OK, then, time for Part 2 of our look at the names of our city's suburbs (and, yes, a little bit beyond, too!). This is my best stab at this tricky subject, so you might think differently!
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Jesmond – An interesting one, this. Seems to mean ‘Ouse mouth’ – the Ouse being the river that runs through the area and whose confluence with the Tyne is a little to the south (it is likely that the township’s southern boundary once reached down to the Tyne). Both elements (‘Ouse’ and ‘mouth’) have been corrupted to ‘Jes’ and ‘mond’ under French/Norman influence. See also Ouseburn.
Kenton – From OE cyne-tun, meaning ‘royal manor/farmstead’. The identity of the Anglo-Saxon royal or nobleman is unknown.
Killingworth – OE in origin, meaning ‘the enclosed farmstead of Cylla’s people’.
Kingston Park – A problematic place-name if ever there was one. Dreamt up at some point late in the development's planning process in the early 1970s, no-one seems to know why they plumped for this attractive-sounding name. The street names of the sprawling estate are similarly fancy, with a distinct leaning towards the names of nice villages in the south of England (especially Somerset, for some reason).
Lemington – From OE hleomoc-tun, which means the ‘farmstead/settlement where brook-lime grows’ (a type of herb, aka speedwell).
Newbiggin Hall – A Middle English name, derived originally from Old Norse, meaning ‘new dwelling’. The 1960s housing estate which now bears the name was once the site of the old Newbiggin Hall, which was built in the early nineteenth century (replacing an earlier house). The name hints at a possible twelfth century origin.
Newburn – The origin of the name ‘Newburn’ is disputed by historians. Some think it comes from OE, meaning ‘new burgh/fort’ – placing it at least as far back in history as the Anglo-Saxon era, when it was a royal burgh of the kings of Northumbria (it is believed that an Anglo-Saxon royal palace existed at nearby Walbottle). Others, though, think it is simply named after the New Burn which winds through the town.
Ouseburn – At least two possibilities, here, for a place name which describes the area down and around the valley of the Ouse. The first is that the name is derived from the OE word geose, which means ‘gushing’; or it could be from an older, celtic word meaning ‘surging’ or ‘bubbling’. There is also a school of thought that has the word ‘ouse’ being a corruption of ‘ewes’ – a nod to the vale’s early agricultural days. ‘Burn’ was added by the Vikings. The root of the place name Jesmond is almost certainly related.
St.Anthony’s – This area in the depths of Walker has a strong Catholic history, and was dedicated in the name of St.Anthony’s long, long ago – there being no trace in the records of any definitive ecclesiastical foundation, or, indeed, a chapel (if there ever was one). At the very least, it seems a picture of the saint was at one time placed in a tree near the Tyne for the comfort of seamen … so it is most likely to have been St.Anthony of Padua.
St.Lawrence – This stretch of riverside just east of the mouth of the Ouseburn bears the name of the former chapel which once graced these parts. It was established as a ‘free chapel’ by the ancestors of the Earls of Northumberland (with links to the Knights Hospitallers).
St.Peter’s – A little to the east of St.Lawrence, this should more properly be known as Sir Peter’s, after local nobleman, Sir Peter Riddell, who once had land and a quay leased to him here by Newcastle Corporation.
Sandyford – Most probably simply ‘the sandy ford’. Likely to have been the crossing point of an Ouseburn tributary which ran through what used to be Sandyford Dene. The exact point in question is roughly where Portland Road/Terrace crosses Sandyford Road (near Benton House).
Scotswood – Richard Scot began enclosing the land west of Benwell at this spot in 1367 to create a semi-wooded deer park – hence ‘Scot’s Wood’.
Shieldfield – A field with shielings (huts) in it – the temporary sort, usually thrown up by shepherds. Or perhaps ‘the field on the road to Shields’. We’re not sure which.
Slatyford – This little suburb has shifted of late. It originally sat where Stamfordham Road crosses Pooley Road/Binswood Avenue – a point at which several roads and tracks converged and where there was a crossing of a ‘slaty’ stream. It now centres on the area either side of the thoroughfares leading up towards the old ford, i.e. Slatyford Lane/Pooley Road.
Spital Tongues – ‘Spital’ is short for hospital, so what we have here are tongues of dry land in a low-lying or marshy area belonging to a hospital/hostel (the contours hereabouts do suggest a slightly raised setting). The hospital in question – originally situated in Barras Bridge – was that of St. Mary Magdalene (for lepers), which was granted an extension of their land into the area of the modern day suburb by Edward I (1272-1307).
Sugley – OE in origin. In this case, ‘ley’ means ‘clearing/meadow, or fallow’. It has been suggested that ‘sug’ could mean ‘sparrow’, ‘female boar’ or ‘soggy land’. Take your pick.
Summerhill – More of a part of the city centre, really, but the name of this little enclave on the south side of Westgate Hill is derived from Summerhill House, which used to stand on the site of the present-day St.Matthew’s Church. The edifice was built and named by local bookseller, Joseph Barber, in the early 1700s, who hailed from Summerhill, near Dublin.
Throckley – OE place-name which may simply mean ‘Throca’s hill or clearing’. Though there is an OE word throc, which described a part of a plough, and later came to mean ‘trestle/table’ – to which there could be a connection.
Walbottle – OE botl (building) on the Roman Wall.
Walker – Old Norse in origin, from wal-kiarr = wall-marsh, i.e. the ‘marsh near the (Roman) wall’.
Walkergate – The ‘road to Walker’ (gata = ‘road’ in Old Norse). See Walker.
Walkerville – An early-twentieth century annex to Walker, situated to the north. Conceived and developed as a model housing exhibition scheme of mostly private builds. The ‘ville’ suffix was no doubt added to make it sound posh. See Walker.
Wallsend – Literally, the ‘wall’s end’ (i.e. the Roman Wall).
Westerhope – Etymologists have probably tried to be a little too clever with this one. Many experts look at this place name and speculate that it must be derived from the OE, meaning ‘whetstone valley’ (indicative of a quarry). However, it is now accepted that it is a relatively recent creation of the 1890s, being manufactured to describe the move ‘west’ from Newcastle of a migrating community with great ‘hope’ for their new garden-village future.
Whorlton – Though never anything more than a hamlet with accompanying hall to the north-west of Newcastle, this place name means ‘circle farm/settlement’ (from the OE hwerfel-tun = circle-farmstead). It probably referred to some rounded topographical feature in the landscape which has since been lost.
Wideopen – Simply ‘wide valley’ (from ‘wide’ + OE hoppen = ‘at the valley’)
Wingrove – We’re not sure about this one, but it may be OE in origin, meaning ‘the grove (group of trees) of wiga’s followers’ (or someone similar).
Woolsington – ‘Farmstead of Wulfsige’s people’ (from OE).
