Piers, Walls, Gates And Railings At Entrance To Jarrow Park

The entrance to Jarrow Park features piers, walls, gates, and railings, built in 1876 from ashlar sandstone and wrought iron. There are four piers for the carriage entrance and two for pedestrian access, along with an additional pier to the west. These piers are tall, square, and flat-topped, each with plinths, friezes, and projecting cornices. An inscription runs along the friezes, stating, "Given to the/people of Jarrow/by Sir Walter/and Lady James/September 1876." A low curved wall extends from the westernmost gate pier to the fifth pier, constructed from snecked sandstone rubble with a round coping. The carriage gates and two pedestrian gates feature simple spiked standards, each topped with a ball on the principal uprights. The railings consist of outward-curved spiked standards positioned between the gates and the fifth pier. Historically, Sir Walter James, the first Lord Northbourne (1816-1893), who served as the Liberal MP for Gateshead, was married to the daughter of Cuthbert Ellison of Hebburn. Records from the local Board of Health's minute books indicate that plans for this entrance were submitted by Mr. George Spain, the agent for Sir Walter and Lady James.