Kings Meadow Island (alternatively King's Meadow Island, or Kingsmeadow Island) was a flat island in the River Tyne in Northumberland, between Elswick on the north bank and Dunston on the south, near Gateshead, England.[1][2] A smaller island, Little Annie lay nearby to the southwest[1] whilst the two Clarenee Islands lay to the north of the east end of Kings Meadow.[3] The islands were removed by dredging between 1862 and 1887 by the Tyne Improvement Commission, to make it easier for river traffic to pass.[1]
 The Tyne at Gateshead by Thomas Miles Richardson | |
 | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | River Tyne |
| Coordinates | 54°57′33″N 1°38′36″W / 54.9591°N 1.6434°W |
| Administration | |
| County | Northumberland |
| Additional information | |
| Removed between 1862 and 1887 | |
During the siege of Newcastle, in 1644, Scottish sentries were posted on Kings Meadow, shooting dead at least one man who attempted to sail past.[1]
In the 18th century, a public house, the 'Countess of Coventry', operated on Kings Meadow.[1]
A regatta and horse racing were held on Kings Meadow, annually until 1850.[1] It was also used for greyhound racing.[4]
Kingsmeadow Community Comprehensive School, nearby, is named after the island.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g "Kingsmeadow Island". Dunston, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
- ^ Morton, David (27 February 2017). "Cock-fighting, coal and a vanished island on the Tyne". nechronicle. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
- ^ "Northumberland Sheet XCVII". Map images. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
- ^ "Kings Meadow Racecourse". Greyhound Derby. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
Further reading
edit- Berriman, Geoffrey (2016). Islands of England - The North East and Yorkshire. Summerhill Books. ISBN 9781911385028.
- Skelton, Leona J. (2017). Tyne after Tyne: an Environmental History of a River's Battle for Protection, 1529-2015. White Horse Press. ISBN 978-1874267959.