This Coast Artillery Piece of 1859
Commemorates the Centenary of the
Tynemouth Volunteer Artillery
1859 — 1959
Erected by O Tynemouth Battery
439 Tyne Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
Royal Artillery Territorial Army
This Plaque . . . — — Map (db m126166) HM
Master Gunner, St. James’s Park,
General Sir Martin Farndale K.C.B.
visited Tynemouth gun emplacement
on 6th November 1998.
His visit commemorated the
Installation of a 6 inch gun. — — Map (db m126164) HM
Lost Buildings
From the late 18th century the large empty area in front of you was the hub of a busy military fort.
A large barrack block stood just ahead of you. To its right was the Governor's House, and further to the right was a tall . . . — — Map (db m126167) HM
Tyne and Wear County Council
1986
Site of Tynemouth Lighthouse
A lighthouse was built here in 1664 using stone from the Priory. It is likely that this tower replaced a medieyal light in the Priory buildings. Demolished in 1898 and replaced by . . . — — Map (db m126163) HM
Stone Detectives
The pieces of carved stone in this room came from different buildings around the site. The surviving ruins of Tynemouth Priory are only a small part of the buildings that were once large and elaborate. But these small pieces . . . — — Map (db m126124) HM
The Cloister
The large grass square in front of you was the monastery's cloister. It was surrounded by the monks' main living quarters.
Very little remains of these buildings today – the army demolished most of them for their stone . . . — — Map (db m126122) HM
The Gatehouse
Tynemouth's gatehouse is an imposing piece of architecture. It looks more like part of a castle than an entrance to a monastery.
Tynemouth Priory needed defences because it was so close to the Scottish border and the Scots . . . — — Map (db m126121) HM
In the 11th century, a great Norman baron, Robert Mowbray, earl of Northumbrian, founded a stone church and monastery here and gave the monks a vast area of land.
There were very few stone buildings in the area then and most of the . . . — — Map (db m126123) HM
The Shrine Area
In 1065 the priest at Tynemouth found some human bones under the church – these were believed to be the remains of a Saxon saint, St Oswine.
Local people began to make pilgrimages to his tomb, believing that the . . . — — Map (db m126125) HM
Welcome to Tynemouth Priory and Castle
Today, the headland at Tynemouth is empty and its buildings are ruined. But 500 years ago this area was home to a community of monks.
The ruined church in front of you was part of a rich Benedictine . . . — — Map (db m126119) HM
