Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead
Encyclopedia
The Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead is a metropolitan borough
of Tyne and Wear
, in North East England
. It is named after its largest town, Gateshead
, but also spans the towns of Rowlands Gill
, Whickham
, Blaydon
and Ryton
; suburban areas include Felling, Pelaw
, Dunston
and Low Fell
.
It is bordered by numerous local authorities including Newcastle Upon Tyne
to the north, Northumberland
to the west, County Durham
to the south, Sunderland
to the south east and South Tyneside
to the east.
of County Durham
. The county borough
of Gateshead was combined along with the urban district
s of Felling, Blaydon
, Ryton
and part of Chester-le-Street Rural District
into the new Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead in 1974. In 1986 the County Council of Tyne and Wear was abolished, and so Gateshead Council effectively became a unitary authority
.
There were originally two civil parishes in Gateshead - Birtley
and Lamesley
, both from the Chester-le-Street RD. Birtley Town Council and parish were abolished on 1 April 2006.
the borough contains two parliamentary constituencies, Gateshead
and Blaydon. The Gateshead constituency covers the centre and east of the borough. The MP, elected in 2010, is Ian Mearns
. The Blaydon constituency covers the west of the borough and Birtley to the south. It is represented by Dave Anderson
.
Gateshead Council is Labour controlled, although the borough does have a significant number of Liberal Democrat councillors. These are largely in the more affluent west of the Borough including Whickham, Ryton and Crawcrook
, as well as the more central wards of Low Fell
and Pelaw
. In total there are 41 Labour councillors, 24 Lib Dem councillors, and 1 Liberal Party councillor.
. The Conservatives
also held a conference at the Sage Gateshead in March 2008. The Conservatives don't have a single councillor in Gateshead and at the time only had one MP in the whole of the north east region. The conference is seen as an attempt to connect to voters in the area.
, Roman Catholic, Church of England
, Methodist and non-religious state schools. There is one independent school
in the borough, Chase school in Whickham. Further independent schools can be found in Newcastle, Sunderland and Tynedale.
Gateshead town itself has a further education
college, Gateshead College
, and a leading Jewish higher education
institution.
or countryside. Most of this is located away from built up Tyneside
to the south of the borough into Derwentside/Chester-le-Street and to the west into Tynedale.
In total, there are over twenty countryside sites in the borough, from ancient meadows and woodland to local nature reserves.
Notable features of Gateshead's countryside include Ryton Willows, found at Old Ryton Village on the banks of the Tyne at Ryton. Ryton Willows is 43 hectares of locally rare grassland and ponds located near to an affluent village with Georgian
and Victorian
houses. Because of this it is a Site of Special Scientific Interest
.
The Derwent valley, in the south/south west of the borough, offers panoramic views and pleasant walks. It was in the Derwent valley, near Rowlands Gill, that the Northern Kites Project re-introduced Red Kites. This was part of a national project to introduce the birds, that were once so commonplace across the country, back into the wild. This scheme has proven to be a big success, with birds being spotted across the west of the borough, from Crawcrook to Rowlands Gill itself.
The borough also contains one National Trust
site, the expansive Gibside
estate near Rowlands Gill, containing a stately home
and a chapel
, parts of its grounds have also been give SSSI status.
Even in the more urban areas of the Borough, in Gateshead itself and to the east, efforts have been made to maintain green spaces and wildlife sites. One such project is Bill Quay Community Farm in east if the borough. Offering a rural experience within an urban setting, it provides an important educational tool for local schools.
stated that the borough's predominant religion was 80.25% Christian
. Other statistics found 10.94% of No religion, 6.94 unstated, 0.82% Jewish and 0.60% Muslim
.
such as steel making in the Derwent Valley and coal mining (across the borough). Shipbuilding
on the Tyne was also a major source of employment. However, with the decline of these industries, Gateshead has attempted to re-invent itself. Although there are significant areas of deprivation in the borough, particularly in the centre and east, a number of towns and villages in the borough are popular with commuters and professionals who are employed in the service industry and well paid areas of secondary industry such as engineering
(which remains a major source of employment). Such commuter areas include Ryton, Rowlands Gill, Whickham and Low Fell. The borough is host to Tyne Yard
, a major rail freight yard serving the North East.
Gateshead Quayside, once dominated by industry, has benefited from significant investment and gentrification
in the past decade. It is now home to the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art
and the Sage Gateshead
. The Anthony Gormley structure, the Angel of the North
(the largest free standing sculpture in the United Kingdom) is also nearby. This puts Gateshead at the forefront of the arts
both regionally and nationally.
The area is also an important retail hub, with the largest shopping centre in the European Union
, and second largest in Europe as a whole, the MetroCentre, situated adjacent to the A1 trunk road. Further retail, and a significant number of engineering companies are located in the Team Valley
Trading Estate, which at one time was the largest industrial estate in Europe.
, who play in the English Conference National
, as well as a Rugby League
team, Gateshead Thunder
, in the Championship. Both play at the Gateshead International Stadium
, which also hosts athletics
Metropolitan borough
A metropolitan borough is a type of local government district in England, and is a subdivision of a metropolitan county. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, metropolitan boroughs are defined in English law as metropolitan districts, however all of them have been granted or regranted...
of Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
, in North East England
North East England
North East England is one of the nine official regions of England. It covers Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Teesside . The only cities in the region are Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland...
. It is named after its largest town, Gateshead
Gateshead
Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside...
, but also spans the towns of Rowlands Gill
Rowlands Gill
Rowlands Gill is a village situated along the A694, between Winlaton Mill and Blackhall Mill, on the north bank of the River Derwent, Tyne and Wear, England. With the coming of the Derwent Valley Railway in 1867, Rowlands Gill became both a coal mining village, and during the early part of the...
, Whickham
Whickham
Whickham is a town in North East England, four miles south west of Newcastle upon Tyne and four and a half miles west of Gateshead. Whickham is part of the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Its postal address is Whickham, Newcastle upon Tyne. Whickham is situated on high ground overlooking the...
, Blaydon
Blaydon
Blaydon-on-Tyne is a town in the North East of England in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. The former urban district, however, extends much further, its fourteen and a half square miles constituting the largest administrative district, after Newcastle, on Tyneside...
and Ryton
Ryton, Tyne and Wear
Ryton is a semi-rural small town near the western border of Tyne and Wear, England. Once an independent town in County Durham it became incorporated into the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear and the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead in 1974. It has a population of 15,742.- Location :Ryton lies...
; suburban areas include Felling, Pelaw
Pelaw
Pelaw is a district that forms part of the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead in Tyne and Wear, in north-east England.It lies in between the older settlements of Heworth to the West and Bill Quay to the East with Wardley to the south and the southern bank of the river Tyne forming the northern...
, Dunston
Dunston, Tyne and Wear
Dunston was originally an independent village on the south bank of the River Tyne. It has now been absorbed into the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead in the English county of Tyne and Wear...
and Low Fell
Low Fell
Low Fell is a fell in the English Lake District. It overlooks the lake of Loweswater to the south and to the north is bordered by its neighbour Fellbarrow. It is usually climbed from the villages of Loweswater or Thackthwaite. The fell is largely occupied by grassed enclosures, although there are...
.
It is bordered by numerous local authorities including Newcastle Upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
to the north, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
to the west, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
to the south, Sunderland
City of Sunderland
The City of Sunderland is a local government district of Tyne and Wear, in North East England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough...
to the south east and South Tyneside
South Tyneside
South Tyneside is a metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear in North East England.It is bordered by four other boroughs - Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead to the west, Sunderland in the south, and North Tyneside to the north. The border county of Northumberland lies further north...
to the east.
History
The district has some 190,000 inhabitants and lies within the historic county boundariesHistoric counties of England
The historic counties of England are subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires...
of County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
. The county borough
County borough
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control. They were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales, but continue in use for lieutenancy and shrievalty in...
of Gateshead was combined along with the urban district
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
s of Felling, Blaydon
Blaydon
Blaydon-on-Tyne is a town in the North East of England in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. The former urban district, however, extends much further, its fourteen and a half square miles constituting the largest administrative district, after Newcastle, on Tyneside...
, Ryton
Ryton, Tyne and Wear
Ryton is a semi-rural small town near the western border of Tyne and Wear, England. Once an independent town in County Durham it became incorporated into the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear and the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead in 1974. It has a population of 15,742.- Location :Ryton lies...
and part of Chester-le-Street Rural District
Chester-le-Street Rural District
Chester-le-Street was a rural district in County Durham, England from 1894 to 1974. It surrounded the urban district of Chester-le-Street.The district was split in 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, with the bulk going to the current Chester-le-Street district...
into the new Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead in 1974. In 1986 the County Council of Tyne and Wear was abolished, and so Gateshead Council effectively became a unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
.
There were originally two civil parishes in Gateshead - Birtley
Birtley, Tyne and Wear
Birtley is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead, in Tyne and Wear, England. It is situated to the south of Gateshead town and is physically linked to Chester-le-Street across the County boundary in County Durham. Until 1974, Birtley and the adjoining areas of Barley Mow, Vigo and...
and Lamesley
Lamesley
Lamesley is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England. The village is situated towards the south of Gateshead, near to Birtley and Kibblesworth. The parish includes Lamesley village, Kibblesworth, Eighton Banks and the Northside area of Birtley...
, both from the Chester-le-Street RD. Birtley Town Council and parish were abolished on 1 April 2006.
Parliamentary constituencies
In national governmentPolitics of the United Kingdom
The politics of the United Kingdom takes place within the framework of a constitutional monarchy, in which the Monarch is the head of state and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government...
the borough contains two parliamentary constituencies, Gateshead
Gateshead (UK Parliament constituency)
Gateshead is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election. A previous Gateshead constituency existed from 1832 to 1950....
and Blaydon. The Gateshead constituency covers the centre and east of the borough. The MP, elected in 2010, is Ian Mearns
Ian Mearns
Ian Mearns is a British Labour Party politician who is the Member of Parliament for Gateshead. He was first elected at the 2010 general election....
. The Blaydon constituency covers the west of the borough and Birtley to the south. It is represented by Dave Anderson
David Anderson (UK politician)
David Anderson is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Blaydon since 2005.-Early life:...
.
Local government
In total there are twenty two electoral wards in the borough, each ward elects three councillors. The twenty two wards are: -- BirtleyBirtley, Tyne and WearBirtley is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead, in Tyne and Wear, England. It is situated to the south of Gateshead town and is physically linked to Chester-le-Street across the County boundary in County Durham. Until 1974, Birtley and the adjoining areas of Barley Mow, Vigo and...
- BlaydonBlaydonBlaydon-on-Tyne is a town in the North East of England in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. The former urban district, however, extends much further, its fourteen and a half square miles constituting the largest administrative district, after Newcastle, on Tyneside...
- Bridges
- ChopwellChopwellChopwell is a village in Tyne and Wear, located approximately three miles west of Rowlands Gill and one mile north of Hamsterley.Traditionally an area of coal mining, Chopwell was nicknamed "Little Moscow" because of the strong support for the Communist Party...
and Rowlands GillRowlands GillRowlands Gill is a village situated along the A694, between Winlaton Mill and Blackhall Mill, on the north bank of the River Derwent, Tyne and Wear, England. With the coming of the Derwent Valley Railway in 1867, Rowlands Gill became both a coal mining village, and during the early part of the... - Chowdene
- CrawcrookCrawcrookCrawcrook is a semi-rural village close to the western border of the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear in England. Traditionally an independent village in County Durham it has since been incorporated into the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead.-Location:...
, GreensideGreensideGreenside is a village located in the extreme west of the Metropolitan County of Tyne and Wear, England. Once an independent village in County Durham it became incorporated into Tyne and Wear in 1974 and then the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead in 1986....
and Clara ValeClara ValeClara Vale is a hamlet situated on the south bank of the River Tyne in Tyne and Wear, England. Once an independent village in County Durham it became incorporated into the new metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear in 1974 and later became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead.-Location:Clara... - DeckhamDeckhamDeckham is a suburb of Gateshead, bordered by Low Fell, Felling & Sheriff Hill.It is situated on the B1296 Old Durham Road which is a former route of the famous Great North Road....
- DunstonDunston, Tyne and WearDunston was originally an independent village on the south bank of the River Tyne. It has now been absorbed into the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead in the English county of Tyne and Wear...
and Teams - Dunston Hill and Whickham EastWhickhamWhickham is a town in North East England, four miles south west of Newcastle upon Tyne and four and a half miles west of Gateshead. Whickham is part of the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Its postal address is Whickham, Newcastle upon Tyne. Whickham is situated on high ground overlooking the...
- FellingFellingFelling is the name given to an area of land in eastern Gateshead, England. Originally an independent settlement in the historic county of Durham it became incorporated into the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead in 1974....
- HeworthHeworth, Tyne and WearHeworth is a village in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England. The village's name appears in written records from 1091 as Hewarde, and later as Hewrtha, and in 1300 as Hewrthe....
- High Fell (includes Sheriff HillSheriff HillSheriff Hill is a settlement situated in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead in Tyne and Wear, England. It is bordered by the villages of High Fell and Deckham to the North, Beacon Lough to the South, Windy Nook and Carr Hill to the East and Low Fell to the West...
) - LamesleyLamesleyLamesley is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England. The village is situated towards the south of Gateshead, near to Birtley and Kibblesworth. The parish includes Lamesley village, Kibblesworth, Eighton Banks and the Northside area of Birtley...
- Leam Lane EstateLeam Lane EstateLeam Lane Estate in Gateshead is made up of solely council built accommodation, although most of the dwellings are now privately owned. It has one main shopping area called Fewster Square which contains two Convenience Stores, Frozen Foods Shop, Chinese and Pizza take-aways, D.I.Y. Shop,...
- Lobley HillLobley HillLobley Hill is a village located on the outskirts of the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead in Tyne and Wear, North East England. It has an approximate population of 8,000...
and Bensham - Low FellLow FellLow Fell is a fell in the English Lake District. It overlooks the lake of Loweswater to the south and to the north is bordered by its neighbour Fellbarrow. It is usually climbed from the villages of Loweswater or Thackthwaite. The fell is largely occupied by grassed enclosures, although there are...
- PelawPelawPelaw is a district that forms part of the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead in Tyne and Wear, in north-east England.It lies in between the older settlements of Heworth to the West and Bill Quay to the East with Wardley to the south and the southern bank of the river Tyne forming the northern...
and HeworthHeworth, Tyne and WearHeworth is a village in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England. The village's name appears in written records from 1091 as Hewarde, and later as Hewrtha, and in 1300 as Hewrthe.... - RytonRyton, Tyne and WearRyton is a semi-rural small town near the western border of Tyne and Wear, England. Once an independent town in County Durham it became incorporated into the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear and the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead in 1974. It has a population of 15,742.- Location :Ryton lies...
, Crookhill and StellaStella-People:*Stella , a feminine given name** Stella McCartney, English fashion designer** Stella , Singaporean-Taiwanese singer** Stella Maessen, Dutch singer, sometimes going under the singular name of Stella-Fictional characters:... - Saltwell
- WardleyWardley, GatesheadWardley is located on the edge of Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, at the borders of Washington and South Tyneside. It is in the postal code area NE10. It is near the Leam Lane Estate....
and Leam Lane - Whickham North
- Whickham South and Sunniside
- Windy Nook and Whitehills
- WinlatonWinlatonWinlaton is a village situated in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. Once an independent village in County Durham, it became incorporated into the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear and Borough of Gateshead in 1974....
and High SpenHigh SpenHigh Spen is an old mining village in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. There is an entrance to Chopwell Wood, whose forest festival and Christmas Trees attract many visitors to the village every year. High Spen has one pub, called The Bute Arms, and two Working Men's clubs...
Gateshead Council is Labour controlled, although the borough does have a significant number of Liberal Democrat councillors. These are largely in the more affluent west of the Borough including Whickham, Ryton and Crawcrook
Crawcrook
Crawcrook is a semi-rural village close to the western border of the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear in England. Traditionally an independent village in County Durham it has since been incorporated into the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead.-Location:...
, as well as the more central wards of Low Fell
Low Fell
Low Fell is a fell in the English Lake District. It overlooks the lake of Loweswater to the south and to the north is bordered by its neighbour Fellbarrow. It is usually climbed from the villages of Loweswater or Thackthwaite. The fell is largely occupied by grassed enclosures, although there are...
and Pelaw
Pelaw
Pelaw is a district that forms part of the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead in Tyne and Wear, in north-east England.It lies in between the older settlements of Heworth to the West and Bill Quay to the East with Wardley to the south and the southern bank of the river Tyne forming the northern...
. In total there are 41 Labour councillors, 24 Lib Dem councillors, and 1 Liberal Party councillor.
General
As political parties tend are abandoning their previous policy of hosting conferences at seaside resorts, Gateshead has hosted two major political conferences. The first of these was Labour's Spring conference, ahead of the 2005 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
. The Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
also held a conference at the Sage Gateshead in March 2008. The Conservatives don't have a single councillor in Gateshead and at the time only had one MP in the whole of the north east region. The conference is seen as an attempt to connect to voters in the area.
Education
Gateshead has a number of schools across the borough at both primary and secondary level. Results are well above average, with a number of outstanding schools. Indeed, Gateshead has amongst the best primary and secondary schools in the country overall. A range of schools are present in Gateshead, including JewishJudaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, Roman Catholic, Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, Methodist and non-religious state schools. There is one independent school
Independent school (UK)
An independent school is a school that is not financed through the taxation system by local or national government and is instead funded by private sources, predominantly in the form of tuition charges, gifts and long-term charitable endowments, and so is not subject to the conditions imposed by...
in the borough, Chase school in Whickham. Further independent schools can be found in Newcastle, Sunderland and Tynedale.
Gateshead town itself has a further education
Further education
Further education is a term mainly used in connection with education in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is post-compulsory education , that is distinct from the education offered in universities...
college, Gateshead College
Gateshead College
Gateshead College is a further education college in the town of Gateshead, England. Established on November 15, 1955 at Durham Road in Low Fell, Gateshead, the original campus was closed as part of a planned move in January 2008. The college moved into a £39 million new main site located at the...
, and a leading Jewish higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
institution.
Environment
Gateshead has a variety of landscapes, urban and industrial areas include the town itself, Felling and Blaydon, with more semi-rural and rural locations in the west including Ryton and Rowlands Gill. Overall though, it is a fairly green area with over half of the borough being green beltGreen belt
A green belt or greenbelt is a policy and land use designation used in land use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighbouring urban areas. Similar concepts are greenways or green wedges which have a linear character and may run through an...
or countryside. Most of this is located away from built up Tyneside
Tyneside
Tyneside is a conurbation in North East England, defined by the Office of National Statistics, which is home to over 80% of the population of Tyne and Wear. It includes the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and the Metropolitan Boroughs of Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside — all settlements on...
to the south of the borough into Derwentside/Chester-le-Street and to the west into Tynedale.
In total, there are over twenty countryside sites in the borough, from ancient meadows and woodland to local nature reserves.
Notable features of Gateshead's countryside include Ryton Willows, found at Old Ryton Village on the banks of the Tyne at Ryton. Ryton Willows is 43 hectares of locally rare grassland and ponds located near to an affluent village with Georgian
Georgian era
The Georgian era is a period of British history which takes its name from, and is normally defined as spanning the reigns of, the first four Hanoverian kings of Great Britain : George I, George II, George III and George IV...
and Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
houses. Because of this it is a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
.
The Derwent valley, in the south/south west of the borough, offers panoramic views and pleasant walks. It was in the Derwent valley, near Rowlands Gill, that the Northern Kites Project re-introduced Red Kites. This was part of a national project to introduce the birds, that were once so commonplace across the country, back into the wild. This scheme has proven to be a big success, with birds being spotted across the west of the borough, from Crawcrook to Rowlands Gill itself.
The borough also contains one National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
site, the expansive Gibside
Gibside
Gibside is a country estate near Rowlands Gill, Tyne and Wear, North East England that was previously owned by the Bowes-Lyon family. It is now a National Trust property. The main house on the estate is now a shell, although the property is most famous for its chapel...
estate near Rowlands Gill, containing a stately home
Stately home
A stately home is a "great country house". It is thus a palatial great house or in some cases an updated castle, located in the British Isles, mostly built between the mid-16th century and the early part of the 20th century, as well as converted abbeys and other church property...
and a chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
, parts of its grounds have also been give SSSI status.
Even in the more urban areas of the Borough, in Gateshead itself and to the east, efforts have been made to maintain green spaces and wildlife sites. One such project is Bill Quay Community Farm in east if the borough. Offering a rural experience within an urban setting, it provides an important educational tool for local schools.
Religion
The 2001 censusUnited Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
stated that the borough's predominant religion was 80.25% Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
. Other statistics found 10.94% of No religion, 6.94 unstated, 0.82% Jewish and 0.60% Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
.
Economy
The area was once dependent on heavy industryHeavy industry
Heavy industry does not have a single fixed meaning as compared to light industry. It can mean production of products which are either heavy in weight or in the processes leading to their production. In general, it is a popular term used within the name of many Japanese and Korean firms, meaning...
such as steel making in the Derwent Valley and coal mining (across the borough). Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
on the Tyne was also a major source of employment. However, with the decline of these industries, Gateshead has attempted to re-invent itself. Although there are significant areas of deprivation in the borough, particularly in the centre and east, a number of towns and villages in the borough are popular with commuters and professionals who are employed in the service industry and well paid areas of secondary industry such as engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
(which remains a major source of employment). Such commuter areas include Ryton, Rowlands Gill, Whickham and Low Fell. The borough is host to Tyne Yard
Tyne Yard
Tyne Yard is a railway yard in Gateshead, England, on the East Coast Main Line, operated by DB Schenker Rail Ltd. The yard is the major freight yard of the region, with the majority of rail freight movements in Tyne and Wear from around the UK passing through the yard.The yard is about south of...
, a major rail freight yard serving the North East.
Gateshead Quayside, once dominated by industry, has benefited from significant investment and gentrification
Gentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
in the past decade. It is now home to the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art
The Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art is an international centre for contemporary art located on the south bank of the River Tyne alongside the Gateshead Millennium Bridge in Gateshead, North East England, United Kingdom...
and the Sage Gateshead
Sage Gateshead
The Sage Gateshead is a centre for musical education, performance and conferences, located in Gateshead on the south bank of the River Tyne, in the northeast of England...
. The Anthony Gormley structure, the Angel of the North
Angel of the North
The Angel of the North is a contemporary sculpture, designed by Antony Gormley, which is located in Gateshead,formerly County Durham, England.It is a steel sculpture of an angel, standing tall, with wings measuring across...
(the largest free standing sculpture in the United Kingdom) is also nearby. This puts Gateshead at the forefront of the arts
ARts
aRts, which stands for analog Real time synthesizer, is an audio framework that is no longer under development. It is best known for previously being used in KDE to simulate an analog synthesizer....
both regionally and nationally.
The area is also an important retail hub, with the largest shopping centre in the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, and second largest in Europe as a whole, the MetroCentre, situated adjacent to the A1 trunk road. Further retail, and a significant number of engineering companies are located in the Team Valley
Team Valley
Team Valley is a traditionally heavily industrial area of Gateshead in Tyne and Wear, England. More recently it has become home to the 'Retail World' retail park, which makes up just a small percentage of the entirety of the Team Valley Trading Estate...
Trading Estate, which at one time was the largest industrial estate in Europe.
Sports
Gateshead has a Association Football team, Gateshead F.C.Gateshead F.C.
Gateshead Football Club are a professional Association football club, based in Gateshead, England. They currently play in the Conference National, the fifth level of the English football league system.Ian Bogie is the current manager....
, who play in the English Conference National
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
, as well as a Rugby League
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
team, Gateshead Thunder
Gateshead Thunder
Gateshead Thunder is a professional rugby league club based in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear in England. They currently play in the Championship 1 competition, the third tier of rugby league in the United Kingdom...
, in the Championship. Both play at the Gateshead International Stadium
Gateshead International Stadium
Gateshead International Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England. The stadium is primarily set up for athletics, with a running track, but it is home to Gateshead Thunder rugby league club, Gateshead Senators American Football and Gateshead FC. It has also held a...
, which also hosts athletics