A street of solid stone built two storey houses notable for being served by a tramway from the nearby colliery bringing coal and also taking away refuse from the houses. This type of system was not uncommon in some of the mining communities of South East Northumberland, particularly in Ashington {1}. The houses were built by Montagu Pit.

From the mid 19th century onwards some coal companies prided themselves on building model villages and houses for their workers. These were villages laid out to allow good light and ventilation to the terraces of houses, to encourage better health and sanitation and provide either allotments or gardens. The houses were of a higher standard agricultural workers housing or tenements but retained the marked distinctions between those for the surface and face workers and those for the deputies; and beyond those for the higher pit officials. A typical example is Clara Vale, which has retained the form of the colliery village as developed in the years immediately following the sinking of the mine in 1893 {1}. Until 1893, when Clara Vale pit was sunk, the village site was only occupied by Crawcrook corn mill (HER 3304) and its pond and Stanner House. By 1914 the village was much the same as it is today. Terraced housing is in brick and stone, the former school (now community centre) in white colliery brick with horizontal bands of red brick and Welsh slate roof. The Mining Institute and Mission Room have been demolished. The former Co-op survives at the west end of the village, built of characteristic red brick. Further west are the red brick Edington Cottages. The Methodist Church is the most architecturally distinguished building in the village, built of squared rubble and slate and dated 1908. The entrance elevation has a window with simplified Perpendicular tracery and simple art nouveau glazing. In style the building has hints of Edwardian baroque. Next door is the Sunday School, corrugated iron with porch and rectangular hoodmoulded window openings and painted green. There is little sign of the Clara Vale Pit Yard today, but the pit-head baths (HER 5098) survive and the former fire station in the same banded brick as the school survives. The pit yard is now a nature reserve.

From the mid 19th century onwards some coal companies prided themselves on building model villages and houses for their workers. These were villages laid out to allow good light and ventilation to the terraces of houses, to encourage better health and sanitation and provide either allotments or gardens. The houses were of a higher standard agricultural workers housing or tenements but retained the marked distinctions between those for the surface and face workers and those for the deputies; and beyond those for the higher pit officials. A typical example is Marley Hill - a model village laid out at the turn of the century containing a traditional grid of terraces with large detached houses for the officials, a board school, church, Miner's Welfare Institute and associated facilities and a row of 1930s Aged miners Homes {1}. A colliery was well established here by 1787. It was abandoned between 1815 and 1840 when the older of the two modern shafts was sunk. The original pit village was at Marley Hill Colliery, south of the present village, demolished in the 1960s. The Board School, built in stone and slate with symmetrical wings, mullioned windows and central cupola with school bell and ogree roof, and school house, built in stone with ashlar chimneys and slate roof, were built in 1875. St Cuthbert's Church and vicarage (large plain Victorian villa with pretty stable block) were built in 1877. The church is built of coursed rubble sandstone and slate with grouped lancet windows. All of these buildings are sandstone. All subsequent buildings are brick. The terraces and large houses for colliery officials were begun in 1900. Glamis Terrace was added in the 1930s. The earlier terraces are of industrial red brick with Welsh slate roofs and sandstone cills and lintels. The slightly later Glamis Terrace comprises of two short terraces with end houses projecting and gabled, a mixture of brick, rendering, round-headed door openings and applied timbering to gables. The eight semi-detached aged miner's cottages were opened by Lord Glamis in 1937. They are grouped in a crescent around an open space. Miner's Welfare Hall is built in brown brick with a hint of art deco style. The oldest buildings in Marley Hill are Sandygate Farm and cottages, a much altered group of stone and slate. A brown brick Church Hall has been built on the site of the Mission Room. Whelan's Directory of 1856 describes Marley Hill as a hamlet where there are extensive collieries and coke ovens in the occupancy of John Bowes Esq and Partners. In the village there was a Methodist Chapel and School erected in 1840. Marley Hill was held by a family bearing the local name until about 1539 when it passed by marriage to the Blakistons.

The earliest surviving council-built houses in Newcastle having been constructed in 1913-16 under the supervision of Mr Halford, Property Surveyor to the Corporation. The crescent consists of 44 flats with rear yards enclosed by low walls {1}. Communal hot water and rear balconies looking to the river {McCombie}. Completed 1916, excellent municipal housing by F.H. Holford, City Surveyor. Brick and render (casements removed); two levels, the rear with balconies and river views.

Newcastle's first electricity power station was built by The Newcastle Upon Tyne Electric Supply Company (NESCO) in Pandon Dene where advantage could be taken of the railway and its coal supply. It was a small scale venture using a reciprocating steam engine with ropes and pulleys to drive its generators, producing electricity for lighting. It was under construction in 1890 but by 1901 was superseded by Neptune bank Power Station at Wallsend (HER 5106).

A building was recorded at this location in 1707 and was in use as a guard house by 1784, a use still identified in a building at the same location in 1861. After 1888 the building was either rebuilt or extended westwards when the Fort walls became the back of the building. Three blocked musket loops are visible inside. It was then used as the smiths, carpenters and fitters workshops for the submarine mining depot. Converted, heightened and extended in the 1920s to form a two-storey smokehouse for herring. Ventilation is by top hung weatherboarded ventilation shutters and a long louvred ridge ventilator with four tall ventilator stacks. Two military boundary stones - square blocks set in rubble north wall inscribed WD/BS/No. 15 and WD/BS/No. 16. Recorded in 2002 prior to renovation by Northern Counties Archaeological Services.

Built 1896 - 1900 by Joseph Oswald as offices for Newcastle Breweries Ltd. A red sandstone ground floor and bright red upper floors gives the building a prominent appearance. The pride of the interior was the mahogany panelled boardroom. "Newcastle Breweries Ltd" can still be seen inscribed above the double-door entrance to the building {1}. Grey granite plinth, red sandstone ashlar ground floor; bright red brick upper floors with red sandstone dressings. Roof of plain tiles; copper fishscale dome to turret. 3 storeys and attic. At left a double door, and fanlight on wood band inscribed NEWCASTLE BREWERIES LTD and covered with art nouveau wrought iron grille. Flanking long brackets from plinth to entablature with Jacobean ornament on pulvinated frieze, over door. Interior: faience entrance hall, faience architraves to doors with pulvinated friezes and scroll pediments; strapwork stucco decoration to many ceilings; deep ornamental stucco friezes. Many richly carved mahogany chimney pieces. Marble stair has wrought iron balustrade and wide-grip handrail. Frosted glass doors, one pair CLERK'S OFFICE and ACCOUNTANT'S OFFICE {2}.
The offices were listed Grade II in 1987 with the following description:
'Brewery offices; 1896-1900 by Joseph Oswald for Newcastle Breweries Ltd. Grey granite plinth, red sandstone ashlar ground floor; bright red brick upper floors with red sandstone dressings. Roof of plain tiles; copper fishscale dome to turret. 3 storeys and attics; 5 bays. At left a double door, and fanlight on wood band inscribed NEWCASTLE BREWERIES LTD. and covered with art nouveau wrought- iron grille. Flanking long brackets from plinth to entablature with Jacobean ornament on pulvinated frieze, over door. 4 wide, round-headed ground-floor windows and central oculus with glazing bars and upper painted ornament. First- floor oriels above door and in alternate bays; sashes between, with swagged friezes; oriel parapets become balconies to second-floor sashes in moulded stone surrounds. Top modillioned cornice. Shaped gables, at left and paired over central bays, have oculi and consoles. Corbelled corner turret at right. Tall brick chimneys with ashlar string and cornice. Interior: faience entrance hall, stair wall and first floor hall; faience architraves to doors with pulvinated friezes and scroll pediments; strapwork stucco decoration to many ceilings; deep ornamental stucco friezes. Former board room mahogany-panelled; many richly- carved mahogany chimney pieces. Marble stair has wrought-iron balustrade and wide grip handrail. Frosted glass doors, one pair 'CLERK'S OFFICE' and 'ACCOUNTANT'S OFFICE'.'
In the 1950s the Bruce Building was compulsorily purchased from the brewery for the extension to King's College. The east end of the building and the upper floors of Nos. 101-111 were occupied by the education department, later the International Centre for Cultural and Heritage Studies. To the rear of the building is a single storeyed, flat roofed block which appears to have been added during World War II. This may be a look-out feature.

A large flour mill designed by Gibson Kyle and built for Proctor and Sons (who at that time owned the adjoining former flax mill HER 5161) built 1873-4. By 1896 the mill was owned by a family of miller's named Leethams, who also owned the adjacent property. The name Leethams can still be seen painted onto the gable end of the building. Until the 1920s there was an internal walkway through the two buildings. Leethams left c1916 and various small businesses utilised the building. From the 1940s to 1980s the building was owned by a farmer's co-operative, Farmway, and used to grind cattle feed. During the 1970s it was sold to the Revolutionary Workers Party to house a printing press. Basic remedial work was carried out on what had become a derelict building. Now being converted into the Centre for Children's Books [2004]. Photographed beforehand by GWK chartered architects. Brick with ashlar dressings and rear basement to river. Welsh slate roof. 4 storeys, 3 bays and 2 bays set back at left. 3 high vehicle entrances have segmental brick arches on 2 cast iron columns; outer brick piers have cast-iron fenders and stone impost blocks; iron cladding to brick springers over central columns. The maker's mark (Toward of St Lawrence) can be seen on the cast iron columns. Within the arches are double doors under wood lintels. Rear elevation to Ouseburn has central gabled hoist {2}. Now Seven Stories - centre for children's literature. Completed 2005 by GWK Architects. Cross the footbridge to see a fascinating extension on the landward side, evoking the turning pages of a book.

This building was listed Grade II* in 1954 with the following description:
'House, later cooperage, now public house and restaurant. C15 and later. Sand- stone ground floor and right return of first floor supporting timber-framed upper floors with rendered infill; brick nogging on right return. Pantiled roof. Gabled front of 3 storeys, one bay. Central plain wooden door under wood lintel flanked by plain 2-light windows. Jettied first and second floors have plain windows in upper part of each floor; diagonal corner bracing to these floors. Top gable has curved principals and studs with plain window inserted in central blocked hoist opening. Interior shows curved principals, some truncated at collars at apex.' {1}.
Building survey in the 1990s suggested that the building in its present form dates from the mid C16, compatible with the character of carpentry and method of construction. The use of stone walls for ground and first floor is a feature of Newcastle vernacular tradition. The later phases of the building date to the final period of timber-framed construction in the town. The final change from timber-framing to all brick construction probably took place in the late C17 {3}. The present Cooperage (no 32) occupies four building plots on the ground floor frontage. The historic 16th century former house occupies the eastern plot. Dated C15th.

Originally consisting of a grain silo capable of holding 200,000 tons, a flour mill and animal food factory, only the silo now stands. Although designed prior to the Second World War it was constructed in 1949, designed by Mouchel and Partners. Built for Joseph Rank Ltd Baltic Flour Mills in a neo-classical monumental style. Internally it contains over 100 vertical shafts. Processed imported wheat for baking and for animal feed. The mills were demolished in the early 1980s. The gauntly grain warehouse was converted into an art gallery. Gateshead Council and the Royal Institute of British Architects invited designs for the arts exhibition facility. The competition was won by Dominic Williams and in 1998/9 the warehouse was stripped to its facades and rebuilt as an art factory (Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art) with six main floors and three mezzanines.
DESCRIPTION / STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE
This striking industrial building, a former silo warehouse, is what remains of a large flour milling complex for Joseph Rank Ltd., designed and begun in the 1930s, but only completed after the Second World War. They processed wheat from abroad for domestic and agricultural use, with a capacity of 20,000 tonnes. Constructed in red and buff brick, there is a dramatic vertical emphasis with 4 corner towers and pilasters interspersed on the wall faces between. In its conversion to the Centre for Contemporary Art in 1998, the architect’s concept in the conversion was ‘the hollowing out of the internal concrete structure, leaving two parallel monolithic brick walls to the north and south.’ Most of the concrete silo structures were removed, with the space left largely open, using suspended floors and glass lifts to maintain a ‘lightweight autonomous structure’ and utilising the towers as service cores. The strong design and monumental presence of the original building has therefore been safeguarded, with any new work responding to the old whilst making a clear contemporary statement. The retention of openness to the interior has also safeguarded its industrial character whilst creating an appropriate space for its current use. Its significance, therefore, lies both in its original design, and its imaginative, successful conversion.
MATERIALS 2 colour brick, concrete, steel, glazing
ARCHITECT Gelder & Kitchen
ENGINEERS Mouchel & Partners Alts. Dominic Williams (EWP)
DATES 1939 (plans) 1950 (opened) 1982 (closed) 2002 (re-opened)