The headland towering over the mouth of the Tyne has been settled since the Iron Age. The Romans occupied it. In the 7th century a monastery was built there and later fortified. The headland was known as PEN BAL CRAG
The place where now stands the Monastery of Tynemouth was anciently called by the Saxons Benebalcrag
— Leland at the time of Henry VIII
The monastery was sacked by the Danes in 800, rebuilt, destroyed again in 875 but by 1083 was again operational.[3]
Three kings are reputed to have been buried within the monastery – Oswin – King of Deira (651); Osred II – King of Northumbria (792) and Malcolm III- King of Scotland (1093). Three crowns still adorn the North Tyneside coat of arms. (North Tyneside Council 1990).
The queens of Edward I and Edward II stayed in the Priory and Castle while their husbands were campaigning in Scotland. King Edward III considered it to be one of the strongest castles in the Northern Marches. After Bannockburn in 1314, Edward II fled from Tynemouth by ship.
A village had long been established in the shelter of the fortified Priory and around 1325 the then Prior built a port for fishing and trading. This led to a dispute between Tynemouth and the more powerful Newcastle over shipping rights on the Tyne which continued for centuries.
Last photo is very impressive Cherie, the lighthouse in the distance there is about four miles away!
Thank You
The photo was taken from within the English Heritage site of the Priory and Castle.
An area I don’t know, Cherie, and it looks full of interest
It is an interesting place to visit
You took that pic from out on the sea?
As I mention to JD above it was taken from within the English Heritage site of the Priory and Castle.
I zoomed in
Well very nice too.
I have in mind a place for next year that will allow us to travel from place to place by boat
Cherie, will you allow me to put the urls for this mini-series at my place in the sidebar, similar to the Champagne series?
Of course I don’t mind
Feel free to put them in your sidebar.
Oh I have been to Portsmouth, Weymouth, Teignmouth, etc.
I shall add Tynemouth to my UK -mouth towns to visit.
Before that, I hope to see Exmouth, Bournemouth first.
There are a lot of mouths in England