View source for Wallsend

{{Short description|Town in North Tyneside, England}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox UK place
| official_name = Wallsend
| static_image = Wallsend Town Hall.jpg
| static_image_caption = [[Wallsend Town Hall]]
| country = England
| region = North East England
| population = 43,826
| population_ref =<ref name="BUASD Pop">{{NOMIS2011|id=E35001401|title=Wallsend Built-up Area sub division|access-date =2 July 2023}}</ref>
| os_grid_reference = NZ301664
| map_type = Tyne and Wear
| coordinates = {{coord|54.991|-1.534|display=inline,title}}
| post_town = WALLSEND
| postcode_area = NE
| postcode_district = NE28
| dial_code = 0191
| constituency_westminster = [[Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend (UK Parliament constituency)|Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend]]
| civil_parish = 
| metropolitan_borough = [[North Tyneside]]
| metropolitan_county = [[Tyne and Wear]]
}}
'''Wallsend''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|w|ɔː|l|z|ˈ|ɛ|n|d}}) is a town in [[North Tyneside]], [[Tyne and Wear]], England, at the eastern end of [[Hadrian's Wall]]. It has a population of 43,842 and lies {{convert|4|mi|km|round=0.5|abbr=off|spell=in}} east of [[Newcastle upon Tyne]].<ref>[http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Expodata/Spreadsheets/D8271.xls Office for National Statistics: ''Census 2001: Urban Areas: Table KS01: Usual Resident Population''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208210730/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Expodata/Spreadsheets/D8271.xls |date=2007-02-08 }} Retrieved 2009-08-26</ref>

==History==
===Roman Wallsend===
In Roman times, this was the site of the fort of [[Segedunum]]. This fort protected the eastern end of [[Hadrian's Wall]], which did not terminate at the western wall of the fort, but continued from its south-eastern corner down to the shore of the [[River Tyne]]. As David Breeze writes, "In the early nineteenth century, as recorded by [[John Collingwood Bruce|Bruce]], [[John Buddle]] the Younger had often seen the Wall foundations extending far into the river when swimming there as a boy."<ref>''Handbook to the Roman Wall'', Fourteenth Edition by [[David Breeze]], p.136.</ref>

===Pre-Conquest===
The withdrawal of the Romans from the Wall immediately brought the Picts from the north and shortly afterwards the Angles, sailing from near the mouth of the [[River Elbe]] with frequent raids both from sea and from land. [[Ida of Bernicia|Ida]] the Saxon laid waste to the whole of the north in 547 and Wallsend doubtless suffered in the general devastation. It was not until the golden age of Northumberland under [[Edwin of Northumbria]], and the subsequent introduction of the Christian faith by King [[Oswald of Northumbria]] (635–642) and [[St Aidan]], that Wallsend enjoyed a time of peace and progress. This time of peace came to an abrupt end in 794 when the Danes (or [[Vikings]]) swarmed up the Tyne in great numbers. In the years before the [[Norman Conquest]] there was a struggle for mastery between Danes and Angles.

===19th century to present===
Several urban [[sanitary district|sanitary districts]] were formed in the parish in the late 19th century: [[Willington Quay]], [[Howdon]] and Wallsend itself. The first two joined to form the Willington Quay [[Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland)|urban district]] under the [[Local Government Act 1894]], with the portion of the parish outside any urban sanitary district forming the parish of [[Willington, Tyne and Wear|Willington]] in [[Tynemouth Rural District]]. Wallsend was incorporated as a [[municipal borough]] in 1901,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/william-stephen-daglish-57593|title = William Stephen Daglish &#124; Art UK}}</ref> and in 1910 took over Willington Quay and Willington, and also part of the parish of [[Longbenton]].
[[St Peter's Church, Wallsend]] ([[Church of England]]) has four fine stained glass windows by [[Michael Healy (artist)|Michael Healy]] of [[An Túr Gloine]]: ''St Patrick, St Peter and St Luke'' (1913); ''Our Lord with the Nativity and the Shepherds'' (1919); ''Angel of the Resurrection with St George and St Christopher'' (1921); ''Our Lord walking on water'' (1921); and a window by [[Ethel Rhind]], also of An Túr Gloine, depicting ''The Good Shepherd, Mary of Bethany, David'' (1921).

===Shipbuilding===
[[File:World_Unicorn,_built_by_Swan_Hunter_1973.jpg|thumb|''World Unicorn'' being built by Swan Hunter at the Wallsend shipyard, Tyneside in 1973]]
Wallsend has a history of [[shipbuilding]] and was the home of the [[Wigham Richardson]] shipyard, which later amalgamated to form [[Swan Hunter|Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson]], probably best known for building the [[RMS Mauretania (1906)|RMS ''Mauretania'']].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-29629205|title=World War One role of luxury liner RMS Mauretania|work=BBC News|date=13 November 2014|access-date=7 February 2017}}</ref> This express liner held the [[Blue Riband]], for the fastest crossing of the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]], for 22 years.

Other famous ships included the [[RMS Carpathia|RMS ''Carpathia'']]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rmstitanicremembered.com/?page_id=468 |title=The Carpathia |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508013011/http://www.rmstitanicremembered.com/?page_id=468 |archive-date=8 May 2012 }}</ref> which rescued the survivors from the [[RMS Titanic|''Titanic'']] in 1912, and the icebreaker ''[[Krasin (1916 icebreaker)|Krasin]]'' (launched as ''Sviatogor'') which rescued the [[Umberto Nobile]] expedition on [[Spitzbergen]] in 1928, when [[Roald Amundsen]] perished. The story is retold in the movie ''[[The Red Tent (film)|The Red Tent]]'', starring [[Sean Connery]] and [[Peter Finch]].

[[Charles Algernon Parsons|Charles Parsons]] launched his revolutionary ''[[Turbinia]]'' here in 1894,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects/marine_engines/1927-479.aspx|title=Objects|access-date=7 February 2017|archive-date=13 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113082414/https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects/marine_engines/1927-479.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> thus not only revolutionising the navies of the world, but also, through the large-scale production of affordable electricity, making a significant contribution to the modern age.{{clarify|reason=there's no explanation of how Turbinia's launch relates to electricity generation. Fine if you know but let's not make readers guess. |date=January 2020}} He features in a [[BBC]] film called ''The Inventor of the Twentieth Century''.
[[File:Wallsend Ship Repair.jpg|thumb|right|Wallsend ship repair dry docks, 1987]]
Russian novelist [[Yevgeny Zamyatin]] worked at Swan Hunter in 1916–17, and used it as background for his great anti-utopian work [[We (novel)|''We'']] which was a major influence on [[George Orwell]]'s ''[[Nineteen Eighty-Four]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2009/jun/08/george-orwell-1984-zamyatin-we|title = What George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four owes Yevgeny Zamyatin's We| website=[[TheGuardian.com]] |date = 8 June 2009}}</ref>

World War II ships built here include {{HMS|Sheffield|C24|6}} and {{HMS|Victorious|R38|6}} which took part in the sinking of the ''[[German battleship Bismarck|Bismarck]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/history/10-images-recalling-glory-days-13969006|title=10 archive images of Swan Hunter on the River Tyne|first=David|last=Morton|date=29 November 2017|website=nechronicle}}</ref> Other ships built there include the new [[HMS Ark Royal (R07)|HMS ''Ark Royal'']] in the 1980s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/news/tyne-tees/2012-09-10/hms-ark-royal-to-be-scrapped-in-turkey/|title=HMS Ark Royal to be scrapped in Turkey|date=10 September 2012|access-date=7 February 2017}}</ref>

The shipyard closed in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.swanhunter.com/history7.html |title=History of Wallsend |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130611102823/http://www.swanhunter.com/history7.html |archive-date=11 June 2013 }}</ref> The musical ''[[The Last Ship (musical)|The Last Ship]]'' by [[Sting (musician)|Sting]] is set in the shipyard. The former [[Wallsend Slipway & Engineering Company]] Shipyard continues to operate, constructing offshore oil rigs and as a TV studio: productions from there include the hit ITV drama [[Vera (TV series)|''Vera'']] starring [[Brenda Blethyn]] and ''[[Inspector George Gently]]'' starring [[Martin Shaw]].

===Coal mining===
Much of Wallsend's early industry was driven by coal mining. The '''Wallsend Colliery''' consisted of seven pits which were active between 1778<ref name="northtyneside.gov.uk">{{cite web|url=http://my.northtyneside.gov.uk/page/5751/history-wallsend-parks|title=History of Wallsend Parks – North Tyneside Council|date=8 October 2014|access-date=7 February 2017|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304044314/http://my.northtyneside.gov.uk/page/5751/history-wallsend-parks|url-status=dead}}</ref> and 1935.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://www.dmm.org.uk/colliery/w022.htm|title=Durham Mining Museum – Wallsend Colliery|first=Durham Mining|last=Museum|access-date=7 February 2017}}</ref> In the 1820s the pits became incorporated as Russell's Colliery, which then became the Wallsend and Hebburn Coal Company Ltd. By 1924 the colliery employed 2,183 people. Its most prominent manager was mining and railway engineer [[John Buddle]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/John_Buddle|title=John Buddle – Graces Guide|access-date=7 February 2017}}</ref> who helped develop the [[Davy Lamp]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mininginstitute.org.uk/events/hire/room-showcase/event/18-buddle-lamp-talk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402142046/https://www.mininginstitute.org.uk/events/hire/room-showcase/event/18-buddle-lamp-talk |title=Behind the controversy: John Buddle and the development of the safety lamp |date=4 March 2015 |archive-date=2 April 2015 }}</ref>

Between 1767 and 1925 there were 11 major incidents recorded at the colliery resulting in over 209 deaths.<ref name="auto"/> On 18 June 1835 a gas explosion in one of the tunnels killed 102 miners,<ref name="northtyneside.gov.uk"/> the youngest of whom was aged eight and the oldest 75. Many of the dead were found with their cloth caps in their mouths. This is believed to have been an attempt to prevent inhalation of the gas which eventually killed them. The bodies were extracted and buried in St Peter's churchyard at the top of the bank overlooking the Wallsend Burn. A plaque has been erected within the churchyard to commemorate this tragedy.

===Twentieth century===
The town has expanded greatly in terms of housing since the end of World War II, and since the 1960s.
Wallsend Town Centre—including the main shopping area known as the "Wallsend Forum"—is in fact to the west of the land covered by the town. To the north of this area lies the older estate of High Farm and the new estate of Hadrian Lodge. The town centre of Wallsend is separated from the eastern areas of the town by the Wallsend Burn, a stream running through a small glacial valley from north-west to south-east and through the Willington Gut into the River Tyne. To the east of the Burn is the old area of Holy Cross, which contains the ruins of a medieval church, the pre-war estate of Rosehill and the mainly post-war estate of Howdon. To the south of Howdon lies Willington Quay which, as its name suggests, once served shipping but which is now dominated by industry and housing. East Howdon forms a small enclave between Willington Quay and North Shields.

The town's principal thoroughfare and shopping street is the High Street. To the north of this street is Wallsend Green, the town's most picturesque area, consisting of large houses as well as the [[Sir G B Hunter Memorial Hospital]], surrounding a green square.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://my.northtyneside.gov.uk/sites/default/files/web-page-related-files/Wallsend%20Green%20CACA%201.pdf|title=The Green, Wallsend Conservation Area|publisher=North Tyneside Council|access-date=28 December 2019}}</ref> Behind the Green, where the Burn runs through the parkland of the Hall Grounds lies Richardson Dees Park, a traditional British municipal park, whose restoration has frequently been demanded by local residents and is planned with many improvements such as a skate and BMX park, better pathways, and a rebuilding of the Duffy Memorial Fountain. On Rheydt Avenue in Wallsend is Centurion Park Golf Club, previously named Wallsend Golf Club. It has 18 holes and a driving range.

The town is home to [[Wallsend Boys Club]], which has produced many famous [[association football|football]] players such as [[Alan Shearer]], [[Lee Clark (footballer)|Lee Clark]], [[Steve Watson]], [[Peter Beardsley]], [[Robbie Elliott]], [[Mick Tait]] and [[Michael Carrick]]. It is also hometown and birthplace to internationally successful musician [[Sting (musician)|Sting]], whose song ''[[All This Time (Sting song)|All This Time]]'' refers to the Roman wall and fort. The musical ''[[The Last Ship (musical)|The Last Ship]]'', composed and written by Sting, is set in Wallsend.

[[Wallsend Town Hall]], a large [[Baroque architecture|Edwardian Baroque style]] building in High Street East, was completed in 1908.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/historic-wallsend-town-hall-refurbished-8694980  |title= Historic Wallsend Town Hall refurbished as office space for businesses|date=22 February 2015|publisher=Newcastle Chronicle| access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

===Commemorating Roman history===
In dedication to its Roman heritage, Wallsend's historic name ''Segedunum'' is shown in many places in the town, and signs with [[Latin]] wordings can also be found. [[Wallsend Metro Station]] has some signs in English and Latin. Such translations tend to amuse, with contrasts between today's and ancient times.  [[Segedunum|Segedunum Roman Fort Museum]] has displays on Roman history as well as reconstructions of a bath house and a section of the Roman Wall which once stood on the site.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.twmuseums.org.uk/segedunum-roman-fort/about-us.html |title=About Segedunum |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121014210322/http://www.twmuseums.org.uk/segedunum-roman-fort/about-us.html |archive-date=14 October 2012 }}</ref>
<gallery>
Image:Hadrian's Wall map, Wallsend Metro station - geograph.org.uk - 725591.jpg|A Hadrian's Wall map imitating the style of a Metro map
Image:Wallsend platfom 2 02.jpg|Bilingual, English–Latin station platform and ''no smoking'' sign
Image:Latin_spoken_here_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1052519.jpg|''No trespassing'' signs, in English and Latin with different penalties (£200 in the Latin)
</gallery>

== Geography ==
Wallsend is on the Bank of the River Tyne and one of its tributaries flows through Wallsend known as the Wallsend Burn.

== Transport ==
{{main|Transport in Tyne and Wear}}

==Demography==
In 2011, Wallsend had a population of 43,826, compared with 42,842 in the previous census.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! &nbsp;!! Wallsend !! [[North Tyneside]]
|-
| White British || 95.1% || 95.1%
|-
| Asian || 1.9% || 1.9%
|-
| Black || 0.6% || 0.4%
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align: center;" | '''Sources:'''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/ks201ew|title=KS201EW (Ethnic group) – Nomis – Official Labour Market Statistics|access-date=7 February 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukcensusdata.com/north-tyneside-e08000022#sthash.C7MTghix.dpbs|title=North Tyneside – UK Census Data 2011|first=Good Stuff IT|last=Services|access-date=7 February 2017}}</ref>
|}

In Wallsend, 4.9% of the population is non-white British, which is the same as the surrounding borough. It also has the same percentage of Asian people, but has slightly more black people. Wallsend is the second least ethnically diverse major urban subdivision in [[Tyneside]] and has a larger percentage of white British people compared with [[Tynemouth]] which is also slightly larger in population. However it has more ethnic minorities than [[Jarrow]], which is south of the river Tyne.

==Notable people==
*[[Paul W. S. Anderson]]{{dash}}filmmaker<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/10-stars-you-might-not-6654205|title=10 stars you might not have known were from the North East|first=Mercedes|last=Broadbent|date=31 January 2014|access-date=7 February 2017}}</ref>
*[[Andrea Riseborough]]{{dash}}actress<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/famous-people-north-east-geordies-16798078|title=The ultimate list of 100 great Northerners|first=Mike|last=Kelly|date=25 August 2019|website=ChronicleLive}}</ref>
*[[Sheldon Hall (film historian)|Sheldon Hall]]{{dash}}film historian
*[[Peter Higgs]]{{dash}}theoretical physicist, winner of the [[Nobel Prize in Physics]]
*[[Paul Kennedy]]{{dash}}historian<ref>{{cite web|url=http://history.yale.edu/people/paul-kennedy|title=Paul Kennedy – Department of History|access-date=7 February 2017}}</ref>
*[[Andrew Leslie (shipbuilder)|Andrew Leslie]]{{dash}}shipbuilder
*[[John Anthony McGuckin]]{{dash}}theologian, Orthodox Archpriest
*[[Vicky Pattison]]{{dash}}reality TV star
*[[Charlie Hardwick]]{{dash}}actress<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/arts-culture-news/emmerdales-charlie-hardwick-leaving-soap-9432099|title=Emmerdale's Charlie Hardwick leaving soap for Theatre Royal pantomime Dick Whittington|first=Gordon|last=Barr|date=11 June 2015|newspaper=Chroniclelive}}</ref>
*[[Danny Murphy (British actor)|Danny Murphy]]{{dash}}actor<ref>{{cite web |title=Role model Danny Murphy signs his way onto the big screen |url=https://www.itv.com/news/tyne-tees/2019-05-09/role-model-danny-murphy-signs-his-way-onto-the-big-screen |website=ITV.com |access-date=24 August 2024}}</ref>
*[[Janet McTeer]]{{dash}}actress

===Politics===
*[[John McKay (UK politician)|John McKay]]{{dash}}MP for Wallsend 1945–1964
*[[Chi Onwurah]]{{dash}}MP for [[Newcastle upon Tyne Central (UK Parliament constituency)|Newcastle Upon Tyne Central]] 2010 to present<ref>[http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/oldsections/elections/general_election_2010/constituencies/522.newcastle_upon_tyne_central/candidates/2893._chi_onwurah/]{{dead link|date=December 2019}}</ref>
*[[T. Dan Smith]]{{dash}}regional politician<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/display-shows-dan-smith-altered-1460732|title=Display shows T Dan Smith altered Newcastle|first=Evening|last=Chronicle|date=23 September 2009|access-date=7 February 2017}}</ref>

===Music===
*[[Richard Gaddes]]{{dash}}opera administrator<ref>{{cite journal|journal= Grove Music Online |url=http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.A2235173|title=Gaddes, Richard (born 1942), opera administrator: Grove Music Online – oi|year=2013|access-date=7 February 2017|doi=10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.a2235173|last1=Merkling|first1=Frank|last2=Bryan|first2=Karen M.|series=Oxford Music Online|publisher=Oxford University Press|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
*[[Ray Jackson (musician)|Ray Jackson]]{{dash}}musician<ref>{{cite web |last=Whetstone |first=David |url=http://www.thejournal.co.uk/culture/music-nightlife-news/lindisfarne-legend-ray-jackson-calls-8445589 |title=Lindisfarne legend Ray Jackson calls it a day |publisher=The Journal |date=2015-01-14 |access-date=2019-12-28 |archive-date=3 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180403202717/http://www.thejournal.co.uk/culture/music-nightlife-news/lindisfarne-legend-ray-jackson-calls-8445589 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*[[Ochre (musician)|Ochre]]{{dash}}musician
*[[Venom (band)|Venom]]{{dash}}band
*[[Sting (musician)|Sting]]{{dash}}musician<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thejournal.co.uk/north-east-analysis/analysis-news/sting-talks-fans-paying-back-8786568|title=Sting talks to fans about 'paying back his debt' to his Wallsend community|first=Kate|last=Proctor|date=6 March 2015|access-date=7 February 2017|archive-date=8 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170208133428/http://www.thejournal.co.uk/north-east-analysis/analysis-news/sting-talks-fans-paying-back-8786568|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Football{{dash}}players, managers, coaches===
*[[Steve Bruce]]
*[[Brian Laws]]
*[[Michael Carrick]] 
*[[George Reay]]
*[[Lee Clark (footballer)|Lee Clark]]
*[[Neil McDonald (footballer)|Neil McDonald]]
*[[Tony Lowery]]
*[[Steve Watson]]
*[[Paul Stephenson (footballer)|Paul Stephenson]]
*[[Michael Smith (footballer born 1991)|Michael Smith]]
*[[Barry Richardson (English footballer)|Barry Richardson]]

=== Other sports players ===
*[[Billy Bolt]]{{dash}}motorcycle rider, [[FIM SuperEnduro World Championship]] winner
*[[Kevin McDine]]{{dash}}darts player
*[[Chris Thorman]]{{dash}}Rugby 
*[[Gary Wilson (snooker player)|Gary Wilson]]{{dash}}snooker player

==See also==
*[[Point Pleasant (Wallsend)|Point Pleasant]]
*[[North East England]]

==References==
{{notelist}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{EB1911 poster|Wallsend}}
* [http://www.tyneandweararchives.org.uk Tyne and Wear Archives Service: historical information on Wallsend] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070405111556/http://www.tyneandweararchives.org.uk/ |date=5 April 2007 }}
*[http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=26535 Read a detailed historic record about Wallsend Roman Fort]

{{T&W places}}
{{Tyne and Wear}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Wallsend| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Tyne and Wear]]
[[Category:Unparished areas in Tyne and Wear]]
[[Category:Former civil parishes in Tyne and Wear]]
[[Category:Metropolitan Borough of North Tyneside]]