Rowlands Gill
The small town of Rowlands Gill, usually referred to as ‘the village’ by residents, has much to offer visitors.
Shops
Tesco Metro is in the centre of the town and opens 8am until 10pm weekdays, closes at 8pm on Saturdays and Sunday opening is 11am until 4pm. Londis, which includes the Post Office and newsagent offers late night shopping and, in addition, there are a variety of small shops including an excellent florist, a pet shop and small pet hotel, hairdresser’s and barber’s, Lloyd’s bank has a cash point. There are several estate agents in the village and a library.
Doctor and Chemist
There is a Doctor’s surgery about 100 yards away on The Grove. Boots the Chemist is next door to the doctor’s and also has an entrance on Station Road (the A694, our main shopping street). Tesco also sells over-the-counter drugs and is open from 8 am until 10pm weekdays, 8am-8pm Saturday and 11am-4pm Sunday.
Churches
The village has Anglican (St. Barnabas, Stirling Lane), Methodist (Strathmore Road) and Roman Catholic (St Patrick’s, Highfield) churches.
Attractions
Derwent Park is just nearby and has gardens, tennis courts, an adventure playground, putting, bowling, riverside walk and large playing field. You can fish in the river Derwent at this point but fishing permits are needed. A large reclaimed oil drum provides a barbeque on the riverbank which is free to use (bring your own charcoal).
The Derwent Walk is just a stone’s throw away from our front door At this stage, the Derwent Walk forms part of the C2C, Coast to Coast cycle ride so we are conveniently situated for cyclists who wish to make a stop before the final section to the east coast!
Walking in the area is excellent with a variety of woodland, hillside and riverside walks of varying length offering views of countryside and viaducts and other railway, industrial remnants and architectural heritage. Evening walks often reward the quiet walker with glimpses of foxes, bats, deer, badgers, and very occasionally red squirrels who still live in the quiet woodlands in and around Gibside.
Rowlands Gill, and the surrounding Derwent Valley, was chosen by the Northern Kites Project as the location for the re-introduction of Red Kites in semi-rural areas. This scheme has been a big success.
There are several bird hides in the area and Thornley Woods Country Park provides an interesting programme of events including bat and badger watches in the nearby woods.
Rowlands Gill is a former coal mining village on the north side of the River Derwent, Tyne and Wear, England. Originally an independent village in County Durham it became incorporated into Tyne and Wear in 1974 and then the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead in 1986.
It is located in the greenbelt of Gateshead. The village has a picturesque setting with much open space and views across the valley to Gibside, the estate now owned by the National Trust.
There are many fascinating stories about the village including the mysterious and still unsolved murder of Doctor Stirling, giving rise to the name of the lane on which Burn View stands, the savage elopment and kidnapping of Lady Bowes of Gibside and the monks of Friarside hospice. Rowlands Gill boasts its own folk song (Wor Nanny’s a Maizer) and included in the works of the famous artist Turner is a painting of Gibside Estate and the Derwent Valley at Rowlands Gill.
