Pow
Dene A
Forgotten Jewel The mouth of
Pow Dene is now North Shields Fish Quay and it has
always been the first safe harbour on the north
side of the river. Here two ancient light houses
stand each side of the Fish Quay inlet marking the
line of the channel into the Tyne, one stands close
to sea level the other on a cliff above. The 'low
lights' have long been an important landing and
trading point. This would have started with salmon
and coal, salt and grain. One of the first Tyne
railways, the Chirton to North Shields waggonway
was opened in 1769 along the side of the Dene. A
little later the strategic location of the Low
Lights with its command of the river mouth was
recognised by the building of Clifford's Fort
during the Napolionic Wars. Northumberland Park is
the upper section of the Dene which is separated
from the River and North Shields by a large
embankment which crosses the Dene to carry
Tynemouth Road and the Newcastle to Tynemouth
Railway. The lower part of the Dene is now known as
Tanners Bank and the Low Lights.
This area was
once navigable from the Fish Quay to Northumberland
Park. A plaque has been placed at the top of the
bank marking the importance of this
location.
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Tanners Bank and Pow Dene - November 2000, Northumberland Park is beyond the embankment on the horizon. |
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Pow Dene as it could be restored with a tunnel linking it to the Park. |
Northumberland Park North
Shields Fish Quay
November 2000
January 2001
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