From Wiki:

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.

The site of Tynemouth Castle an Priory is rich in history:

The dramatic headland at Tynemouth is a natural fortress commanding the entrance to the river Tyne, the gateway to Newcastle. Connected to the mainland only by a narrow neck of rock and defined by tall cliffs, Tynemouth headland was virtually unassailable before the development of modern guns and has been occupied intermittently, as both a stronghold and a place of worship, for more that 2.000 years.

Remains of an Iron Age settlement have been discovered here but the first written record of occupation dates from the eighth century, when a monastic community was established. its wooden buildings were destroyed during the Viking invasions of the ninth and tenth centuries. The medieval ruins visible today belong to a second monastery, Tynemouth Priory, founded in the late 11th century and dedicated to St Oswine (d.651), whose body was preserved here in a rich shrine. King Henry VIII suppressed the priory in 1539 but the church nave remained in parish use until the late 17th century.

Because of its strategic value in protecting the mouth of the Tyne, the headland was fortified until the 1950s. A gatehouse, which still exists, was built as part of the defence in the 14th century. Over the centuries, the defences were adapted and added to – a barracks, governor’s house and a spectacular lighthouse were all built in the 17th century. These later bulidings have now gone, although 19th- and 20th century gun emplacements remain, a lasting reminder of the military importance of Tynemouth.*

* Information from the English Heritage Tynemouth Priory and Castle handbook.

THIS MONUMENT
was erected in 1845 by Public Subscription to the memory of
ADMIRAL LORD COLLINGWOOD
who in the Royal Sovereign on the 21st October 1805, led the British Fleet
into action at Trafalgar and sustained the Sea Fight for upwards of an hour
before the other ships were within gun shot, which caused Nelson to exclaim
“SEE HOW THAT NOBLE FELLOW COLLINGWOOD TAKES HIS SHIP INTO ACTION”
He was born at Newcastle-upon-Tyne 1748 and died in the Service
of his country, on board of the”VILLE-DE-PARIS” on 7th March 1810
AND WAS BURIED IN ST PAUL’S CATHEDRAL.
THE FOUR GUNS UPON THIS MONUMENT BELONGED TO HIS SHIP THE
“ROYAL SOVEREIGN”

More ‘Someone You Love’ can be found in the gallery.