In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Benwell like this:
BENWELL, a township and a chapelry in St. John parish, Northumberland. The township lies on the river Tyne, the Roman wall, and the Newcastle and Carlisle railway, 2 miles W of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Acres, 1,346. Pop., 1,771. Houses, 350. Here are collieries, the oldest in England; one of which, in the beginning of last century, took fire from a candle, and burned for nearly thirty years. ...
Benwell is believed to have been the Condercum of the Romans; and urns, coins, inscriptions, and other Roman remains have been found. Benwell tower belonged at one time to Tynemouth priory, and afterwards to the Shaftoes. Benwell High Cross, to the E, was named from a cross that formerly stood at it. The chapelry is more extensive than the township; and was constituted in 1842. Pop., 4,323. Houses, 749. The living is a p. curacy in the diocese of Durham. Value, £150.* Patron, the Vicar of Newcastle. The church is a Gothic structure with a tower, built at a cost of £1,607.
Benwell through time
Benwell is now part of Newcastle upon Tyne district. Click here for graphs and data of how Newcastle upon Tyne has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Benwell itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Benwell, in Newcastle upon Tyne and Northumberland | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/1308
Date accessed: 19th April 2024
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