Newbiggin-by-the-Sea

Coordinates: 55°10′59″N 1°30′54″W / 55.183°N 1.515°W / 55.183; -1.515

Newbiggin-by-the-Sea
Newbiggin Bay
Newbiggin-by-the-Sea  Newbiggin-by-the-Sea shown within Northumberland
Population	7,100 [1]
OS grid reference	NZ308877
Shire county	Northumberland
Region	North East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	NEWBIGGIN-BY-THE-SEA
Postcode district	NE64
Dialling code	01670
Police	Northumbria
Fire	Northumberland
Ambulance	North East
EU Parliament	North East England
UK Parliament	Wansbeck
List of places: UK • England • Northumberland

Newbiggin-by-the-Sea is a small town in Northumberland, England, lying on the North Sea coast. Once an important port for shipping grain and a coal mining town, it is still a small fishing port making use of traditional coble boats.

History

The town was originally called South Wallerick. After the Danish invasion in AD875 the town was renamed Neubegang or Newbegining, with several different spellings until we have the present Newbiggin. In the 14th century, Newbiggin was a very important maritime centre, called upon to support Edward III in his campaigns against the Scots. At one time Newbiggin was a major port for the shipping of grain. It is said that it was third only in importance after London and Hull.^[2]

As early as 1828, Newbiggin was a popular beach resort, with facilities to cater for visitors. There were five public houses, one of which had bathing facilities, several shops, and lodging houses.^[2]

Economy

Fishing has always been associated with Newbiggin, although later many inhabitants were employed in coal mining. By Victorian times, Newbiggin was Northumberland's favourite seaside town, attracting hundreds of visitors every day in the summer months.^[2]

In 1869, there were 142 cobles (fishing boats) in Newbiggin-by-the-sea.

Newbiggin Colliery was sunk in 1908. The colliery closed in 1967, but at its peak in 1940, 1400 men were employed there. The former Newbiggin Colliery Band is now the Jayess Newbiggin Brass Band, named for its president and former member, cornet legend James Shepherd.^[3]

Landmarks

The town was at the end of the first telegraph cable from Scandinavia in 1868, and was laid from Jutland, Denmark. Attractions in Newbiggin today include the fourteenth century parish church, and a small heritage centre.

The Lifeboat Station, opened in 1851, is the oldest operational boathouse in the British Isles.^[1] Celebrating over 150 years as a lifeboat station, Newbiggin has had 12 different station lifeboats over the years; today it operates an inshore Atlantic 75 lifeboat. The crews have been presented with 16 awards for gallantry.^[4]

Now complete is a £10,000,000 renovation to rebuild and improve Newbiggin's rapidly eroding beach. This involved importing 500,000 tonnes of sand from Skegness, delivered by the Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD) Oranje^[5] and deposited on the beach^[6] through a pipe approximately 1 metre (39 in) in diameter. A new offshore breakwater was installed to accompany the matching breakwater on the opposite side of the bay.^[7] Also installed is a brass statue by sculptor Sean Henry named Couple, anchored in the centre of the bay.^[8][9]

Newbiggin is one of the area's prime locations for watching the North Sea seabird passage during spring and autumn.^{[citation needed]}

Religious sites

The Parish Church of St. Bartholomew contains the finest collection of medieval gravestones in Northumberland. Woodhorn Church is the oldest building in Wansbeck, with parts dating back to the 11th century.

Summer Fair

Until 2004 Newbiggin was host to a street fair that attracted thousands of people every year; a huge fair that expanded over many years. In its final years, the fair was set out in the following format: starting at the beginning of the shopping area of Front Street, up to the Cresswell Arms public house flowing into Church Point car park and continuing along the seafront promenade. The lifeboat house and boat yard became the music venue. A stage replaced the boats and the lifeboat house opened its doors, serving food and afternoon tea. Over the years, appearances were made by Slade, Leo Sayer and TV show Gladiators star Michael Van Wijk along with many others.

Starting in 2010, the annual Old Ship Music Festival is attempting to bring back a summer event to the village. It invite bands from the region and worldwide to play as well as local comedians and raises money for charity with the help of local business. In 2010 it raised £700 for Help for Heroes, the chosen charity of 2011 was The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, the total raised was £1,100 ^[10]

Notable people

John Braine was working at the library in Newbiggin (1954–56) when he wrote his best-selling Room at the Top.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Newbiggin Community website". http://www.newbigginbythesea.co.uk/. Retrieved 2009-08-15. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} "Northumberland Coast – a visitors guide". http://www.northumberland-coast.co.uk/newbiggin.php. Retrieved 2009-08-15. 
3. ^ "Jayess Newbiggin Brass Band". Jayess Newbiggin Brass Band. http://www.newbigginbrassband.org.uk/. Retrieved 3 February 2011. 
4. ^ "Royal National Lifeboat Institution". http://www.rnli.org.uk/rnli_near_you/north/stations/NewbigginNorthumberland/. Retrieved 2009-08-15. 
5. ^ "Digital image of Oranje". http://www.chp-photo.com/480%20sq/62%2065.jpg. 
6. ^ "Digital image". http://www.chp-photo.com/480%20sq/105.jpg. 
7. ^ "Digital image". http://www.chp-photo.com/480%20sq/63.jpg. 
8. ^ "Giant coast sculpture installed". BBC News. 2007-08-18. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/6953070.stm. 
9. ^ "Digital image". http://www.chp-photo.com/480%20sq/61.jpg. 
10. ^ "Error: no |title= specified when using {{Cite web}}". The Old Ship Music Festival Website. http://www.fortunate-events.com. Retrieved 7 June 2011. 

External links

• Community Web site
• Newbiggin Photos