Heaton, Newcastle

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Chillingham Road, Heaton's main commercial street

Heaton is located in the east end of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, approximately 2 miles from the City Centre. It is bordered by the neighbouring areas of Benton and Cochrane Park to the north, Walkergate to the east, Byker to the south and Jesmond and Sandyford to the west.

The name 'Heaton' means high town, referring to the area being situated on hills above the Ouseburn, a tributary of the River Tyne.

In the 12th century Heaton became part of the Barony of Ellingham granted by Henry I to Nicholas de Grenville. King John stayed in the castle at Heaton (the remains of which can still be seen in Heaton Park) on a number of occasions. In the 17th century the Heaton estate was purchased by Henry Babington who was knighted at Heaton Hall by James I on May 1, 1617.

By the 18th century, Heaton was a coal mining area with many of its collieries owned by Matthew White and Richard Ridley. The Heaton estate was broken up in 1835 when the area became officially incorporated into Newcastle upon Tyne. Much of the land in Heaton in 1840 was owned by Amourer Donkin, who on his death in 1857 bequeathed the land to his business partner, the industrialist Sir William Armstrong.

In 1879, the corporation acquired part of the Heaton Hall estate which was laid out as Heaton Park, and Sir William Armstrong donated Armstrong Park and Jesmond Dene to the city. The three parks run into each other to form a green chain through east Newcastle.

During the 19th century, the building of the railways saw the East Coast Main Line pass through Heaton, housing a major rail depot. Heaton also became the location of Sir Charles Parsons engineering works producing turbines.

Heaton was also home to Newcastle United under their previous name Newcastle East End F.C. between 1882 and 1892, East End played at the Heaton Junction Ground on Chillingham Road before moving to St James' Park.

Jack Common (1903-1968), the author of 'Kiddar's Luck' and 'The Ampersand', was born and brought up at 44 Third Avenue, Heaton, and attended Chillingham Road primary school; his novels give a vivid portrait of the area in the early 20th century. Common was later to model for the bust of Karl Marx which tops Marx's tomb in Highgate Cemetery, London. Third Avenue was also the birthplace of the Ringtons Tea business.

Towards the North of Chillingham Road

Nowadays, Heaton is a mixed working class and middle class area. In recent years it has become a popular residence for many students attending the city's two Universities, Newcastle University and Northumbria University.

Heaton has a large secondary school, Heaton Manor School, although many children in Heaton attend Benfield School, located on the Heaton/Walkergate boundary. There are also a number of primary schools spread over the area, namely Ravenswood Primary School, Chillingham Road Primary School, Cragside Primary School, Hotspur Primary School and St. Theresa's Primary School (the latter two are located in Ouseburn Ward).

Heaton is served by Chillingham Road Metro station on the Tyne and Wear Metro system, though Byker Metro station is closer for some living in South Heaton.

[edit] External links

• Photos of the area from Geograph
• Newcastle Council Ward Info: North Heaton
• Newcastle Council Ward Info: South Heaton
• Newcastle Council Ward Info: Ouseburn (includes South West or "low" Heaton)

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