Eskdale Terrace, Central Newcastle High School

The development of the school is connected with the work of the Girls Public Day School Company, who set up a High School for Girls at Gateshead in 1876. In 1889 a junior or preparatory school was set up at Eskdale Terrace. By 1895 The Central Newcastle High School was established in a new building in Eskdale Terrace. Miss Moberley was the head teacher. Gateshead High School closed in 1907. The Eskdale Terrace building was abandoned between 1939 and 1943 when the pupils were evacuated to Keswick. When they returned, the site was only used for senior girls. The juniors were based at Nazareth House in Sandyford and the infants at West Avenue, Gosforth. In September 2014 the Church High School and Central Newcastle High School merged to create Newcastle High School for Girls on Tankerville Terrace. The Eskdale Terrace school was designed by Fred W Morgan of Oliver and Leeson of Mosley Street in 1898. The foundation stone was laid by Earl Grey. Arts and Crafts influences. It was a part-rendered brick building with three storeys and five bays. The end bays were gabled, with Venetian windows on the upper floor and canted bay windows at ground level. Tall chimneys separated three large dormers. At the rear there was a large high-ceilinged Great Hall with classrooms above. Small extensions at either end provided lavatories, a service staircase and a lift. The North-western extension had a bellcote. In 1930 a single storey brick library was added to the south end. This was designed by L J Ashby, architect to the Girls Public Day School Trust Ltd. In 1944 a temporary cloakroom was built, to a design by Coves & Partners of Carliol Square. In 1955 the original dormer windows on the south-west face and the temporary buildings were extended. In 1961 a concrete-framed building was built in the playground south of the site to accommodate four laboratories, a studio, staff room and library. In the 1990s a new school hall was built. The old school hall was divided by a mezzanine floor to create a library with classrooms below. Further extensions were added in 2005.