Low Fell History: Famous Buildings

Situated on Kells Lane, Underhill was home to Joseph Wilson Swan for many years (between 1869 and 1883) and it was the first house in the world to be lit by incandescent electric light – Not a bad accolade for our small suburb to have!

Built by brothers John and Edward Joicey (of Joicey Road fame!), Whinney House was finished in 1867 and, later that year, became the sole possession of Edward Joicey after John gave his share to Edward as a gift. Edward lived in that house until his death in 1879.

In 1921 it was bought by Gateshead Corporation and turned into a hospital. Today Whinney House is the Mishkan Torah Yeshiva – the Gateshead Academy For Torah Studies.

Trams used to run to Low Fell from Newcastle from the early 1900s to the 1950s. The building which used to be the waiting room for the Tram still stands today. In fact, one of the trams that used to make the run still exists and can be seen (and ridden) at Beamish Museum.

Situated on the east side of Low Fell at the junction of Kells Lane and Durham Road, the building is now a locksmiths. The old clock that sat centrally above the windows has long gone, yet the circular piece of stone it sat on is still visible today.

Formerly know as ‘The Buck Inn’, the Beaconsfield Hotel was built in . It is situated on Beaconsfield Road, just off Durham Road and Low Fell’s high street.

No longer a hotel, today it is known as ‘The Beaconsfield’, or simply ‘The Beac’ to its frequenters, and is one of the most popular pubs on ‘The Fell.’

Click here to learn about the special offers going on at The Beaconsfield this week.

The Church of St Helen, situated ?? was built in 1876 and remains very much in its original form. The entire cost of the church – £13,000 – was met by Edward Joicey. The Church and its Parish owes its existence to the large population explosions experienced in the Low Fell area after the creation of the New Durham Road.

Many of the residents of Low Fell faced a steep uphill climb to the local Parish Church of St. John at the top of Sheriff Hill so the new Parish of St. Helen was a welcome addition to Low Fell for many residents indeed.

More detailed information regarding the Church of St. Helen can be found here.

Located in Church Road, Sheriff Hill, St Johns Church is an active Anglican Parish Church. The building has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II listed building.

Designed by John Ions, the building’s architectural style is Gothic Revival and its total cost reached £2,742 (£200,000 as of 2012). It was completed in 1825.

More detailed information regarding the Church of St John can be found here.

Dedicated to famous Theologian John Wesley, the Wesley Memorial Methodist Church was built in 1882 on, or near, the spot where John Welsey used to preach in the mid 1700s. The new church superseded the old preaching house which had been built in 1754 and cost approximately £4,000.

The building is situated on Durham Road towards the east end of the high street.

More detailed information regarding the Wesley Memorial Church can be found here.

Situated on the corner of Dryden Road and Denewell Avenue, the Church was built in 1914 and was originally a Presbyterian Church before its conversion to a United Reformed Church.

Low Fell History Timeline
Low Fell: A Quick History
Famous People
Saltwell Park