Welcome to the history pages of Dunston, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. Dunston is located on the banks of the River Tyne in the Metropolitan Borough
of Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, Prior to 1873 Dunston formerly known as Lowhand was a township in the parish of Whickham.
The first reference to the village of Dunston was in 1328 a document in the Durham Cathedral Treasury tells us that Ivetta Wetwang, a widow
gave up her lands in Dunston to her son.
I hope the website will provide a useful source of information for both residents and visitors wishing to learn more about Dunston.
The History of Durham by McKenzie contains the following description of Dunston as it was in 1834 :- “Dunston is a populous township. It stretches from the River Team westward along the margin of the River Tyne for upwards of half a mile, the site seems to have been mostly gained from the River Tyne and is therefore called “The Bishop’s Waste”.
“The houses which are built with surprising irregularity have mostly gardens attached to them, there are two or three neat and convenieny houses occupied in the coal-works but most of the cottages are inhabited by keel-men” “Mr. Henry Winlo’s large sawmill worked by steam, a candle manufactory belonging to Harrison, Cuthbert and Co, a coal wagon wright and a keel builder are among the useful concerns of the place which
also contains four public houses”.“Dunston Lodge stands a short distance from the village, it is the property of General Marley and is at present occupied by Mr. John E. Wilkinson who keeps a lunatic asylum” “At the foot of Dunston Hill is Cowheel, containing a farmhold, two public houses
and a blacksmith’s shop, on the edge of the hill are two very neat cottages”.
In William Bourn’s “History of Whickham Parish” he lists “the village with a population of Dunston as 1,150 contained ten public houses, three of
them being connected with the staithes” “The population in 1811 was 1,094, in 1821 1.150, in 1831 1.184, 1841 1,192, in 1851 1,618, in 1881
2,691, in 1891, 3,325.
The local directory of 1851 lists the local gentry as being John Barras of Farnacres, Jane Wilkinson of Dunston Cottage and Ralph and Samual Parker of Dunston Hill. It also lists the four public houses.. as being The Board, The Keel, The Highlander and the Cross Keys, the Dun Cow
was one of the public houses in Cowheel.
Please use menu above to navigate around the site..
If anyone has any pictures of Dunston they would like to share please get in touch via the contact form below.
Picture in main header above shows bottom Ravensworth Road.
of Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, Prior to 1873 Dunston formerly known as Lowhand was a township in the parish of Whickham.
The first reference to the village of Dunston was in 1328 a document in the Durham Cathedral Treasury tells us that Ivetta Wetwang, a widow
gave up her lands in Dunston to her son.
I hope the website will provide a useful source of information for both residents and visitors wishing to learn more about Dunston.
The History of Durham by McKenzie contains the following description of Dunston as it was in 1834 :- “Dunston is a populous township. It stretches from the River Team westward along the margin of the River Tyne for upwards of half a mile, the site seems to have been mostly gained from the River Tyne and is therefore called “The Bishop’s Waste”.
“The houses which are built with surprising irregularity have mostly gardens attached to them, there are two or three neat and convenieny houses occupied in the coal-works but most of the cottages are inhabited by keel-men” “Mr. Henry Winlo’s large sawmill worked by steam, a candle manufactory belonging to Harrison, Cuthbert and Co, a coal wagon wright and a keel builder are among the useful concerns of the place which
also contains four public houses”.“Dunston Lodge stands a short distance from the village, it is the property of General Marley and is at present occupied by Mr. John E. Wilkinson who keeps a lunatic asylum” “At the foot of Dunston Hill is Cowheel, containing a farmhold, two public houses
and a blacksmith’s shop, on the edge of the hill are two very neat cottages”.
In William Bourn’s “History of Whickham Parish” he lists “the village with a population of Dunston as 1,150 contained ten public houses, three of
them being connected with the staithes” “The population in 1811 was 1,094, in 1821 1.150, in 1831 1.184, 1841 1,192, in 1851 1,618, in 1881
2,691, in 1891, 3,325.
The local directory of 1851 lists the local gentry as being John Barras of Farnacres, Jane Wilkinson of Dunston Cottage and Ralph and Samual Parker of Dunston Hill. It also lists the four public houses.. as being The Board, The Keel, The Highlander and the Cross Keys, the Dun Cow
was one of the public houses in Cowheel.
Please use menu above to navigate around the site..
If anyone has any pictures of Dunston they would like to share please get in touch via the contact form below.
Picture in main header above shows bottom Ravensworth Road.