Ouseburn, Ouseburn River Walls

HER Number:
4688

District:
Newcastle

Site Name:
Ouseburn, Ouseburn River Walls

Place:
Ouseburn

Map Sheet:
NZ26SE

Class:
Water Supply and Drainage

Site Type: Broad:
Water Regulation Installation

Site Type: Specific:
Flood Defences

General Period:
Early Modern

Specific Period:
C19

Form of Evidence:
Structure

Description:
The river wall as seen today is shown on Oliver's map of 1838. The walls were probably built in the early 1800s, at which time the ground on the west bank of the Ouseburn sloped downwards from Ouse Street with only a narrow level area behind the river wall. The area along the river walls was further developed by 1856 with the addition of buildings along its length. In the late 19th century most of the earlier buildings built directly off the river wall were demolished and the ground level across the site was increased by 0.75-1.0 metres. The increase in ground levels was matched by an increase in the height of the river wall. A distinctive band of sandstone, and in some areas brickwork, can be seen along the length of the wall between Glasshouse Bridge and Ouseburn Bridge. The original ground level can be seen on the length of wall below Glasshouse Bridge. Since the final construction of the river wall, several items of remedial work have been carried out, including the re-building of brickwork copings and the introduction of reinforced concrete render over one section of wall. Despite these alterations, the river wall has remained essentially unaltered since the late 19th century. The wall is constructed mostly of cut stone and appears to be built off a series of timber piles. At ground level the wall is around 0.7 metres thick and probably between 1.5-2 metres wide at the base. Several pipes discharge into the Ouseburn through the wall, though some have been blocked up. LOCAL LIST

Easting:
2632

Northing:
6437

Grid Reference:
NZ26326437

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 4688 >> Ove Arup & Partners, 1998, Lower Steenberg's Yard - Byker, Engineering Study; T. Oliver, 1838, Map of Newcastle and Gateshead; The Archaeological Practice 2011, Ouseburn River Walls, Historic Building Recording; Entc UK Ltd. 2008, Ouseburn Barrage, Historic Buildings Recording; The Archaeological Practice Ltd., 2011, Former Heaney Garage Site, Ouseburn, Newcastle upon Tyne - Archaeological Watching Brief; ASUD, 2018, Steenberg's Yard, Ouse St - Building Recording