Jesmond Dene

Possibly Newcastle's best loved park, Jesmond Dene is an oasis of natural tranquility in a busy city. You can walk along wooded pathways down to the banks of the stream that runs through the Dene. Within the park confines, there are bowling greens, a pe’ts corner and kids swings. Every Sunday morning an arts and craft fair is held on Armstrong Bridge at the entrance to the Dene.

Jesmond Dene is a unique resource for the people of Newcastle. It is a narrow wooded valley that follows the river Ouseburn between South Gosforth and Jesmond Vale. This provides an important wildlife corridor right into the centre of Newcastle. There is a spectacular mix of native and exotic trees, and the Dene is home to a lot of wildlife, notably the Kingfisher, the Red Squirrel and many woodland birds. The Dene stretches for over three kilometres and has many areas of tranquillity, as well as ‘honey pots’ of activity.

Jesmond Dene provides strong historical links with 19th Century industrial development and landscape design – Lord Armstrong’ s influence being very apparent. There is also a large network of paths and bridges throughout.

Visitor Centre

Near the entrance of Jesmond Dene, just off the Coast Road is Millfield House. This provides a range of activities including a Ranger Service Information Room, Conference Centre, café and toilets. This part of the Dene also has a large picnic area and a ‘Pet’s Corner’.
Limited parking is available but alternatively there are good public transport links, many buses stopping at the Cradlewell on the Coast Road (A1058).
Other facilities in Jesmond Dene include Paddy Freemans boating lake, which also has a play area, toilets and a café open on a weekend and holidays. The area can be reached along Freeman Road.

The History of Jesmond Dene

Although there is an industrial history to the Dene, much of what you see in Jesmond Dene today is a result of Sir William George Armstrong (1st Baron Armstrong of Cragside). In 1835, Armstrong had Jesmond Dean (no longer in existence) built in preparation for his marriage. As his wealth increased he acquired chunks of the adjacent valley. By 1862, Armstrong had acquired most of the present Jesmond Dene, the land stretching from Jesmond Dene House in the North to Benton Bridge in the South. At this time he built the banqueting hall (now a controlled ruin) to cater for the increasing numbers of business clients he was entertaining. Armstrong enclosed the land and transformed the semi-industrial and wooded valley into his garden, including attractions such as a waterfall and a grotto, as well as planting many exotic species of trees and shrubs.

By the 1870s Armstrong was spending much of his time at Cragside, his home in northumberland. In 1878, shortly after its opening Armstrong donated Armstrong Bridge to the townspeople of Newcastle. Two years later he donated Armstrong Park (the area south of Armstrong bridge to Heaton Park). In 1883, Armstrong presented 'Jesmond Dean' to the Mayor, Aldermen and Citizens of Newcastle upon Tyne, as a Public Park to be maintained for all time as an oasis of natural beauty within an urban setting. The Prince and Princess of Wales officially opened Jesmond Dene to the public in 1884. Following the death of Lady Nobel at Jesmond Dene House in 1931, the Dene was extended northwards as far as Castle Farm Bridge. There was further extension in the 1970s when Newcastle City Council purchased land from Castle Farm Bridge to South Gosforth, at which time a pedestrian tunnel through the bridge was unblocked.

Location

Jesmond Dene is situated close to the A1058 coast road and within a 1 minute walk from the hotel. Cost: Free