Ouseburn
Encyclopedia
The Ouseburn is a river which flows through Newcastle upon Tyne
into the River Tyne
. The river gives its name to the Ouseburn electoral ward.
The source of the Ouseburn is located at Callerton in the north of the city near Newcastle Airport
. It then flows through the Kingston Park
area of the city, Newcastle Great Park, Gosforth Park
and Whitebridge Park. The Ouseburn then continues through Paddy Freemans park in South Gosforth and into Jesmond Dene
, Armstrong Park and Heaton Park, where it provides the boundary between Heaton
and Sandyford
. The river then flows through an underground culvert before re-emerging under Byker Bridge, where it flows past Byker Farm and meets the River Tyne
.
The lower Ouseburn Valley
through which it flows is also home to a number of pubs (Free Trade - right at the confluence with the Tyne with good view of the bridges looking upriver, The Tyne, the Cumberland Arms, The Ship Inn, Tanners and The Cluny
) known locally in the Newcastle area for live music and real ale. It is also a hub for the arts and creative industries, including the Biscuit Factory (open gallery), the Mushroom Works (open first weekend of the month), Testhouse 5 (appointment only), North Grange Glass (stained glass gallery and cafe), 36 Lime Street and Cobalt Studios.
The Ouseburn Valley is also the home of Seven Stories
, the national centre for children's books.
Whilst the area was the cradle of the Industrial Revolution in Newcastle and was once home to many thriving (and very dirty) heavy crafts and industries, it fell into disuse and dereliction by the mid-twentieth century. The current incarnation of the Valley as a cultural regeneration hotspot was initiated by the Ouseburn Trust, in partnership with the local authority, in 1996. The Trust remains a landlord and developer in the Ouseburn, and seeks to involve people in the heritage and regeneration of the area through its programme of free walks, talks and volunteering activities.
The river was previously tidal from roughly below Byker Bridge, revealing dark mud at low tide. The Ouseburn tidal barrage at the river mouth, which was completed in 2009, now retains high water in the Ouseburn at low tide, with the objective of providing a pleasanter environment alongside its banks at low tide, thus promoting development.
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...
into the River Tyne
River Tyne
The River Tyne is a river in North East England in Great Britain. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers: the North Tyne and the South Tyne. These two rivers converge at Warden Rock near Hexham in Northumberland at a place dubbed 'The Meeting of the Waters'.The North Tyne rises on the...
. The river gives its name to the Ouseburn electoral ward.
The source of the Ouseburn is located at Callerton in the north of the city near Newcastle Airport
Newcastle Airport
Newcastle International Airport is located in Woolsington in the City of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, north-west of the city centre. In 2010 it was the 11th busiest airport in the United Kingdom....
. It then flows through the Kingston Park
Kingston Park
Kingston Park is a suburb of Newcastle upon Tyne, about north west of the city centre. It is home to several large retailers, the largest being one of Tesco's flagship stores—at 11,055 square metres which is also the largest supermarket in the UK...
area of the city, Newcastle Great Park, Gosforth Park
Gosforth Park
Gosforth Park is a park north of Gosforth in the borough of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It houses Newcastle Racecourse, a Marriott hotel, two golf courses, a garden centre and a football centre....
and Whitebridge Park. The Ouseburn then continues through Paddy Freemans park in South Gosforth and into Jesmond Dene
Jesmond Dene
Jesmond Dene is a public park in the east end of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It occupies the narrow steep-sided valley of a small stream known as the Ouseburn: in North-east England, such valleys are commonly known as denes....
, Armstrong Park and Heaton Park, where it provides the boundary between Heaton
Heaton, Newcastle
Heaton is a residential suburb and is split into two electoral wards located in the east end of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, about from the City Centre. It is bordered by the neighbouring areas of Benton and Cochrane Park to the north, Walker and Walkergate to the east, Byker to the south and...
and Sandyford
Sandyford, Newcastle upon Tyne
Sandyford is a district of Newcastle upon Tyne, located in the east end of the city. It is bordered by the City Centre and the districts of Jesmond and Heaton.-Population:...
. The river then flows through an underground culvert before re-emerging under Byker Bridge, where it flows past Byker Farm and meets the River Tyne
River Tyne
The River Tyne is a river in North East England in Great Britain. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers: the North Tyne and the South Tyne. These two rivers converge at Warden Rock near Hexham in Northumberland at a place dubbed 'The Meeting of the Waters'.The North Tyne rises on the...
.
The lower Ouseburn Valley
Ouseburn Valley
The Ouseburn Valley was a heavily industrialised valley in the East end of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Since then the lower part of the valley has developed into a cultural oasis...
through which it flows is also home to a number of pubs (Free Trade - right at the confluence with the Tyne with good view of the bridges looking upriver, The Tyne, the Cumberland Arms, The Ship Inn, Tanners and The Cluny
The Cluny
The Cluny is a live music venue, pub and café, on Lime Street, in the Ouseburn Valley area of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Based in a former flax spinning mill, The Cluny occupies part of the wider building at 36 Lime Street, sharing the space with artists, offices and recording studios.The Cluny...
) known locally in the Newcastle area for live music and real ale. It is also a hub for the arts and creative industries, including the Biscuit Factory (open gallery), the Mushroom Works (open first weekend of the month), Testhouse 5 (appointment only), North Grange Glass (stained glass gallery and cafe), 36 Lime Street and Cobalt Studios.
The Ouseburn Valley is also the home of Seven Stories
Seven Stories
Seven Stories the national centre for children's Books in the United Kingdom is based in the Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle upon Tyne, close to the city's newly regenerated quayside...
, the national centre for children's books.
Whilst the area was the cradle of the Industrial Revolution in Newcastle and was once home to many thriving (and very dirty) heavy crafts and industries, it fell into disuse and dereliction by the mid-twentieth century. The current incarnation of the Valley as a cultural regeneration hotspot was initiated by the Ouseburn Trust, in partnership with the local authority, in 1996. The Trust remains a landlord and developer in the Ouseburn, and seeks to involve people in the heritage and regeneration of the area through its programme of free walks, talks and volunteering activities.
The river was previously tidal from roughly below Byker Bridge, revealing dark mud at low tide. The Ouseburn tidal barrage at the river mouth, which was completed in 2009, now retains high water in the Ouseburn at low tide, with the objective of providing a pleasanter environment alongside its banks at low tide, thus promoting development.