Barras Bridge, Newcastle
Barras Mill, Newcastle
Last Updated:
2 Sept 2020
Barras Bridge, Newcastle
This is a
Water Mill
54.979524, -1.613192
Founded in
Current status is
Demolished
Designer (if known):
The mill was on Eldon Place, which is now a collection of Uni buildings
'In 1503 the mayor and commonalty granted to Thomas Penreth a water corn mill called Barrers Mill, with an adjacent close on either side of the rivulet running down to the mill. The site of the mill was at the corner of Eldon Place and Percy Street, and at one time its foundations were still to be seen in the cellar of the shop on the corner. The close extended from Barras Bridge west to Castle Leazes, and contained the miller's house, 40-50 yards west of the mill. The burn was culverted and the mill pond filled up for the construction of Eldon Place, and the house was demolished c.1890.'
- Sitelines
A particularly interesting feature on the painting above by Sarah Richardson can be found at https://blog.twmuseums.org.uk/young-anglers-barras-bridge-painted-by-thomas-miles-richardson-a-picture-of-old-barras-mill-pond/
Listing Description (if available)
The two maps above illustrate the area around Barras Bridge from the 1830s to the 1860s. The first map further above is illustrated by Thomas Oliver and was published in 1833. The plan shows Pandon Dene just south of the Barras Bridge, close to St Thomas Chapel. Previously the dene went further west, and was part of a mill pond. This had been filled in and became Eldon Place by this point, but the mill remained and is one of the shaded buildings along the road.
The second map is the Ordnance Survey, published 1864. By this point was culverted and the city centre as we know it was created. The mill remained in situ until 1890 as noted above but must have been a general dwelling or industrial site at this time.
'Young Anglers, Barras Bridge', by Thomas Miles Richardson. This painting was produced in the early 19th century, and depicts the mill-pond at the top of Pandon Dene along with part of the mill site to the left of the image. It's a truly evocative and beautiful painting, and expresses an emotion Newcastle City Centre denies nowadays. It's really hard to calculate where this is, but this pond was filled in and replaced with Eldon Place.
Retrieved from Tyne & Wear Archives