Rowlands Gill
 |
This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. (Consider using more specific cleanup instructions.) Please help improve this article if you can. The talk page may contain suggestions. (January 2008) |
Coordinates: 54°55′15″N 1°44′39″W / 54.920926°N 1.744103°W
| Rowlands Gill | |
 Rowlands Gill
Rowlands Gill shown within Tyne and Wear |
|
| OS grid reference | NZ165585 |
|---|---|
| Metropolitan borough | Gateshead |
| Metropolitan county | Tyne and Wear |
| Region | North East |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ROWLANDS GILL |
| Postcode district | NE39 |
| Dialling code | 01207 |
| Police | Northumbria |
| Fire | Tyne and Wear |
| Ambulance | North East |
| EU Parliament | North East England |
| UK Parliament | Blaydon |
| List of places: UK • England • Tyne and Wear | |
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 an economically viable coal mining village, and later a semi-rural dormitory suburb of commercial & industrial Tyneside. An independent village within Blaydon Urban District Council, in County Durham, it became incorporated into Tyne and Wear in 1974 and then the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead in 1986.
It is in the greenbelt of Gateshead. The village has a picturesque setting with much open space and views across the valley to Gibsideestate, now owned by the National Trust.
Contents |
[edit] Local politics
In local government Rowlands Gill is located mainly within the ward of 'Chopwell and Rowlands Gill. It is served by three councillors, all of whom are Labour councillors, except for the north end at Lockhaugh, which falls within the ward of Winlaton and High Spen, which is served by 2 Liberal Democrat councillors. Gateshead council is Labour controlled.
Rowlands Gill is in constituency]] of Blaydon. The MP is Labour's Dave Anderson.
[edit] Retail and facilities
An outstanding feature of the village is the absence of a pub. When the owners sold off their land for house-building at the end of the 19th century, they stipulated that no public houses were to be built upon their land.
The original Towneley Arms Public House pre-dated the village, being built in 1835, to serve travellers and their horses on the turnpike road (now the A694) coming along the valley. In 1961 the Newcastle Breweries replaced the original with one of their better & quite well liked but sadly not well enough loved buildings. It was demolished in 2002 to make way for dwellings.
The adjoining hamlet of Winlaton Mill has 2 pubs; nearby Winlaton has 10; over the river at Burnopfield are 6. However, in the village, there is the Vale of Derwent CIU Social Club : visitors need to sign-in to enter and enjoy the hospitality.
The village is served by 3 estate agents, 2 florists, 1 undertaker. Everything you would need, really. Together with a 4 doctor GP surgery, 1 dentist, 2 hairdressers, 1 barber, 1 Bank. Other shops include a newsagent and post office, a chemist, a pet shop, a picture framer, an accountant, a washing machine repair shop, a bookmakers, a pre-loved car sales establishment, a gym, and a grocer/greengrocer/butcher/baker/confectioner/newsagent. For dining, there is Bellini's excellent Italian restaurant, the Chinese restaurant/take-away, an intimate tea-shop, and Maguires the award winning fish and chip shop.
The Library and two small churches are situated near the village centre. These are Strathmore Road Methodist Church and St. Barnabas Church of England.
[edit] Recreation and education
There is a small summer season Caravan Park located on the municipal Derwent Park site.
The Derwent Park provides access to the river where permit holders can fish as well as tennis courts, putting, recreational fields and playground facilities. The Derwent Country Walk runs through the village along the route of the old rail tracks.
The village's 'In Bloom Committee' is very active and has entered the Britain in Bloom competition over the past 3 or 4 years in the 'Large Village' category. The participation is boasted by signs marking the village.
There is a busy road running through. There are frequent bus services (Services 45/46 and 47 provided by Go North East) to Newcastle City Centre, the MetroCentre and, in the other direction, Blackhall Mill or Consett wia Ebchester and Shotley Bridge. Other minor bus routes also operate such as the local circle buses serving areas such as Sherburn Towers, and the UCall bus service.
Rowlands Gill has a Primary & Junior school, recently re-built, whose performance reflects the nature of the good people who live nearby. The schools are feeders to Ryton Comprehensive School.
Rowlands Gill, and the surrounding Derwent Valley, was chosen by the Northern Kites Project as the location for the re-introduction of Red Kites in semi-rural areas. 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. And also in my back garden ![1][2]
[edit] Notable people
The following notable people were either born in Rowlands Gill or lived there for a significant period:
- Kirsty Wade..athlete, former resident of the old station-masters house.
- Chris Ryan..famous SAS hero and author
[edit] References
- ^ "Delight as red kite chicks hatch". BBC News. 16 June 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/5084800.stm. Retrieved 2008-01-23.
- ^ "Young Red Kite Takes First Flight". BBC News. 2006-07-27. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/5222580.stm. Retrieved 2008-01-23.
[edit] External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Rowlands Gill |
- Friends of Red Kites - Details about the reintroduced kites in the Derwent Valley, Gateshead
- Who was Rowland? [1]
