IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Benwell Grange Road, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, NE15 6RN

Wider picture here Image

A steel sculpture on the corner of Armstrong Road and South Benwell Road made by Denis O'Connor of Sculpture Works, Wirksworth, Derbyshire.

See other photo here: Image The house behind is on Armstrong Road.

The church dates from 1931.

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.

The arbour forms the north gate on Armstrong Road to the southern section of Hodgkin Park. It was installed in 1996 as part of a local regeneration programme. The arbour was designed to reflect the style of entrances to the Paris Metro and also refers to Gateshead's MetroCentre, visible across the river from the park Image Full details about the arbour can be found here http://www.pmsa.org.uk/pmsa-database/9558/ Just inside the park, the site of the former bowling green used to be laid out with a low level maze of old building stones said to resemble the results of an archaeological dig. This was an art work also called 'Metroland' designed by Simon English for the park restoration in 1996. No sign of it today but there is a photo from the Newcastle Libraries collection here http://www.flickr.com/photos/newcastlelibraries/4087073873

Ornamental gates installed in 1996 at the south-east entrance to Hodgkin Park off Armstrong Road. The cut, painted steel screens bear the inscription: 'From a City to the Park / From a Garden to the Town / An Oasis in a Desert of Street and Stone'. Public Monuments and Sculpture Association: http://www.pmsa.org.uk/pmsa-database/9558/

Looking west along a street lined with semi detached houses in the west end of Newcastle.

'Sapling' stands near some mature trees in the north part of Hodgkin Park. Public Monuments and Sculpture Association: http://www.pmsa.org.uk/pmsa-database/9557/