Heaton, Newcastle

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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, Sir William Armstrong donated his land to the city to be turned into public parks, which consist of the present Heaton Park, Armstrong Park and Jesmond Dene.

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.

Nowadays, the area is a mixed working class and middle class areas and in recent years has become a popular residence for many students attending the city's two Universities, University of Newcastle upon Tyne and Northumbria University.

Heaton is served by Chillingham Road Metro station on the Tyne and Wear Metro system.