| Summary : A multi-period site including the remains of an Iron Age and Romano-British settlement, a pre-conquest monastery from the 8th century, a post-conquest monastery dedicated to St. Oswine, built from about 1090 with subsequent multiple phases of development in the Medieval period and a large 14th century gatehouse; a ninth century wayside cross, a possible Norman motte, an enclosure castle, an artillery castle and 19th and 20th century coastal defences. They occupy a prominent headland with steep cliffs on three sides. This is an important strategic position at the mouth of the River Tyne where, from the earliest times, it could command the mouth of the river, and indeed the site is known to have been occupied from the Iron Age onwards. The monument is in the care of English Heritage on behalf of the Secretary of State. Please see the individual records for the components of this monument. |
More information : [NZ 37206937] Remains of (NAT) Priory (NR) (Benedictine Founded AD1089) [NZ 37226939] Tynemouth Castle (NR) (Remains of) (1)
See attached pamphlet. (2)
Additional defences of the riverine headland, undertaken in 1584, consisted of a battery [subsequently known as the "Spanish Battery"] on the lower headland [NZ 37356907] connected by a system of walls to the castle precincts, abutted by fish-ponds on the SW. These outworks, refurbished in the C17th, had ostensibly disappeared by 1895, but traces are still apparent. See plan and annotated 1/1250 A M. (3-4)
Excavations in 1963 yielded evidence of both IA and native settlement of the Roman period. It consisted of the remains of a timber-built house 38ft in diameter, at NZ 3732 6942, comparable with a type found on pre-Roman I A sites in the area; and, a short distance to the SE, a small hut in the form of a "ring-groove", in the vicinity of which the maximum concentration of RB pottery was found. This hut also has parallels in the area. The position of these structures viz-a-viz the habitable area of the headland, implies that they form part of a larger settlement, or settlements, yet to be uncovered. Should the larger house belong to the Pre-Roman IA, then by analogy it is conceivable that palisades, or ditches, or both in sequence may have cut off the neck of the promontory further W. The excavations also uncovered the remains of four timber-built buildings of pre-Conquest date. (5)
Priory, Castle and precincts are as described by Hadcock, and in fair condition. There are no visible remains of the early structures discovered by Jobey. See Map Diagram. (6)
Challis and Harding list Tynemouth Priory as a possible Iron Age defended promontory site. They also parallel the 38ft diameter house with West Brandon house B (NZ 13 NE 9) and list pottery sherds from the house as of Middle La Tene 'barrel jar' type. (7-8)
NZ 373 695. Tynemouth. Additional reference. (9)
Tynemouth Priory and Castle.
Excavations took place in 1980 at the East end of the priory headland, on the site of part of the monastic barn yard. This excavation report describes the remains of a major aisled barn of earth-fast post construction, and identifies the barn with the documented monastic wheat barn. Earlier occupation of the site of the barn is documented by the remains of two early Medieval (one perhaps pre-Conquest in date) timber buildings, is also described, and a brief account is given of the post-Dissolution use of the area by Villiers' house of c.1672 and coastal artillery control and coastguard buildings of the present century.
For a detailed description of the site, see excavation report. (10)
Scheduled. (11)
Visitor information published 1998. (12)
The English Heritage guidebook published in 2008 includes a "tour" of the standing remains of the monastic buildings and defences on the headland and an overview of the history of the site. Illustrations include artwork labelled with the main features and phase plans of the main remains. (13) |