Bank Top Woods

[Station Games]

Hi,

Just in the start of the woods near bank top there is a building or it used to be does anyone know what it was? you can see where a wall would have been and there is a door sealed up.

Just asking out of interest.

Cheers all

[Blank]

Hi,

Just in the start of the woods near bank top there is a building or it used to be does anyone know what it was? you can see where a wall would have been and there is a door sealed up.

Just asking out of interest.

Cheers all

Is that the place down the hill just past the car park?

[Pete]

Hi,

Just in the start of the woods near bank top there is a building or it used to be does anyone know what it was? you can see where a wall would have been and there is a door sealed up.

Just asking out of interest.

Cheers all

As far as I remember there were two buildings there (houses) I think there is some information on another thread about them. They were inhabited in the fifties but fell into disrepair in the early sixties as far as I remember. I don't know when they were demolished.

Joe or Threegee might be able to throw some light on the subject.

[Sw@lnalla]

Hi,

Just in the start of the woods near bank top there is a building or it used to be does anyone know what it was? you can see where a wall would have been and there is a door sealed up.

Just asking out of interest.

Cheers all

Probably an old kiln..... used as a pissoir until the council blocked it. http://www.pitwork.net/terrymcbedl.htm

[Joe Rooney]

Probably an old kiln..... used as a pissoir until the council blocked it. http://www.pitwork.net/terrymcbedl.htm

When I lived there,(prior to 1943) the housing from the Bank Top, going down Furnace road to the Furnace bridge, ran approximately as follows.

At the Top of the Bank, on the North or right side looking down, stood the Bank Top hotel. (Still there).

Next to the hotel, and up river, stood Craggs Buildings. These were a series of stone cottages, with a couple of two story buildings in the middle. Each two story building contained four apartments, two up, two down. We lived in one of them until they were burned down in 1943. We lived upstairs with the MacSparrens across the landing from us, old Mrs Cole lived downstairs from us, and I forget who lived across from her.

Across from Craggs buildings, and on the Left, looking down the Furnace Bank were a series of two storied houses. The first house was also the local sweet shop run by two sisters. Next down from them was the house where the Winters family lived, and then there were probably another five or six similar houses running down the bank from there.

There were no more houses on the Furnace Bank until after you passed the old Oxcart road that ran into the Furnace bank from River View. I was told that it was built to ease the burden of horses and oxen which hauled supplies up and down to the Bedlington Iron Company works.

Just past the Oxcart road, on the right going down, stood the old Woods (at least I think it was "Woods") pop factory. It was a fairly large wooden building which had been built there to take advantage of a locally famous fresh water spring which ran out of the bankside at that spot. I don't know why, but Woods went out of business just before the war.

The Building itself was used by the Home Guard for drills and other training until the end of the war.

Not far down after the Woods factory, there were several large buildings which had been converted from Bedlington Iron offices. They curved South around the bottom of the bank almost to the bank of the river.

Further up river, and on the road which used to be known as the "Free Woods", was another large house. This was known as "Dene House", and we were often told that this was where the factory owners used to live.

On the other side of the Furnace Bridge, both up and downstream from the bridge itself were about another

six or so houses. These also appeared to have been converted from various Bedlington Iron Company uses.

All of these houses, from the Bank Top down to, and across the bridge itself appear to have been demolished in the late fifties, or early sixties. I know that they were still in existence in late 1952, which was the last chance I had to visit the Bank Top!

Hope that helps a little. But bear in mind that the Bedlington Iron Company had ceased operation in the 1870's. And over the next seventy years or so, sporadic demolition continued. I have a picture somewhere, possibly in an Evan Martins book, showing one of the plant chimneys being brought down in the early 1900's or possibly 1910 era!

Regards, Joe

[Pete]

When I lived there,(prior to 1943) the housing from the Bank Top, going down Furnace road to the Furnace bridge, ran approximately as follows.

At the Top of the Bank, on the North or right side looking down, stood the Bank Top hotel. (Still there).

Next to the hotel, and up river, stood Craggs Buildings. These were a series of stone cottages, with a couple of two story buildings in the middle. Each two story building contained four apartments, two up, two down. We lived in one of them until they were burned down in 1943. We lived upstairs with the MacSparrens across the landing from us, old Mrs Cole lived downstairs from us, and I forget who lived across from her.

Across from Craggs buildings, and on the Left, looking down the Furnace Bank were a series of two storied houses. The first house was also the local sweet shop run by two sisters. Next down from them was the house where the Winters family lived, and then there were probably another five or six similar houses running down the bank from there.

There were no more houses on the Furnace Bank until after you passed the old Oxcart road that ran into the Furnace bank from River View. I was told that it was built to ease the burden of horses and oxen which hauled supplies up and down to the Bedlington Iron Company works.

Just past the Oxcart road, on the right going down, stood the old Woods (at least I think it was "Woods") pop factory. It was a fairly large wooden building which had been built there to take advantage of a locally famous fresh water spring which ran out of the bankside at that spot. I don't know why, but Woods went out of business just before the war.

The Building itself was used by the Home Guard for drills and other training until the end of the war.

Not far down after the Woods factory, there were several large buildings which had been converted from Bedlington Iron offices. They curved South around the bottom of the bank almost to the bank of the river.

Further up river, and on the road which used to be known as the "Free Woods", was another large house. This was known as "Dene House", and we were often told that this was where the factory owners used to live.

On the other side of the Furnace Bridge, both up and downstream from the bridge itself were about another

six or so houses. These also appeared to have been converted from various Bedlington Iron Company uses.

All of these houses, from the Bank Top down to, and across the bridge itself appear to have been demolished in the late fifties, or early sixties. I know that they were still in existence in late 1952, which was the last chance I had to visit the Bank Top!

Hope that helps a little. But bear in mind that the Bedlington Iron Company had ceased operation in the 1870's. And over the next seventy years or so, sporadic demolition continued. I have a picture somewhere, possibly in an Evan Martins book, showing one of the plant chimneys being brought down in the early 1900's or possibly 1910 era!

Regards, Joe

Joe, I remember the old house that were near the Bank Top pub heading up Puddlers Lane. There was a lot of them demoloshed in the early fifties, A lot of people striped the old timber from them houses to make sheds in the back garden.

I was only young then but I remember me and some other lads getting the wood from thoes houses and carrying it home.

[Mr Darn]

I was only young then but I remember me and some other lads getting the wood from thoes houses and carrying it home.

THEIF!!!!

lol, anyways, i was down there today, noticed what looked like a bricked up doorway, but with some of the bricks taken down... i went and had a look, but as i neared, the dog started growling...

i went further, looked over the wall, and there was a bloke curled up snooring with empty cans all around him.

i hastilly retreated!

[Pete]

THEIF!!!!

lol, anyways, i was down there today, noticed what looked like a bricked up doorway, but with some of the bricks taken down... i went and had a look, but as i neared, the dog started growling...

i went further, looked over the wall, and there was a bloke curled up snooring with empty cans all around him.

i hastilly retreated!

Was he sunbathing?

[Mr Darn]

Was he sunbathing?

erm, no, he was curled up in a hole in the wall.... a dirty smelly dark hole in the wall at that!

[Pete]

erm, no, he was curled up in a hole in the wall.... a dirty smelly dark hole in the wall at that!

I hope he's not a vampier taking refuge from the light.

[Mr Darn]

I hope he's not a vampier taking refuge from the light.

i know, and what if he was a vampire? that would surely be worse!!?!?

(like i have room to talk on spellign!)

[Pete]

i know, and what if he was a vampire? that would surely be worse!!?!?

(like i have room to talk on spellign!)

You can always take some garlic with you when you pass that way again.

[STATION LAD]

THEIF!!!!

lol, anyways, i was down there today, noticed what looked like a bricked up doorway, but with some of the bricks taken down... i went and had a look, but as i neared, the dog started growling...

i went further, looked over the wall, and there was a bloke curled up snooring with empty cans all around him.

i hastilly retreated!

So it was you who woke me up, cheers like.....

[Pete]

So it was you who woke me up, cheers like.....

Were your cans still there?

[Blank]

Were your cans still there?

You used to hear all sorts of rumors about that ruin down the woods. Devil worshipers, jippos, tramps and Santa Claus have all used it as an abode apparently. Wetherspoons was even rumored to have purchased the place once, although the rumor of Santa Claus living there probably holds more truth.

[Monsta®]

You used to hear all sorts of rumors about that ruin down the woods. Devil worshipers, jippos, tramps and Santa Claus have all used it as an abode apparently. Wetherspoons was even rumored to have purchased the place once, although the rumor of Santa Claus living there probably holds more truth.

i a can remember the devil worshippers it was mad ashley prescott and franky! they painted a five pointed star on top of the iron forge. freaks :lol:

[Pete]

You used to hear all sorts of rumors about that ruin down the woods. Devil worshipers, jippos, tramps and Santa Claus have all used it as an abode apparently. Wetherspoons was even rumored to have purchased the place once, although the rumor of Santa Claus living there probably holds more truth.

Santa Claus living in Bedlington, now theres a thought.

[Sw@lnalla]

Santa Claus living in Bedlington, now theres a thought.

Why not.? You believe all of the other religious rubbish that comes your way.

[Pete]

Why not.? You believe all of the other religious rubbish that comes your way.

I only believe in the Bible not all religious rubbish.

[Monsta®]

I only believe in the Bible not all religious rubbish.

that would be an ecumenical matter! :lol:

[Pete]

that would be an ecumenical matter! :lol:

The Bible or the religious rubbish?

[Sw@lnalla]

I only believe in the Bible not all religious rubbish.

Your bible is the centre of all religious rubbish.

[Blank]

Each to their own...

[Pete]

Each to their own...

Well said Blank

[Merlin]

Joe, I remember the old house that were near the Bank Top pub heading up Puddlers Lane. There was a lot of them demoloshed in the early fifties, A lot of people striped the old timber from them houses to make sheds in the back garden.

I was only young then but I remember me and some other lads getting the wood from thoes houses and carrying it home.

Pete my ex neighbours lass used to live there before they were demolished,when I see him next I'll get more info.

cheers