In the 17th century Newcastle continued to attempt to prevent development at North Shields, complaining about the ships unloading and loading there in 1684. The burgesses and Newcastle Trinity House attempted to resist proposals to build a quay at the Low Lights in 1699. However, they were unsuccessful and by 1714 a quay had been built there (HER ref. 4554), and another near to the ferry boat landing at the west end of the town – the ferry staith.

In the 17th century Newcastle continued to attempt to prevent development at North Shields, complaining about the ships unloading and loading there in 1684. The burgesses and Newcastle Trinity House attempted to resist proposals to build a quay at the Low Lights in 1699. However, they were unsuccessful and by 1714 a quay had been built there, and another near to the ferry boat landing at the west end of the town (HER ref. 4555).

The earliest mention of milling at North Shields occurs when a mill was burnt in 1276 by the burgesses of Newcastle.

The salt industry at North Shields was greatly encouraged by the use of salt in the preservation of fish. Tomlinson and Richardson suggest that there were salt pans on the site of the later Clifford's Fort which worked from c.800 until the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539 and that the Pow Pans were still making salt in the reign of Elizabeth. Gibson refers to the accounts for the demesne lands at North Shields in 1539 where the rent dor 4 pans at Shields is included in the rent for the farmer of the demesne lands. The seventeenth century salt pans at North Shields belonged to the Earl of Northumberland and the Milbourne family (who owned the land sold to the Board of Ordnance in 1672 for building Clifford's Fort). In 1631 the 'Pow Pans' were leased for 21 years to Sir John Melton and Ralph Reed. In the C17 there were also salt pans along Bell Street. By the first half of the C17, the salt works at North Shields reputedly produced more than any other in England, helped by the cheap local coal for the furnaces. In 1635 Brereton described a newly-erected salt work at North Shields as having 24 pans, each with a brick furnace underneath, a chimney to conduct heat and smoke above, all contained within a stone and timber building. Elsewhere the pans are described as being of rivetted iron plates and measuring 15' by 10'6". The process began with salt water flooding a brine pit at high tide and being then pumped through lead pipes into the pans. The salt water was tipped into the topmost pan and boiled, the resulting brine being progressively tapped into the lower pans until salt remained. By 1707 the Pow Pans had long been disused, but there were still 27 in use on Bell Street. 60 years later all of the salt pans on the Duke of Northumberland's land had been dismantled and built over. Despite this, as late as 1768 Daniel Defoe remarked on the amount of coal used by the pans and described smoke from the furnaces as being visible south of Durham and from the Cheviot Hills.

An "ancient roadway" of possible medieval date was discovered at Pow Burn in 1846 at a depth of 6 feet from the surface, but has not been specifically located.

Evidence appears to have been recovered in 1839 in the vicinity of the Low Light for a quay structure or harbour of possible medieval date. Tomlinson writes that "in digging to make gas tanks at the low lights, in a place called the Salt Marsh in Pow Dean at a depth of 12 feet 6 inches from the surface, the workmen came to a framing of large oak beams, black as ebony, pinned together with wooden pins or tree-nails, the whole resembling a wharf or pier whether ships drawing 9 or 10 feet of water had come". Large hollowed out timbers were found in silt at Pow Burn in 1816 and Craster suggests that they may have been hollowed out in order to convey water. Similar examples have been found in Newcastle and dated to the post medieval period.

A brewery is shown at the northern end of the town on Woods map of 1827 (HER 5485). This building is labelled as a 'Malt Kiln' on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map map. It was probably a malt house, associated with the nearby brewery, where the barley was converted into malt for brewing by being spread on floors and left to germinate, regularly turned and raked. When signs of germination appeared, the grains were dried in a kiln which halted further growth and produced malt.Before the malted barley could be used, it was crushed in a malt mill, turning it into grist for the mash tun. There may not have been a malt mill on part of this complex, it may have been carried out elsewhere. Carr Ormeston and Carr were brewers at Brewery Bank in 1876-7 and Maltsters at Low Lights. A plan of 1892 (TWAS CB/Ty/1536) identifies the Old Maltings as part of their premises. A late 18th century/early19th century sandstone former maltings building, later used as a smoke house. Now workshops. Coursed squared sandstone with ashlar dressings and quoins; brick wing and returns. Welsh slate roof. 3 storeys and basement.

John Scott went into liquidation in 1883.

There is a trade directory entry for this brewer in 1856, with an office in Jackson Street, Gateshead.

John Anderson Cook was operating the inn in 1852. In 1856 it was occupied by Dorothy Brankson and was advertised with a brewhouse capable of 8 barrels.