Blaydon Burn Timeline

1625/49          The reign of Charles I 
1632                Map showing 3 water corn mills on Blaydon Burn 
c1700              Winlaton & Stella coal mines at their peak – early timber waggonway to Horsecrofts – 8 mills on Blaydon Burn 
1776                Gateshead to Hexham turnpike constructed 
1778                Bridge built over Blaydon Burn 
1800               Joseph Cowen snr. Born at Greenside 
1825                Cowen starts making bricks at Blaydon Burn High Yard 
1829                Joseph Cowen jnr. Born at Winlaton 
1834                Blaydon to Hexham railway opens 
1837                Queen Victoria ascends throne 
1838                Cowens Low yard opens 
1840                Waggonway opens from High yard to Blaydon 
1850                Joseph Cowen buys Stella Hall 
1850’s             Mary & Bessie pits open 
1853                Cowen supplies gas to Blaydon 
1858                Blaydon Co-op opens 
1862                Geordie Ridley writes his famous song ‘Blaydon Races’ 
1872                Joseph Cowen Snr. Knighted 
1873                Sir Joseph Cowen dies 
1900                Joseph Cowen dies and Priestmans Collieries take over the Cowen works 
1902                Ottovale opens 
1936                New road bridge built over Blaydon Burn 
1947                Mines nationalised 
1953                Mary pit closes 
1956                Bessie pit closes 
1959                Ottovale closes 
1975                Blaydon Low Yard closes