Summerhill, Lord Widdrington's Summerhouse

On the top of Summerhouse Hill stands an octagonal building known locally as Lord Widdrington's Summerhouse. It is a fine octagonal brick structure with blocked arched windows on each side and originally domed. The actual date of construction is not known but was probably between 1700 and 1715 during the time of Lord Widdrington's residency at Stella (see HER ref. 1694). Joseph Cowen erected a statue of Garibaldi beside the summerhouse in 1867, in honour of the Italian patriot's visit to Tyneside in 1854. It stood about 7feet tall and was sculpted by Burn of Newcastle. Following the collapse of the statue, the head is on display in Blaydon Library and the body was recently discovered in a local allotment. LISTED GRADE 2