Newcastle, Northumberland Road, Northumberland Baths

HER Number:
12532

District:
Newcastle

Site Name:
Newcastle, Northumberland Road, Northumberland Baths

Place:
Newcastle

Map Sheet:
NZ26SE

Class:
Health and Welfare

Site Type: Broad:

Site Type: Specific:
Baths

General Period:
Early Modern

Specific Period:
C19

Form of Evidence:
Demolished Building

Description:
A subscription was opened in 1836 for shares in New Public Baths to designs by Dobson. However part of them was shortly afterwards converted into an inn so they may not have been a commercial success. These baths were demolished and replaced by the present ones.The baths were completed in 1839 to designs by John Dobson coasting £9500. The entrance had 3 steps which led into a piazza with 8 isolated pillars. The entrance hall, lit by rooflights, was 27 feet x 17 feet 18 inches. There were rooms to either side of the entrance hall and an office to the west. There was door on the north side of the office which opened into a passage leading to the male baths. A door on the south side led to the female baths. The male baths included 10 bathrooms with a variety of fireplaces, warm and shower baths, vapour baths, rain baths and a water closet. No. 9 bathroom had 3 tiers of deal steps perforated with circular holes for admitting the steam from the concealed pipes underneath. West of the male baths was the boiler house, a waiting room and a parlour or office. The female baths had 9 bathrooms and to the west the keeper's bedroom, parlour and 2 kitchens. There was an open plunge bath (106 feet 9 inches long and 51 feet wide with semi-circular ends and between 3 and 5 feet deep) surrounded by 33 doors with fanlights to dressing rooms. There were also 2 tepid plunge baths surrounded by dressing rooms. Rooms at the east end of the building were let to the Northumberland Cricket Club. The admission fees were 6d for the open plunge bath, 6d for a shower bath, 1s for a warm bath and 1s 6d for a vapour bath.

Easting:
2502

Northing:
6481

Grid Reference:
NZ25026481

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
2nd edition Ordnance Survey map; T. Faulkner and A. Greg, 1987, John Dobson Newcastle Architect 1787-1865, p 40; Thomas Oliver, 1844, Historical and Descriptive Reference to the Public Buildings on the Plan of the Borough of Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead; Lynn Pearson, 2010, Played in Tyne and Wear, charting the heritage of people at play, p 170-171