St Mary's by the Tyne

Gateshead’s old parish church stands on the bluff above the Quayside, beside the Tyne Bridge. The building goes back to the Norman church of the 11th century, though most of the stone is 14th century. It has survived a lot: plague in 1636, bombardment in the Civil War siege of 1644, the great explosion and fire of 1854 that wrecked the chancel and windows, and fires in 1979 and 1983. It was deconsecrated in 1979 and for many years was Gateshead Council’s St Mary’s Heritage Centre, with local history talks, exhibitions, weddings and private hire.

The Tyne and Wear Building Preservation Trust took it over in 2023–24 with help from the Community Ownership Fund, on a 99-year lease from the council. A £270,000 restoration followed in late 2024: level access and new timber doors at the south porch, repairs to the floor, roof and boundary walls, better heating, and access up the tower. The funders were the UK Government’s Community Ownership Fund and Shared Prosperity Fund, the Architectural Heritage Fund, Gateshead Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. It is now a community and events venue, part of the council’s Tyne Derwent Way heritage project, open to the public on monthly open days (the graveyard too) and available for weddings and events of up to 160 guests.

Upcoming open days and walks are read daily from the Tyne Derwent Way event listings; see below.