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Sport is woven into the fabric of North East life. From cock fighting pits and the Quoits grounds of mining communities to the concrete cathedrals of modern football, it is still the backbone of our region.

Scroll down to find the lost sports grounds of yesteryear, and the treasured community spaces of today.

Site of the ground facing north west in 2023.

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Football

Thompson Road, Football Ground

Sunderland

Southwick FC (1886-1931), Southwick Board, Southwick Wesleyans

Updated:

20 Nov 2024

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Bowls

Margaret Thompson Park, Bowling Greens

Sunderland

Updated:

20 Nov 2024

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Football

Lawe Heugh, Football Ground

South Shields

Updated:

20 Nov 2024

Olympia Rolling Skating Rink, undated. Source: Shields Gazette

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Boxing, Rollerskating

Olympia Skating Rink

South Shields

Updated:

20 Nov 2024

Northernmost bowling green at Little Haven, undated. Unknown Source.

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Bowls

Little Haven Bowling Greens

South Shields

Updated:

20 Nov 2024

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Football

Mowbray Road, Football Ground

South Shields

South Shields Athletic AFC (1897)

Updated:

20 Nov 2024

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Football

Ashley Road, Football Ground

South Shields

South Shields Parkside (1910s)

Updated:

20 Nov 2024

The recreation ground can be seen just above the railway and cricket ground. Source: Historic England Photograph:  raf_cpe_uk_2352_rp_3309 flown  04/10/1947

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Football, Bowls

South Hylton, Recreation Ground

South Hylton

Updated:

20 Nov 2024

Aerial shot showing the Cricket Ground as it was in 1947, between water supply reservoirs and Field House. Source:  Historic England Photograph:  raf_cpe_uk_2352_rp_3309 flown  04/10/1947

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Cricket

South Hylton, Cricket Ground

South Hylton

South Hylton CC

Updated:

20 Nov 2024

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Cricket

Sherburn Colliery Recreation Ground

Sherburn Hill

Sherburn CC

Updated:

20 Nov 2024

View from Summerhill of the site of Blaydon Racecourse at Ryton Haugh. It was south of the bend in the Tyne. Source: Newcastle Libraries

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Horse

Blaydon Race Course

Ryton

Updated:

20 Nov 2024

A congested Ryton Willows, 1910. Source: Mark Crombie, Flickr

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Golf, Quoits, Bowls, Football, Curling, Ice Skating, Shooting

Ryton Willows

Ryton

Tyneside Golf Club, Newcastle Caledonian Curling Club

Updated:

20 Nov 2024

Map
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Background photo: Photograph of the Scottish Women's team preparing before a match against the North of England in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 1938.

Historic Maps provided by

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