Birtley Hall was built for J. Warwick by John Dobson in 1843, replacing the older hall dating to 1692. The house was a plain stone house in a wooded estate, overlooking Birtley Iron Works. Many owners of the property were managers of the works, including G. Skipsey in 1828, Benjamin Thompson in 1834, John Hine Hunt in 1851 and Edward Perkins (1821-71) in 1865. Perkins made many alterations. In 1906 the house was occupied by Herbert Fenwick, Charles (son of Edward) Perkins' son-in-law. The last occupant was Henry Angus Murton, Newcastle sports outfitter. Birtley Hall was demolished c. 1916. One lodge survives on Durham Road.

The house was originally called Villa Real and later Nazareth House. The house was built by John Dobson for Captain John Dutton in 1817. The main front had large bow windows and Tuscan columns supported the entrance porch {1}. One of John Dobson's earliest designs. Its original 21 acres of land included a fishpond and spring. In 1828 while Russell Blackbird, ship owner and insurance broker lived in the house, Bronze Age remains were found in the grounds. Subsequent occupants were William Wright (flint glass manufacturer) and Robert Harrison (tanner). In 1883 Dr Gribb, surgeon of Blaydon Races fame, changed the name of the house to Sandyford Park. After his death in 1916 the property was owned by the Poor Sisters of Nazareth for nearly 80 years, and was known as Nazareth House. In 1996 the sisters transferred to London and for a while the house was managed by Catholic Care North East {2}. The house is made up of three ranges. The original John Dobson structure of 1817 forms the South Wing with the c.1879 parts - the T plan central block and the north wing - extending further from the east end. On the north wing is a link to extensive mid 20th century school buildings.

Charles Brandling was a banker, a Member of Parliament for Newcastle four times between 1784-1796, High Sheriff of Northumberland in 1781 and was a mine owner. He died in 1802 aged 69. Charles brandling was married to Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of John Tompson of Shotton (1756). The Brandling family acquired substantial land holding in Gosforth in 1616, but did not move into the area until 1760. During the years at Gosforth the family had thirteen children, but it was the second son, Reverend Ralph Brandling, who finally inherited the Estate. Having struggled with family debts he broke up the 2, 101 acres of estate and sold it in 1852. When the land was sold there was a mention of arable land but no indication as to crops. The family moved to Somerset and has died out. In 1880 High Gosforth Park Company brought 1,807 acres and turned the area into a racecourse. The house was altered to create a hotel, stadium, and stables. The interior of the house was destroyed by fire in 1914, started by the suffragettes, and was restored in 1921. Country house, now part of club and grandstand. 1755-64 by James Paine for Charles and Elizabeth Brandling. 1881 conversion to racecourse club and grandstand for High
Gosforth Park Co. Ltd. 1921 restoration. Sandstone ashlar with plinth; felt-covered
graduated slate roof. 3 storeys, 7 bays and one-storey links to wings. Palladian
style with rusticated ground storey. Central 3 bays, projecting slightly under open
pediment, contain 3 glazed C20 doors with overlights; doors also in flanking bays. Set-
back outer bays contain sashes. Central and end first floor windows with chambranle
architraves, blind balustrades and segmental pediments, the central one bracketed.
Plain reveals to intermediate and to all second floor windows; all sashes with
glazing bars. Dentilled eaves cornice and pediment; central floating cornice.
One-storey extruded links, with rainwater heads dated 1867, have plinths, sash
windows, mostly blocked, eaves band and blocking course; C20 century doors inserted
in left link. 5-bay south front: on ground floor, arched niches alternate with
blocked openings; on piano nobile, 5 windows with aedicule treatment under pediments,
the outer segmental and the central round. Source: Paine Plans and Elevations
1767 Vol. I p. 15: E. Mackenzie, View of Northumberland 2nd. ed. Newcastle 1825,
p.471.

Between the years 1784 and 1789 the lower part of the Lort Burn was filled in and Dean Street was built by David Stephenson by Act of Parliament 1784 for the Corporation. Provided a north-south connection to Sandhill. The street was lined by three storey brick houses with Tyneside's first purpose-built shops with display windows. More survives of Stephenson in Dean Street than it does in his other street, Mosley Street. McCombie - a fascinating mixture of buildings survive, dominated by the railway viaduct (HER 8838) to its south. On the east there are late 18th century houses by David Stephenson, stepping down the hill, red brick, three storeys, two bays wide, some 18th century Westmorland slate roofs and small segment-headed dormers. Nos. 50-52 (HER 8841) were remodelled in 1902 by Benjamin Simpson. The Art Nouveau shop has exaggerated Ionic half columns. Then mock Georgian infill of 1989 fronting a car park with a wide, high entrance on the site of old Low Bridge. On the west side Cathedral Buildings 1901 (HER 8839). South of Cathedral Stairs is the former verger's house, 1902 (HER 9064). Nos. 17-21, 1897 (HER 13507). On the east side, Nos 16-18 (HER 8998) and No. 20 (HER 9180) are also 1780s houses with c.1900 shopfronts. Nos. 12-14 (HER 8840) were offices and warehouses of 1901, now a hotel. No. 10 (HER 8997) 1888. Milburn House on the west side, 1902-5 (HER 9179).

Where the locals bought their milk and meat at a daily market. A large open space at the western end of Sandgate. A market keeper was appointed by the Corporation in 1717. Knowles and Boyle record that the late nineteenth century market here, held on a Saturday, was for the sale of various goods including old clothing, tools and 'remnants of mercery'. Medieval waterfront reclamation has been archaeologically investigated at the Milk Market. Stone revetments were built to retain dumps of stones, cobbles and flood material to create a platform for buildings. The land fill material included gravel from the River Thames terraces, brought here as ships' ballast. There was an increase in urban dairying to supply the Milk Market. The Newburn area in particular was used for rearing young cattle. A few lowland farms around Newburn were grassland farms only, but most were mixed, with pasture devoted to cattle and sometimes sheep. Land surrounding towns was commonly turned to pasture in order to provide dairy products. An obelisk marks the place where John Wesley preached his first sermon in Newcastle 1742.

A water fountain which stood just off the Milk Market at the junction with Sandgate.

Built by Gosforth builder George W. Parkinson to designs by Joseph H Morton & Son in 1909, with an imposing dome and ornate stucco façade, as a skating rink. The name was inspired by London's White City exhibition of 1908. The first phase of roller skating was known as 'rincomania'. The four-wheeled skate had been invented in America in 1863. From February to August 1912 the building was the Dreamland Ballroom de Luxe. Then it was taken over by the Variety Theatres Controlling Company and partially rebuilt. Sunderland architects W. and T.R. Milburn removed the dome and renamed the building the Hippodrome. It held 2703 people. It was opened by the Lord Mayor on 23 November 1912 as a variety theatre which also had a cinema licence. It closed on 20 May 1933. Date of demolition unknown.

In 1855 George Ewen, a fisherman from Aberdeen, built a house on the island which became an ale-house in 1862 {1}. Ewan built the cottages with the help of Lord Hastings of Delaval. The roofs were thatched with 'bents', grass gathered from the headlands. The inn of 1862 was called The Square & Compass. Ewan was evicted from the island by Lord Hastings in 1895 following arguments about land ownership {1 and 2}. An attractive stone built fisherman's cottage which predates the lighthouse (HER 1037). Forms part of a compact group of picturesque buildings on this tidal island. Mid C19 in origin. Later alterations include the loss of its original thatch roof. However the original 'but and ben' plan with central entrance is still readable. Three chimney pieces survive inside, one fitted with a range. The conversion of the cottage to an inn, later a temperance hotel, adds to its interest. The interior decorative scheme includes wainscoting (skirting boards). The barrel room retains a range and fireplace. In 1895 the Trinity House surveyor lodged here. Cottage owner Thomas Crisp assisted him in surveying the island. After the formal opening of the lighthouse in 1898, the inn was the venue for supper and speeches.
The cottage listed Grade II in 2012 with the following description:
Details
MATERIALS: coursed random rubble sandstone with a brick L-shaped range to the north and tiled roofs.
PLAN: rectangular main building with an L-shaped range to the north.
EXTERIOR: the cottage has two storeys and three bays under a steeply pitched roof with end stacks and over-hanging eaves. The west elevation has an original entrance with a boarded door in the centre bay, flanked by a pair of windows to the north, and three windows to the south. All windows have timber lintels, stone sills and replacement multi-pane timber casement frames. There are three full roof dormer windows. The L-shaped range attached to the north gable has pitched and lean-to roofs and end chimneys; there are several door and window openings, many of which appear to be C20 insertions. A single storey lean-to is attached to the south gable of the cottage.
INTERIOR: an original central entrance in the west elevation gives access into a small vestibule with rooms off to the left and right, both with ceiling beams running from east to west and wainscoting to the west wall. The left room has a brick chimney breast to the north wall and the right room has a brick chimney breast to the south wall which retains an cast iron range. A third room entered to the right of the latter, has ceiling beams, is wainscoted throughout and has a chimney breast on the south wall fitted with a later C19 cast iron chimney piece with grate; to the right of the latter is an original timber cupboard. There are plank and batten doors throughout the ground floor. The staircase is a C20 insertion and detailing to the three first floor bedrooms is of a similar date. The brick L-shaped extension to the north retains a brick firebreast with cast-iron range on the south wall, a small cast-iron chimney piece in the north east corner and the original water pump.
SUBSIDIARY ITEMS: to the south of the former fisherman's cottages is a small building thought to be a former stable; this is a rubble sandstone building with a pitched roof of tiles and with a single entrance through the largely brick rebuilt north wall. It has a cobbled floor, the remains of a flue, and a pair of stalls against its south wall. There is a hexagonal Second World War pill box at the foot of the cliff below the cottage.

The body of Michael Curry, who was executed at Newcastle for murder, was hung in chains in 1739 at Curry's Point, opposite St. Mary's Island. Curry had murdered the landlord of the Three Horse Shoe's Inn at Hartley and so was hung within sight of his crime {1}. Curry was a glass worker from Seaton Sluice. He murdered Robert Shevill, landlord of the Three Horseshoes Inn at Hartley. Michael Curry's body was suspended from a gibbet near St. Mary's Island.

By 1790 the Newcastle Dispensary had moved from Pilgrim Street to Low Friar Street, giving Dispensary Lane its name. In 1893 it moved to Nelson Street.