S2, E6: Tynemouth Priory and Castle

The history of Tynemouth, its Priory, the later Castle that sat on the monastery land, and its surprising connection to the Norman Conquest.

What You’ll Hear

0:55: The history of Tynemouth
2:04: The Victorian metro station
2:31: The Priory
4:10: Tostig Godwinson
4:31: The Castle

Listen to the Episode

Tynemouth is one of several villages that are spread out on the coastline. It’s thought that the area was lived in during prehistoric times, although the earliest known settlement, belonging to the Votadini tribe, dates to the Iron Age (800 BC to AD 43).

Some History

It sits on a headland, known as ‘Pen Bal Crag’, overlooking the mouth of the Tyne on the north side, making it of strategic importance for hundreds of years

The Romans, as we know, had quickly spotted the potential of the River Tyne, which was used to supply goods to the forts on either side. Tynemouth was possibly used as a signal station, as it’s not far from Hadrian’s Wall.

It served as a fishing village, and a trading port was established by the prior in 1325, which led to a centuries-long dispute with Newcastle over shipping rights. Later, it was popular with Victorian bathers, who frequented many of the beaches, and there was an outdoor swimming pool at one time.

The village centre has been transformed over a number of years, and is now a popular nightspot, with pubs, bars and restaurants of all kinds catering for visitors. Riley’s Fish Shack, down on the beach at King Edward’s Bay, is a highly-rated fish and seafood restaurant, which has been featured on TV.

The metro station is one of three Victorian stations on the coastal line which used by Nexus Metro but originally built for trains. It’s a Grade II listed building, designed for the North Eastern Railway Company by William Bell.

The Victorian station in Tynemouth. Shown is the wide pavement with traditional lamposts. In the background is the steps leading to the glass covered bridge

Opened in 1882, it features vaulted glass roofs, wrought-iron railings and a beautiful, glass-walled footbridge. It is also host to a weekend market, with a wide range of food, books and antiques stalls.

The Monastery

The monastery was founded in the 6^th or 7^th century, and would have been significant, along with those further up in Northumberland, such as those at Holy Island and Jarrow. King Osred II of Northumbria was buried at a church that stood on the present site in 792 AD.

A sketch of King Osred. He wears a crown with large feathers and wears a Roman-style tunic. He holds a shield and an axe of some sort — King Osred

However, the Viking raids that attacked the other religious buildings in the county also came to Tynemouth, and it was easy for them to access it. The building was abandoned in 785 AD.

The site was occupied a couple of times after that, and then William II gave the land to one Robert de Mowbray in 1090, making him Earl of Northumberland and encouraging him to be loyal to the crown. Robert gave the land to the Benedictine monks, and they built themselves a priory.

During the First War of Scottish Independence (1296-1328), the Priory was enclosed in walls, with towers for men to keep watch in case of invaders. In the 1300s, a garrison was installed, and the fortifications strengthened later in the century.

A possibly surprising fact is that, across the north east of England, monks were often involved in mining. The port at North Shields was established in 1225 by Prior Germanus of Tynemouth Priory, and in Durham the monks owned pits in the 1350s, at Rainton and Ferryhill.

Both Edward I and Edward III got involved to protect the Newcastle port – Edward I had the jetties at North Shields taken down, and Edward III banned Tynemouth and Durham monks from unloading coal.

Tynemouth Castle

Tynemouth Castle was built around the foundations of the earlier monastery. While there was a castle of sorts there for a couple of hundred years, in de Mowbray’s time it was mostly earthen ramparts and a rough wooden structure.

After the Priory was abandoned, it was made into a fortress by one Earl Tostig Godwinson, brother of the unfortunate Harold (listen to the first ever episode). Tostig was hoping to restore the Priory, but having been exiled by his brother he had thrown his support behind the Norwegian King Harald Hardrada, and was killed at the Battle of Stamford Bridge.

When Henry VIII declared his supremacy over the Pope and made himself head of the Church of England, he had the Priory seized and handed it over to have its defences improved even further.

From then on, the site was a defensive rather than a religious one, and played an important part in the Civil War and later in defending the coast.

In 1538, Henry gave the site to Sir Thomas Hilton, and the monastic buildings were destroyed. Artillery fortification work began in 1545, and gunports were added. In 1564, The 8^th Earl of Northumberland, Henry Percy, whose family we looked at in the last episode, was the guardian of the castle.

The Percys were also responsible for maintaining a lighthouse which stood on the edge of the headland. However, in 1559, a staircase to the turret where the brazier was housed collapsed, making it inaccessible.

In 1665 the Governor had a proper lighthouse built within the castle walls using stones from the priory, although it’s not clear how they managed in the intervening 100 and odd years.

It was rebuilt in 1175, replaced with an oil light in 1802 and then a revolving light in 1875. St Mary’s Lighthouse, along the coast at Whitley Bay, replaced it in 1895, and the Castle lighthouse was demolished in 1898.

The castle then served as a barracks from the end of the 19^th century and was a key defence structure during both the First and Second World Wars.

This episode was inspired by my Time Pieces History Project blog about Tynemouth Priory. I also mention the first TPH Podcast episode (Bayeux Tapestry). You can find out more about the castle here.