only trace of anything early are the two stretches of stone wall on the south side of the Grove. Jesmond Mnor House lay south of the well, rebuilt in 18th century and demolished in 1929; and Stote's Hall on the east side of Jesmond Dene Road, rebuilt in the early C17 and demolished in ?1950s. The township included three open fields, not fully enclosed until the early C19, and common at the north end. Dated C12th.

The fort was discovered by aerial photography in 1970, and identified from the cropmarks. At least two phases of ditches are visible, perhaps more, and in the gaps in the later ditch system there seem to be individual postholes of timber gates. The ground slopes away on all sides except the north, where the approach is more level. "It has been suggested that this fort belonged to the Stanegate series, which would point to Flavian and Trajanic occupation, but the whole problem of the existence of the 'Stanegate frontier' is still in doubt"(12). Roman pottery has not been found in various bouts of fieldwalking on the site. Dated C1-C2.

Earliest known reference is late C13(7), and this source suggests that at least part of the vill was in the Ravensworth estate, so coming into the ownership of the Liddells. The remainder was held by the Merleys of Gibside, and thus in 18th century became the property of the Bowes family(6). The division of land between the two families is shown clearly in (4) and (8). After an exchange of property in 1818, the Earl of Strathmore held the whole of Hedley.(5) The village appears as a 2-row plan, lying on both sides of Hedley Lane(4 & 8). Probable shrinkage to 2 households 1795-1812(2); one farm on the N side on 1st ed OS; date of final desertion not yet known. Today there is no trace on the S side and ploughing for planting produced no evidence for structures. Excavation in May 1992 ahead of opencasting on the north side was equally negative. Dated C13th.

The motte is a well-defined, flat-topped mound on the north side of Ryton church, within the churchyard. According to the O.S., it measures 30 m across the base, 8 m across the top and is 4 m high. The ground falls away sharply to the north, but on the south side of the motte there are the remains of a ditch, c. 12 m wide across the top, and 2 m wide across the bottom which is c. 1.6 m below the level of the ground to the south. If a bailey ever existed then it presumably lies under churchyard, church and even the one-time rectory. There are traces of a very narrow trench across the top of the mound, NE - SW, though note that Greenwell described it as "a large barrow yet unopened". Until comparatively recently this mound was interpreted as a Bronze Age tumulus, but it is now accepted, and scheduled, as a motte. Dated C11th.

Earliest reference, to Bynnewalle, is c. 1050. It was a member of the barony of Bolbec, and in 1296 7 were liable for the lay subsidy, the principal taxpayer being Henry Scot, several times mayor of Newcastle. In mid C15 Robert Rodes gave the manor to Tynemouth Priory, and at the Dissolution it passed to the Crown who leased it to Sir Thos. Hilton. In 1628 it was divided into 4, 2 parts being bought by Robert Shafto and one by Sir peter Riddell kt. of Newcastle. From C16 the fields of Benwell were mined for coal. In19th century it was for a time an area where Newcastle businessmen built grand houses. It was originally a two-row village, the rows being separated by a wide street (even a green?) running west from the manor house. Though the general street pattern survives, there are no buildings earlier than C19, and most of the south side has been rebuilt very recently. The original streets are represented by Benwell Village, Benwell Lane, Ferguson's Lane and Fox and Hounds Lane. Dated C11th.

The earliest reference to a tower is in the ministers' or bailiffs' accounts 1538-39 where it is one item in a list of property lately belonging to the priors of Tynemouth. Both then and in the 1608 Survey of Crown Property it is described as the manor house. The tower remained in the possession of the crown until 1625 when it was purchased by the Ditchfield Family. The Ditchfields resided at Benwell Tower until 1628 when it was purchased by Robert Shafto II. The Shafto family partly demolished the priors hall and built a new unfortified hall and tower in the mid 18th century. C17-C19 drawings show a plain oblong tower three storeys high with a crenellated parapet. No medieval windows are visible, and it appears to have been refenestrated in the 18th century. Source 3 suggests that "a gabled residence with projecting chimney stacks" was added to the south-west angle of the tower in the late medieval period, and that then, or earlier, the whole was enclosed by a courtyard. In the mid 18th century the house was largely rebuilt (by James Paine?) and domestic offices added. House and tower were demolished in 1831, and replaced by the present Benwell Tower. Dated C16th.

Evidence for a medieval chapel is a C13 documentary reference to a vicar of Benwell. Source 9 thought vicar might be an error, but that there must have been a parochial chapel here, and - because of the graves - it presumably possessed the privilege of burial. It did not have to be the same as the chapel later attached to the tower. Though source 1 associates the chapel with the priors of Tynemouth, who held the manor of Benwell from the mid C15 to 1539, the earliest actual reference to a chapel here is c. 1663 (6). Served by the curate of St. John's, Newcastle, it survived until demolition by Stoney Bowes in c. 1780. There is no information at all about its appearance or precise site. The recorded gravestones date between 1684 and 1759, i.e. the period of ownership of the Shaftoes, who looked after the chapel for the good of the people of the village (8). Three gravestones were seen on a visit in 1977. Dated C13th.

Present settlement is at right-angles to priory/castle complex, must postdate cemetery under Front St., might be C12 in origin. Does not have to be first village, though an earlier one would have to be on another site. Earliest documentary references are late C12. In C13 and early C14 there were 15 principal tenants, only 10 by end of C14. In 1336 there were 117 houses in 4 E-W rows, and open or waste land outside the priory gate. Was property of priory until 1539. In C17 Percy family acquired demesne and copyhold land. On 1st OS map village still small, consisting of a wide Front Street, (South Rawe and South Middle Rawe?), and two narrow, parallel streets to the north. Is the farthest north (Percy St) the main one, i.e. North Middle Rawe and North Rawe? And the present Middle/Stephenson Streets an early back lane between the two Middle Rawes? There are no early surviving buildings, the earliest being 18th century. An archaeological evaluation trench (to a depth of 0.55m bgl) excavated in 2012 to the rear of 18 Front Street revealed a loamy soil which may have formed part of a backland/garden area. No human remains were located despite suggestions that a medieval graveyard exist on the eastern part of Front Street. Dated C12th.

This title includes all post-Dissolution defences outside Tynemouth Castle. Period 1, 1545. "An outwork in front of the gate-house, a battery on the low promontory to the south of the castle...and walls connecting the new battery with the priory".(5) Rampart/wall 30-40' thick, ditch 40-80' wide.(9) Period 2, 1643. Fortifications were repaired..."low stone walls, which formed the Spanish battery, were raised by the addition of a brick superstructure furnishing casemates for guns". 1705-7: before the castle lay a regular hornwork with a 12 ft wide ditch, an old decayed fort (Spanish Battery) and nearby E and W Spanish batteries. A map of 1713/27 shows a lozenge-shaped fort - could this be the C17 rebuild? Period 3?, 18th century. Fort of different plan on (1 and 2). No certain evidence that suggestions for 18th century repairs were carried out. Whole site blank on 1st ed. O. S. A few traces survive near castle and watch house; rest had gone by 1895. Refortified with modern coastal battery in 1902-4 with two 6" gun emplacements. In 1922 during rationalisation, Spanish Battery was placed in the care of Tynemouth Castle. After WW2 it was continued on a care and maintenance basis with a cadre of gunners. By 1952 Spanish Battery was in long term care and preservation. Site cleared in 1960s.