Terraced houses, South Benwell Road

Image: © Andrew Curtis Taken: 26 Nov 2010

Benwell and Scotswood used to be full of streets of these traditional Tyneside flats. Now most have been swept away leaving small blocks amid acres of grass. Elsewhere, the terraces of many streets are run down and derelict. They housed the workers of the industrial revolution in factories such as Armstrong's located below by the river. This distinctive form of housing is unique to the banks of the river Tyne, where it became the most popular form of working class housing during the Victorian era. Unlike the standard terraced housing found elsewhere in England, instead of one front door, there are two – one leading to the downstairs flat and one to the separate, upstairs flat.

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