Benwell and Scotswood

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{{Infobox UK place

| type = Ward

| official_name = Benwell

| lieutenancy_england = Tyne and Wear

| country = England

| static_image_name = Newcastle upon Tyne UK ward map highlighting Benwell and Scotswood.svg

| static_image_caption = Benwell and Scotswood highlighted within Newcastle upon Tyne

| os_grid_reference = NZ213644

| coordinates = {{Coord|54.974|-1.669|display=inline,title}}

| metropolitan_county = Tyne and Wear

| metropolitan_borough = Newcastle upon Tyne

| region = North East England

| post_town = Newcastle upon Tyne

| postcode_district = NE15

| postcode_area = NE

| dial_code = 0191

| constituency_westminster = Newcastle upon Tyne Central

| councillors = Jeremy Beecham (Labour)
Rob Higgins (Labour)
Hazel Stephenson (Labour)

}}

Benwell and Scotswood is an electoral ward of Newcastle upon Tyne in North East England. The ward encompasses the Benwell and Scotswood housing areas, as well as the Newcastle Business Park, which is located on the banks of the River Tyne and houses offices of companies such as British Airways and the Automobile Association. The population of the ward is 13,759, which is 5.3% of the total population of Newcastle upon Tyne. Car ownership in the area is 45.1%, lower than the city average of 54.7%. The 2011 Census gave a population of 12,694.{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=13689594&c=Benwell&d=14&e=62&g=6358047&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1436096293383&enc=1|title=Ward population 2011|access-date=5 July 2015}}

File:Scotswood Bridge eastward09.jpg across the River Tyne.]]

History

File:Charlotte Pit, Benwell around 1935.jpg

Scotswood grew during the industrial revolution and provided labour for the huge Vickers Armstrong military engineering group formerly Armstrong Whitworth. Scotswood Road, which Vickers Armstrong used to dominate, is a main route along the Tyne and is mentioned in the song "Blaydon Races".{{Cite web|url=http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/blaydon-races-lyrics-impress-your-1415843|title = The Blaydon Races lyrics - in full|date = 31 May 2019}}

The Scotswood Bridge, which was known as the Chain Bridge, was the first bridge to be built over the Tyne in the industrial era. It opened in 1831 and was in use until 1967 when it had been superseded by a more modern structure, and was hence demolished.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bridgesonthetyne.co.uk/chain.html|title = Scotswood Bridge (Chain Bridge)}}

Benwell and Scotswood were both sites of a number of coalmines.{{cite web|title=Benwell Colliery – DMM|url= http://www.dmm.org.uk/books/votc-14.htm}}{{cite web|title=Montague Main, Scotswood – DMM|url= http://www.dmm.org.uk/colliery/m009.htm}} On 30 March 1925 the Montague Main Colliery Disaster occurred, caused by an inrush of water from the nearby disused Paradise Pit and resulting in the loss of 38 lives.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dmm.org.uk/names/n1925-01.htm|title = Durham Mining Museum - Colliery Disaster 1925}}

Scotswood railway station was served by the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway between 1839 and 1967.{{Cite web|url=http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/s/scotswood/|title = Disused Stations: Scotswood Station}}

The Fenham and Benwell district formed an independent urban district, which was incorporated into the City of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1904.

The site came to attention in the summer of 1968 for being the scene where two male toddlers Martin Brown, aged 4, and Brian Howe, aged 3, were found dead, after being strangled to death by Mary Bell.{{Cite web|url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/who-mary-bell-how-schoolgirl-14702362|title=Who is Mary Bell? The schoolgirl who became a killer|date=25 May 2018}}

Boundaries

The boundary of the Benwell and Scotswood ward starts at the West Road/A1 roundabout southbound along the A1 to the River Tyne, then east to the Scotswood Road and William Armstrong Drive junction. Northbound, the boundary joins Buddle Road and continues along St Johns Road to Elswick Road. The boundary then heads west onto Adelaide Terrace to the Hodgkin Park Road junction and continues north to the rear of the allotment gardens and Lismore Place. The boundary moves to the west behind Denhill Park properties to Pendower Hall School and follows the school's eastern perimeter north to the West Road to the A1.

Education

The ward has two nursery schools, six primary schools, one comprehensive secondary school and a school for children with specific needs.{{Cite web |url=http://www.hadrian.newcastle.sch.uk/AboutUsWhoWeAre.html |title=Hadrian School | About Us | Who We Are |access-date=29 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170330091806/http://www.hadrian.newcastle.sch.uk/AboutUsWhoWeAre.html |archive-date=30 March 2017 |url-status=dead }}

Recreation and leisure

File:Scotswood Community Garden, Newcastle upon Tyne - geograph.org.uk - 1463440.jpg

The ward has both the West End Library and Denton Burn Library,{{Cite web|url=http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/leisure-libraries-and-tourism/libraries/branch-libraries-and-opening-hours/denton-burn-library|title = Denton Burn Library | Newcastle City Council}} which have computers with free internet access. The West End library holds the West Newcastle Picture History Collection of around 17,000 images of the West End, some taken by Jimmy Forsyth.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/leisure-libraries-and-tourism/libraries/branch-libraries-and-opening-hours/west-end-library|title = West End Library and Community Hub | Newcastle City Council}} Benwell Nature Park and Denton Dene South are located within the ward. Scotswood Leisure Centre hosts various sports clubs and fitness classes. The ward contains three pieces of Play Provision, provided by Newcastle Play Service.

These are the Lillia Play Sessions, held at the Lillia Youth Centre and two playcentres: Scotswood Playcentre and Benwell Playcentre. These provide free open access sessions five days a week to children 5–12 (older children with disabilities and additional needs are also welcome).

Scotswood Natural Community garden was awarded a Green Flag Community Award. In 2012 a Sculpture Trail was created which involved the creation of four sculptures by artists working with local community groups.{{cite web|url=http://www.greenflagaward.org.uk/news/2013/03/geordie-gem-where-nature-and-sculpture-meet/ |title=Geordie Gem where nature and sculpture meet in harmony |access-date=2014-09-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140905234615/http://www.greenflagaward.org.uk/news/2013/03/geordie-gem-where-nature-and-sculpture-meet/ |archive-date=5 September 2014}}

West End RFC is a local amateur rugby club which plays its home matches at All Saints Sports Centre.{{Cite web |url=https://activenewcastle.co.uk/club/west-end-rugby-club/ |title=Active Newcastle | West End Rugby Club |access-date=29 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170330084251/https://activenewcastle.co.uk/club/west-end-rugby-club/ |archive-date=30 March 2017 |url-status=dead}}

Charts

class="wikitable"
Age group ! Number
Under 16 \| 3,011
16–24 \| 1,569
25–44 \| 3,907
45–64 \| 3,055
65–74 \| 1,154
75+ \| 1,045

class="wikitable"

Age group

! Number

Under 16

| 3,011

16–24

| 1,569

25–44

| 3,907

45–64

| 3,055

65–74

| 1,154

75+

| 1,045

class="wikitable"
Ethnicity ! Number ! %
White \| 13,161 \| 95.8
Afro-Caribbean \| 35 \| 0.3
South Asian \| 398 \| 2.9
Chinese \| 27 \| 0.2
Other \| 112 \| 0.8

class="wikitable"

Ethnicity

! Number

! %

White

| 13,161

| 95.8

Afro-Caribbean

| 35

| 0.3

South Asian

| 398

| 2.9

Chinese

| 27

| 0.2

Other

| 112

| 0.8

The ward has 6,411 housing spaces, 6.4% being vacant, higher than the city average of 5.3%. Owner-occupied properties stand at 46.9%, also lower than the city average of 53.3%. The properties are as follows:

class="wikitable"
Property type ! Number ! %
Detached \| 406 \| 6.3
Semi-detached \| 3,003 \| 46.8
Terraced \| 1,404 \| 21.9
Flats \| 1,601 \| 24.9
Other \| 3 \| 0

class="wikitable"

Property type

! Number

! %

Detached

| 406

| 6.3

Semi-detached

| 3,003

| 46.8

Terraced

| 1,404

| 21.9

Flats

| 1,601

| 24.9

Other

| 3

| 0

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20070930011055/http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/core.nsf/a/wardinfobenwellandscotswood Newcastle Council Ward Info: Benwell and Scotswood]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070927184722/http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/core.nsf/a/infobenwellandscotswood#pop Newcastle Council 2001 census]

Category:Districts of Newcastle upon Tyne

Category:Wards of Newcastle upon Tyne