Three miles from the mouth of the Tyne at South Shields is the village green of Cleadon, and within a few minutes walk in any direction there is functioning agricultural land, and within a 15 minute walk you reach the Cleadon Hill nature reserve with its shell of a windmill and the former tower of the Cleadon Waterworks in enclosed wooded grounds which includes a number of dwellings converted into private dwellings
There has been a village at Cleadon for 1000 years, and there are a few older properties but the majority are post World Ward II To the south of the village there are exceptional properties valued between half a million of over one million pounds and the rest of the village is comprised of properties at above average value for the region. Cleadon is regarded as the best residential area south of the Tyne and there are no former local authority properties in he village to my knowledge. There are a few shops and stores and in addition to the pub restaurant there is one Italian Bistro which I visited when it was the French Blackboard. There used to be a post office and one is still listed in the Wikipedia internet encyclopaedia updated 11th August of this year. This contrasted with the queue waiting for the post office to open just along from the Town Hall on the main road to Sunderland. The population of the village was last estimated as 4500.
The most famous visitor resident to the village was Charles Dickens and he developed his character Miss Haversham in Great Expectations while staying at Cleadon House. Oliver Cromwell also stayed in the village and in recent times it has been the home of several professional footballers although the most well known sportsman visiting friends on a regular basis has been Frank Bruno. Other well known personalities do not advertise their presence.
It is therefore not surprising that my attempt to locate a Community Home with Education on the premises did not find many local supporters. The South Tyneside Council owns an important stretch of land to the east of the village with uninterrupted agricultural and open land to the coast a mile away. Originally there were two storey Cottage homes for children in care and these were then converted into homes for the elderly when national policy against large children's homes and villages changed with post war legislation in 1948 which created Children's Officers and Departments and an emphasises on small family group homes and foster parents. After 1948, a day centre for mentally handicapped adults was created by the Health Department and a school for Mentally Handicapped children. About the time social services departments were created the term mental handicap was not considered appropriate changed to mental disability and then to children and adults with severe learning difficulties. When after 1974 the local authority built three purpose designed single floor establishments for the elderly in South Shields the Oakleigh Gardens accommodation was closed and eventually demolished. Less than three decades later one of these establishments was closed and then demolished to make way for a new purpose designed health centre. While the centre for adults with learning difficulties was located in an attractive environment the facilities the range of activities was limited and tended to reinforce the attitude that these young adults were children. A purpose designed factory type unit was built in an area of similar premises in South Shields and the building also included leisure and full catering facilities. The intention of the Adult Training centre was to provide a grounding which would enable some trainees to graduate into employment with commercial enterprises. The Social Services department did make use of the Oakleigh Gardens site for a market gardening and garden furniture making for adults with learning difficulties during the 1980's. A public enquiry failed to establish the justification for the children's centre project given the availability of other sites in the local authority area.
I commenced my walking from the carpark adjacent to the Britannia Inn. The Inn has been reorganised and recently changed ownership from Beefeaters to a Toby Carvery. Thirty years ago the Inn attracted family parties throughout the year because tables were located in small Dickensian style room alcove complete with pictures and books. These were a great favourite among young children and a first choice for birthday celebrations. During the later 1980's early 1990's the rooms were demolished to create a traditional open plan restaurant with a popular fixed price three course lunch menu with a concessionary price for those over sixty.
Even more popular was the special bar menu where there was a choice of main course for an amazingly low price. The bar area was also attractive with a traditional fireplace and nooks and crannies. Since being taken over by Toby Inn. the former restaurant area has been transformed into a brightly decorated and warm dining area with floor to ceiling pictures. My reservation about the carvery is that the evening and weekend main course rate enables unlimited visits to the choice of roast meats and multiple vegetable selections which are available buffet style, and the extent to which plates are piled high has to be seen to be believed.
The Inn is opposite the busy main road from South Shields to Sunderland and overlooks flower beds and arrangements and the attractive village pong where one road leads to the village of Whitburn. The weather being uncertain I decided to take the car between the attractive Cottage Tavern Inn and the Esso Garage where for several decades I fuelled my car during journeys from work to home when not taking the coast road and then the road leading from the residential housing to the entrance of the special school and farming land to a stopping point adjacent to a stile which led onto the nature reserve and Windmill.
My walking stick was needed as the bank up this part of the hill was steep but the effort was most worthwhile as I soon had panoramic views across South Tyneside to Hebburn Gateshead and Newcastle (10 miles 16km), to the new town of Washington with its turbine wind mills and the Nissan car manufacturing plant, over looked by the Penshaw Hill donated by the Marquess of Londonderry for the building of a replica of the Temple of Hephaestus in Athens built in 1844 and dedicated to the Earl of Durham who became the first British Governor of Canada Province. The Monument stands 136 metres above sea level.
To the sea the view extends across the whole of Sunderland, five miles distant, with both piers to the river Wear and then along the coastline to Hartlepool and Middlesbrough. However the view North is obstructed by a second high hill dominated by the former Cleaden Water company grounds with its tall imposing Tower and pumping station control buildings.
The windmill was extensively damaged during World War one when it was used for target practice by an artillery regiment. The present outer shell was restored about twenty years ago, but because of the previous damage it is unlikely to qualify for the kind of grants which enables nearby mills at Whitburn and Fullwell to be restored. I then walked down and up towards the second hill dominated by the Water Tower, built in Italianate style in 1863 by Thomas Hawksley it is along with Penshaw Monument, Sunderland, Grey's monument in Newcastle and the Angel of the North in Gateshead the most prominent and interesting of such buildings in the North East. The heavily wooded grounds are full of botanical interest and theatre was major fight locally when attempts were made by the owners of the land to develop part of the site included listed buildings also in the Italianate style for private housing, although a modified scheme was agreed and the area has a fortress appearance wall and secured gates.
I walked around the wall in an attempt to gain a view of South Shields and was confronted by a tall wire mesh fencing which reminded me of a World War 2 prison camp. In this instance it was put up the South Shields golf club following two incidents when stolen vehicles were driven to the area and set on fire , and there were also break-ins at the club. At one corner of the fencing there is a small gateway which appears to lead into dense flowering shrubs but venturing forward I quickly came to the edge of the golf course and a gravel path between the fence and masking shrubbery which enabled several photographs to be taken across the town and river to North Shields and Tynemouth, including one the ferries returning to its base.
I had reached this point taking the road way north until it became a track leading into Cleaden Park a large area of mixed housing, private and affluent the closest to Cleadon Village, and then an area of over 100 single storey properties designed for the elderly up a hill a miles away from the nearest shopping and therefore totally in appropriate with being able to drive and run a car. There is there older council and housing association properties with those closest to the main road opposite Temple Park most demolished to make way for an interesting new housing development. It is not surprising that when I made preliminary tour to find access points to the hills I encountered groups of young people trying to entertain themselves on the streets. Given the number of secluded pathways in the area it is not surprising that the thick high stone walls and tall fencing surrounds the private developments.
The most interesting aspect of this area is the extent of the greenland corridor from the Leas at Marsden to Souter Point, The Whitburn gold course, quarry and farms between the coast road and the parallel Lizard Lane, the agricultural land and South Shields golf course from the other side of Lizard Lane leading to the Cleadon Hills and agricultural land down Cleadon village and then across to the villages of Bolden with the Tilesheds nature reserve to the west and the in the north west the vast acres of Temple Park and the apicultural land to the South of Gateshead and the north of Washington. It is understandable the many are protecting all this land from alternative uses, although the reality remains that if the communities are to survive and prosper then thousands of additional jobs must be created and those in the leisure and tourist fields will not be sufficient. It is fortunate that there are several miles of riverside to be developed.
There has been a village at Cleadon for 1000 years, and there are a few older properties but the majority are post World Ward II To the south of the village there are exceptional properties valued between half a million of over one million pounds and the rest of the village is comprised of properties at above average value for the region. Cleadon is regarded as the best residential area south of the Tyne and there are no former local authority properties in he village to my knowledge. There are a few shops and stores and in addition to the pub restaurant there is one Italian Bistro which I visited when it was the French Blackboard. There used to be a post office and one is still listed in the Wikipedia internet encyclopaedia updated 11th August of this year. This contrasted with the queue waiting for the post office to open just along from the Town Hall on the main road to Sunderland. The population of the village was last estimated as 4500.
The most famous visitor resident to the village was Charles Dickens and he developed his character Miss Haversham in Great Expectations while staying at Cleadon House. Oliver Cromwell also stayed in the village and in recent times it has been the home of several professional footballers although the most well known sportsman visiting friends on a regular basis has been Frank Bruno. Other well known personalities do not advertise their presence.
It is therefore not surprising that my attempt to locate a Community Home with Education on the premises did not find many local supporters. The South Tyneside Council owns an important stretch of land to the east of the village with uninterrupted agricultural and open land to the coast a mile away. Originally there were two storey Cottage homes for children in care and these were then converted into homes for the elderly when national policy against large children's homes and villages changed with post war legislation in 1948 which created Children's Officers and Departments and an emphasises on small family group homes and foster parents. After 1948, a day centre for mentally handicapped adults was created by the Health Department and a school for Mentally Handicapped children. About the time social services departments were created the term mental handicap was not considered appropriate changed to mental disability and then to children and adults with severe learning difficulties. When after 1974 the local authority built three purpose designed single floor establishments for the elderly in South Shields the Oakleigh Gardens accommodation was closed and eventually demolished. Less than three decades later one of these establishments was closed and then demolished to make way for a new purpose designed health centre. While the centre for adults with learning difficulties was located in an attractive environment the facilities the range of activities was limited and tended to reinforce the attitude that these young adults were children. A purpose designed factory type unit was built in an area of similar premises in South Shields and the building also included leisure and full catering facilities. The intention of the Adult Training centre was to provide a grounding which would enable some trainees to graduate into employment with commercial enterprises. The Social Services department did make use of the Oakleigh Gardens site for a market gardening and garden furniture making for adults with learning difficulties during the 1980's. A public enquiry failed to establish the justification for the children's centre project given the availability of other sites in the local authority area.
I commenced my walking from the carpark adjacent to the Britannia Inn. The Inn has been reorganised and recently changed ownership from Beefeaters to a Toby Carvery. Thirty years ago the Inn attracted family parties throughout the year because tables were located in small Dickensian style room alcove complete with pictures and books. These were a great favourite among young children and a first choice for birthday celebrations. During the later 1980's early 1990's the rooms were demolished to create a traditional open plan restaurant with a popular fixed price three course lunch menu with a concessionary price for those over sixty.
Even more popular was the special bar menu where there was a choice of main course for an amazingly low price. The bar area was also attractive with a traditional fireplace and nooks and crannies. Since being taken over by Toby Inn. the former restaurant area has been transformed into a brightly decorated and warm dining area with floor to ceiling pictures. My reservation about the carvery is that the evening and weekend main course rate enables unlimited visits to the choice of roast meats and multiple vegetable selections which are available buffet style, and the extent to which plates are piled high has to be seen to be believed.
The Inn is opposite the busy main road from South Shields to Sunderland and overlooks flower beds and arrangements and the attractive village pong where one road leads to the village of Whitburn. The weather being uncertain I decided to take the car between the attractive Cottage Tavern Inn and the Esso Garage where for several decades I fuelled my car during journeys from work to home when not taking the coast road and then the road leading from the residential housing to the entrance of the special school and farming land to a stopping point adjacent to a stile which led onto the nature reserve and Windmill.
My walking stick was needed as the bank up this part of the hill was steep but the effort was most worthwhile as I soon had panoramic views across South Tyneside to Hebburn Gateshead and Newcastle (10 miles 16km), to the new town of Washington with its turbine wind mills and the Nissan car manufacturing plant, over looked by the Penshaw Hill donated by the Marquess of Londonderry for the building of a replica of the Temple of Hephaestus in Athens built in 1844 and dedicated to the Earl of Durham who became the first British Governor of Canada Province. The Monument stands 136 metres above sea level.
To the sea the view extends across the whole of Sunderland, five miles distant, with both piers to the river Wear and then along the coastline to Hartlepool and Middlesbrough. However the view North is obstructed by a second high hill dominated by the former Cleaden Water company grounds with its tall imposing Tower and pumping station control buildings.
The windmill was extensively damaged during World War one when it was used for target practice by an artillery regiment. The present outer shell was restored about twenty years ago, but because of the previous damage it is unlikely to qualify for the kind of grants which enables nearby mills at Whitburn and Fullwell to be restored. I then walked down and up towards the second hill dominated by the Water Tower, built in Italianate style in 1863 by Thomas Hawksley it is along with Penshaw Monument, Sunderland, Grey's monument in Newcastle and the Angel of the North in Gateshead the most prominent and interesting of such buildings in the North East. The heavily wooded grounds are full of botanical interest and theatre was major fight locally when attempts were made by the owners of the land to develop part of the site included listed buildings also in the Italianate style for private housing, although a modified scheme was agreed and the area has a fortress appearance wall and secured gates.
I walked around the wall in an attempt to gain a view of South Shields and was confronted by a tall wire mesh fencing which reminded me of a World War 2 prison camp. In this instance it was put up the South Shields golf club following two incidents when stolen vehicles were driven to the area and set on fire , and there were also break-ins at the club. At one corner of the fencing there is a small gateway which appears to lead into dense flowering shrubs but venturing forward I quickly came to the edge of the golf course and a gravel path between the fence and masking shrubbery which enabled several photographs to be taken across the town and river to North Shields and Tynemouth, including one the ferries returning to its base.
I had reached this point taking the road way north until it became a track leading into Cleaden Park a large area of mixed housing, private and affluent the closest to Cleadon Village, and then an area of over 100 single storey properties designed for the elderly up a hill a miles away from the nearest shopping and therefore totally in appropriate with being able to drive and run a car. There is there older council and housing association properties with those closest to the main road opposite Temple Park most demolished to make way for an interesting new housing development. It is not surprising that when I made preliminary tour to find access points to the hills I encountered groups of young people trying to entertain themselves on the streets. Given the number of secluded pathways in the area it is not surprising that the thick high stone walls and tall fencing surrounds the private developments.
The most interesting aspect of this area is the extent of the greenland corridor from the Leas at Marsden to Souter Point, The Whitburn gold course, quarry and farms between the coast road and the parallel Lizard Lane, the agricultural land and South Shields golf course from the other side of Lizard Lane leading to the Cleadon Hills and agricultural land down Cleadon village and then across to the villages of Bolden with the Tilesheds nature reserve to the west and the in the north west the vast acres of Temple Park and the apicultural land to the South of Gateshead and the north of Washington. It is understandable the many are protecting all this land from alternative uses, although the reality remains that if the communities are to survive and prosper then thousands of additional jobs must be created and those in the leisure and tourist fields will not be sufficient. It is fortunate that there are several miles of riverside to be developed.
No comments:
Post a Comment