The Kings Meadow Island was a flat green island of about 30 acres which used to be situated in the River Tyne at Dunston and was known as
“Kings Meadow” also a smaller island called “Little Annie” ran along side Kings Meadow.
The island was considered part of Northumberland rather than Durham.
There was a public house also on the island known as the “Countess of Coventry” in the 18th Century a man called Thomas Moses acquired extensive property including Kings Meadow, his family married into peerage and it was his grand-daughter who eventually became Countess of Coventry in the early nineteenth century and gave her name to the public house.
The island and public house were apparently very quiet for most of the year and the landlady used to keep cows as a side-line, taking the milk to the mainland each day by punt. This all changed on what were known as Barge Days when Newcastle Corporation used to sail their river boundaries in barges, on barge days which took annually upto 1850 and every five years thereafter, a fleet of barges, steam boats, keels, wherries and other craft led by the Mayor of Newcastle and the master and brethern of Trinity House sailed up the river to the accompaniment of canon fire, church bells and cheers from the crowds, once the limit of their jurisdiction had been reached they returned to the Kings Meadow for an afternoon of sport which included a rowing regatta and horse racing as well as a variety of side shows.
In the 1860′s the Tyne Commissioners decide to remove the island to improve navigation up river for ship and boats upto Dunston and Elswick, Dredging began in 1862 and was completed in 1887 and so ending an interesting piece of Tyneside History.
A Bronze Age bronze socketed spearhead with openings in the blade, and a large ribbed bronze dagger, were dredged from the north side of Kings Meadow in 1884. Both finds are part of the Greenwell Collection in the British Museum.
In 1990 Dunston Comprehensive School changed its name to Kingsmeadow Community Comprehensive School after merging with Saltwell High School and Hillheads (Lobley Hill).
From Whickham St. Mary's Church records.. That on the KingsMeadow Island that in 1644, during the siege of Newcastle, the Scots posted sentries there. In the burial register of Whickham Church occurs, underdate 3rd September 1644—" A man shot by the Scottish sentries in the Meadows as he was coming up the river in a boat."
HORSE RACING...
The Kings Meadow island was an area of green meadowland stretching across 30 acres close to the River Tyne at Dunston near Newcastle. It held its own races on Monday 23rd April 1832 which were deemed sufficiently important to be included in the Sporting Magazine. The meeting opened with the Grand Meadow Stakes, once round the course, which resulted in a win for Mr Johnstone’s Fox. The Racing Fund donated the necessary finance for the Silver Cup, a race twice round the course and the distance, which saw Mr Williamson’s Peacock beat Betty Stuart. The remainder of the card was abandoned due to the poor weather and the parlous state of the course, but was rescheduled for Thursday 21st and Friday 22nd June.
Principal Race Kings Meadow Silver Cup
Monday 23rd April 1832
Kings Meadow Silver Cup twice round and the distance
1. Peacock, bay gelding owned by Mr Williamson
2. Betty Stuart, 5 year old owned by Mr Lister
3. Fox, chestnut gelding owned by Mr Johnstone
Header picture shows Kings Meadow Island from up Windmill Hills, Gateshead with Dunston on the left hand side.
“Kings Meadow” also a smaller island called “Little Annie” ran along side Kings Meadow.
The island was considered part of Northumberland rather than Durham.
There was a public house also on the island known as the “Countess of Coventry” in the 18th Century a man called Thomas Moses acquired extensive property including Kings Meadow, his family married into peerage and it was his grand-daughter who eventually became Countess of Coventry in the early nineteenth century and gave her name to the public house.
The island and public house were apparently very quiet for most of the year and the landlady used to keep cows as a side-line, taking the milk to the mainland each day by punt. This all changed on what were known as Barge Days when Newcastle Corporation used to sail their river boundaries in barges, on barge days which took annually upto 1850 and every five years thereafter, a fleet of barges, steam boats, keels, wherries and other craft led by the Mayor of Newcastle and the master and brethern of Trinity House sailed up the river to the accompaniment of canon fire, church bells and cheers from the crowds, once the limit of their jurisdiction had been reached they returned to the Kings Meadow for an afternoon of sport which included a rowing regatta and horse racing as well as a variety of side shows.
In the 1860′s the Tyne Commissioners decide to remove the island to improve navigation up river for ship and boats upto Dunston and Elswick, Dredging began in 1862 and was completed in 1887 and so ending an interesting piece of Tyneside History.
A Bronze Age bronze socketed spearhead with openings in the blade, and a large ribbed bronze dagger, were dredged from the north side of Kings Meadow in 1884. Both finds are part of the Greenwell Collection in the British Museum.
In 1990 Dunston Comprehensive School changed its name to Kingsmeadow Community Comprehensive School after merging with Saltwell High School and Hillheads (Lobley Hill).
From Whickham St. Mary's Church records.. That on the KingsMeadow Island that in 1644, during the siege of Newcastle, the Scots posted sentries there. In the burial register of Whickham Church occurs, underdate 3rd September 1644—" A man shot by the Scottish sentries in the Meadows as he was coming up the river in a boat."
HORSE RACING...
The Kings Meadow island was an area of green meadowland stretching across 30 acres close to the River Tyne at Dunston near Newcastle. It held its own races on Monday 23rd April 1832 which were deemed sufficiently important to be included in the Sporting Magazine. The meeting opened with the Grand Meadow Stakes, once round the course, which resulted in a win for Mr Johnstone’s Fox. The Racing Fund donated the necessary finance for the Silver Cup, a race twice round the course and the distance, which saw Mr Williamson’s Peacock beat Betty Stuart. The remainder of the card was abandoned due to the poor weather and the parlous state of the course, but was rescheduled for Thursday 21st and Friday 22nd June.
Principal Race Kings Meadow Silver Cup
Monday 23rd April 1832
Kings Meadow Silver Cup twice round and the distance
1. Peacock, bay gelding owned by Mr Williamson
2. Betty Stuart, 5 year old owned by Mr Lister
3. Fox, chestnut gelding owned by Mr Johnstone
Header picture shows Kings Meadow Island from up Windmill Hills, Gateshead with Dunston on the left hand side.