Jesmond, Newcastle
Jesmond Parish Church
Last Updated:
25 Oct 2024
Jesmond, Newcastle
This is a
Church, Place of Worship
54.982309, -1.606554
Founded in
Current status is
Extant
Designer (if known):
John Dobson
Listed Grade II
This is Jesmond Parish Church, or should I say the Clayton Memorial Church. It was built in tribute to that man Richard, who was the Master of the Mary Magdalene Hospital which stood behind St Thomas the Martyr, which he was also Chaplain of.
The church came about as home for the towns most evangelical congregation. Clayton’s faithful devotion, piety and oratory skills led to him gathering a significant following, which grew resentful of not having their own space. It sounds like Clayton could have become another Wesley!
The church was designed by John Dobson (though superintended by his pupil David Birkett) and opened in 1861 - one of his very last constructions as he died 4 years later. It was consecrated by the Bishop of Durham after 2 years of construction. This “geometric gothic” church covers 110ft side to side, and 154ft top to bottom.
It has a capacity for 1340 worshippers and from opening had its own hot water pipes - rare for those days but gives credence to the amount of subscriptions it raised. The site and the building cost £6700 - about £440,000 today.
The vestry was added in 1874 through public subscription to once again commemorate Clayton.
Listing Description (if available)
Both these Ordnance Survey maps illustrate the bottom of Jesmond from the mid to late 19th century, and the contrast is quite staggering.
The church managed to nip its way onto the first, having literally just been built. It was bought on a plot of remaining farmland, which is easily illustrated with the field boundaries. Before the Royal Grammar School was built, it was fields against a Corporation Manure Depot and pinfold where livestock would be caught and rounded up. The fields were probably owned by Friday Farm just up the road. Terraces on Sandyford Lane and Jesmond Road were just popping up and Brandling Village was well establish, but the genteel Jesmond suburbia was yet to take full hold.
The tale changes by the end of the 19th century. Large townhouses and the Royal Grammar School have enveloped the church. Windsor Crescent, now composed of 3 single properties due to the Central Motorway, stood on its left. Carlton Village was demolished from around 2016, and Briarwood/Eslington House have made way for the Metro station. Jesmond Station is still in situ, though now a restaurant.
This is Edwardian Newcastle fully realised, with large townhouses built to accommodate the growing middle classes of this might industrial city. Most will recognise much of this landscape except the Central Motorway splitting the town in two, but plenty of features still exist like the Sandyford Stone Brewery and Church of Scotland on Sandyford Road. Portland Park has vastly shrunk - previously a general recreation ground with multiple bowling greens, tennis courts and quoits grounds but now a single bowling green after the bus depot was constructed.
Jesmond Parish Church in September 2024
The church in 1937. It looks like there’s been some decent renovation and extension works since. Source: Newcastle Libraries
A Torday shot of the church during Metro construction. Source: Newcastle Libraries