Ridge and furrow earthworks survived [in 1998] on either side of the A184. The site is of botanical importance for its ancient wet grassland (itseld evidence for an absence of recent ploughing). The area north of the road (centred on NZ 3392 6097) is bounded to the north by a lake. Ridge and furrow survives to the west of a relict field boundary. The ridges are c.7 metres wide, run north-suth, there are no reversed S curves or headlands, but no original ends survive. The features appear typical of Medieval to 18th century broad rigg. The area to the south of the road (centred on NZ 3413 6084) is very wet, with standing water in furrows at time of visit in 1998. The western part forms a shallow pond, presumably formed either by recent excavation or by mining subsidence. Within the eastern part, faint ridge and furrow is visible. The ridges run east-west and are c.2.6 metres across. They are at least partly bounded to the west by a faint bank. No reversed S curves or headlands are visible. The width of the ridges is abnormally narrow for broad rigg, and the system does not have the rigid straightness and sharpness typical of late 18th century-19th century narrow rigg. However the width is also abnormally wide for cord rigg. Examination of aerial photographs taken before recent development of the area might allow the contextand date of the features to be established.

Disused well found to north west of Backworth Hall. Reported to County Archaeologist by North Tyneside Council. Not inspected so date and condition not known. It measures 1 metres in diameter and is now infilled. Hall dates to 18th century so well assumed to be of similar date.

Township boundary stone between Ryhope and Tunstall. The stone is plain and unremarkable in itself, but is of unknown date, so could be significant.

Hollinside Farm was part of the Gibside Estate when Gibside was occupied by the Dowager Countess. It dates to 1848 and the architect was J.E. Watson. It is of classical detail. 2 storeys, of ashlar, laid in regular courses with rusticated quoins and architraves. Stone frieze and cornice to the eaves. Square on plan, with hipped slate roof. Sash windows with flat stone lintels and no glazing bars. The door is framed by a Tuscan dooracse. A window above. The eaves cornice is supported by four large modillions over this recess. To the south west of the house are regular ranges of single storey rubble farm buildings with slate roofs..

Farmstead including a two storey barn, which has a granary in the upper floor. The farm buildings appear to derive from the mid 19th century. Either a number of buildings have been lost or the farm has always been a small-scale dairy based enterprise. Prior to the present owners, the farm was owned by the National Coal Board, from which time a small yellow brick boiler house survives. None of the surviving earlier buildings have any significant architectural merit or any of the simple but pleasant detailing found on many agricultural buildings of the period. Although both quoins and lintels on the barn and farmhouse are of the same style - pecked stone with a margin. The stonework of the barn is otherwise of random stone and the roof is slate. The rear elevation has one opening at the upper level and two arched entrances into the lower floor. Here the use of a huge single stone to form the central column of the double arch gives an earlier look to this typical 19th century feature. The use of an odd undressed quoin stone also suggests that stone was used from an earlier building. Documentary evidence confirms that the farm was based upon the farmhouse and barn/granary. The single storey range which projects from the farmhouse is a later addition. The farm is not mentioned in Parson and White's directory of 1828 but is in Whellan's Gazeteer of 1856. The farm, at this time, is unusually in the ownership of a woman, further suggesting that this was a small family farm. The map evidence is unclear - Hobson's map of Durham of 1840 does not name the site but buildings appear to be marked on or near it. This type of small farm was once common but was overtaken by the developed farms of the mid 19th century. Brunskill notes in his "Traditional Farm Buildings of Britain" that a "family farm need consist of only two buildings" - a farmhouse and a barn with yard and midden in between. The large central column stone may be explained by a structural problem with this type of building - a structural problem does appear near the western end of the north-eastern elevation of the barn.

A farmstead of mid 19th century. The stonework and architectural detail is unexceptional and the quality of the group does not merit listed status. However, there are aspects of the site which mark it as a good survival of this period of farm development. The building plan follows the standard layout for a planned farm of this period. The principle elements are - the E shaped courtyard with 2 storey barn on an east-west axis with projecting single storey ranges enclosing two south facing yards. A threshing barn and attached gin-gan project north from the 2 storey barn. Freestanding single storey cartshed, stables and workshop with arched entrances. The level of survival of the buildings is high, with the exception of the western single storey range, in which the original stone wall of the inner face has been replaced by brick. Some bricking up of arched entrances has taken place and some widening and heightening of doorways has been undertaken to provide large entrances for machinery. This has led to the intrusion of modern lintels in places. Generally however, the buildings show little alterations from their original form. The roofs have probably been replaced over time but are universally covered with slate. The gin-gan is in-situ, with brick infill between the surviving stone supporting columns. The building is, however, devoid of all machinery. The interior of the buildings have, in general, few features but retain some characteristics of their original designed use. The east-west axis barn contains an upper granary.

The buildings do not represent one significant period of development, but instead date from a number of periods. Of the once working farm, two principle buildings have been lost - the gin-gang and a barn. The earliest and most interesting structure is (or was) the cart shed, which is probably late 18th century in origin. The main elevation is of 18th century brickwork with a row of four arched entrances at ground level. The building has been raised, possibly in the earlier part of this century, to create a two storey building, the upper floor housing a granary. The two original gable walls survive within the newer brickwork. The rear wall of the cart shed is in stone. As there is no evidence of heightening in this wall, it can be assumed that this is a rebuild. The cart shed forms part of a single courtyard layout. Forming one side of the yard is a large19th century stone built threshing barn. The gin-gang has been removed from the rear elevation of this barn. The barn is of random stone but with elements of earlier brick in the south gable, suggesting re-use of material from an earlier construction. Internally the barn has lost its threshing machinery and upper flooring. The rest of the site comprises the farmhouse (much adapted and altered), a single storey barn, in poor condition, projecting from the rear elevation of the cart shed, the site of a former barn or steading removed from the north of the site, the site of the gin-gang and an L-shaped building which joins the cart shed to the house. This last is of crude stonework but would appear from OS maps to have been in position by the mid C19. The site is believed to be early 18th century in origin, but none of the present buildings date from this time (with the possible exception of parts of the much altered house). The buildings do not have the homogeneity to be seen as a "group". Individually they are not architecturally or historically significant with the exception of the cart shed. On the other hand, the farmstead survives as one of a collection of basically 19th century building groups with 18th century origins in this area. At this time farms developed away from what had been the medieval villages and developed on a large scale producing crops and animal/dairy products from the expanding city. Other surviving examples are at Whorlton Hall, Whorlton Grange and Bullock Steads. Whilst not of the same quality as any of these examples, Peck's House is one of the earlier developments. It is, despite its lack of quality, part of this pattern of agricultural development {1}. Richard Peck was born in the late 1600s. He married Hannah Potts of Ponteland in 1717. He was a mining engineer/coal viewer who rose to the position of wealthy lessee of Newbiggin Colliery in 1738. Together with his son Joseph, he is famous in mining circles for an excellent series of plans showing sites of old pit workings in the Tyne area. He had Peck's Houses built around the time of his marriage in 1717. He left his property in 'Newbiggin' to his son Joseph Peck. The latter was succeeded by William Peck, probably his son, whose daughter Hannah Peck died sometime before 1817. In 1845 the new landowner Matthew Bell Esq. Rented out the property and land of 276.25 acres to Matthew Wilkinson. Dues paid for this land went to the vicar of Newburn and the Bishop of Carlisle. William Rylg resided at Peck's House from 1858 {2}.
NB aerial photos from Google Earth Pro indicate that all the farm buildings except the house in the SW corner of the complex were demolished c2005, and replaced with new buildings with a similar layout but larger footprint.

Farm consisting of a dwelling house, with dairy and pantry, a two-roomed cottage, barn, granary, cart shed, 2 piggeries, hay house, turnip house, loose box, 5 feeding boxes, 2 calf hutches, 4-stall cattle byre, 2-stall stable and 4-stall stable, hen house and implement shed. It had 144.69 acres of arable and pasture land. Sold by Auction August 1920 (NRO CLAs 99/1).

Shown on Newburn Hall Tithe Award of 1848 (NRO DT 342 M). Owner was the Duke of Northumberland and the occupier John Arthur. On a plan of 1849 (NRO ZAN Bell 71/4) part of the farm was in the Newburn Hall township and part in the Whorlton township. Farm is of sandstone rubble with slate roof and moulded cast iron gutters. A valuers report of 1852 listed the farm as comprising a dwelling house, coal house, privy, ash pit, boiling house, shed and yard. The outbuildings are all modern structures, built of stone and covered with blue slate. The horse course is covered with pantiles.

Visited in 1986. Farmstead at that time consisted of 7 elements. A 4-arch hovel of rubble walls with ashlar quoins and cast iron pillars on the ground floor. A single storey stone rubble building divided into boxes with stable doors. A ruined piggery - the west gable retained detail of stone water table, kneelers and finial. A stone building divided by timber and concrete partitions into loose boxes. A long stone range with ventilation slits, central door and one blocked door at north end, 3 blocked windows and stalls with wooden partitions. A farm building which is incorporated into the house. The farmhouse is white-washed. It has dormer windows beneath the gables with ball finials. It has a slate roof and decorative ridge cresting.