Jesmond Dene: The Hidden Heart of Newcastle You Never Truly Knew

Today I’m in Jasmine Dean, Newcastle’s most unique and exotic area. It’s like a jungle. In fact, you wouldn’t even think you’re in Newcastle. And I’m here today with me two dogs, Lily and Satu. That’s why I’m carrying a fanny pack. And we’re going to explore the whole of Jasmine Dean, or most of it, and unravel some of its mysteries. Jasmine Dean is a 3 km long steep wooded valley located just a couple of miles northeast of Newcastle city center. Carved out by the Oozeburn River, the landscape is a mix of dense woodland, rocky crags and meandering pathways that follow the natural contours of the land. It’s part of a larger green corridor that stretches from the town mo all the way to the river Tine. The Dean is home to a wide variety of native and exotic trees, native wildlife, from red squirrels and kingfishers to bats and badgers. Its microclimate and sheltered terrain make it unusually lush for an urban area, giving it that almost hidden secretive quality. Historically, the name derives from the medieval term Jesus mound or Jesus mand referring to a possible site or shrine dedicated to the worship of Jesus. Jezmund Dean literally means the wooded valley at Jzmund. It was later shaped by 19th century Jordi industrialist and inventor Lord William Armstrong. famous for inventing modern artillery, ship building at the Elic Works on the Tine, the swing bridge, the Armstrong gun, amongst other accomplishments. He landscaped much of the valley during the 1860s and later gifted it to the public of Newcastle in 1883. What began as a private Victorian pleasure ground is now a public park with layered heritage, including old mill ruins, ornamental bridges, and formal gardens. So, where I’m stood now is probably what you would consider to be the northern tip of Jundine Dean. And behind me here is a beautiful, massive building. It’s called Jasmine Dean House. It’s packed full of interesting history. But when was it built, why, and what’s it for? Jasmine Dean House started life in 1822. Designed by John Dobson as a Georgian style residence for Dr. Te Hedum. In 1851, Dobson remodeled it again for industrialist William Crudus. Its most significant chapter began in 1871 when Captain Andrew Noble, partner to Lord Armstrong, expanded the house with arts and crafts flare, adding a great hall, Gothic porch, billiard room, elaborate chimneys, stained glass windows, and more bedrooms. Following Noble’s widow’s death in 1929, the house served varied roles. A college, World War II civil defense center with surviving tunnels. apparently seminary and a school. In 2005, it reemerged as Newcastle’s first independentlyowned boutique hotel, preserving its grade 2 arts and crafts charm, popular today for functions and weddings. Just north of Jasmine Dean is a a big hospital called the Freeman Hospital. And many of you watching this have either been to the Freeman Hospital or have heard of it. But why is it called the framing? Well, in order to reveal that little secret, we need to go on to the top of the Dean where I can explain it a little bit better. This huge area that I’m in now, just um northeast of the top of Jasmine Dean is called Paddyy Freeman’s Park. Truth be known, I’ve never been to this park before or this area. And it’s stunning. It’s got a massive field area over there. But it’s got a lake behind us here, a children’s play area, but also Urban Green has its uh its own cafe just over there. And I’m going to get myself a coffee. But Paddyy Freeman, who is he? Patrick Paddyy Freeman was a miller and a farmer who along with his family played a significant role in the history of JZund and Heaton in Newcastle. The Freeman family originally from Gated Le and operated JZundine Old Mill from the late 18th century. Initially ground in corn and later processing flint. Their farm including a duck pond that eventually became Paddyy Freeman’s Lake was located in High Heaton. The family’s presence in the area is still commemorated through Freeman Road, Patty Freeman’s Park of course, and the Freeman Hospital. I love to hear stories like that. It’s fascinating. a gates a lad from the windmills area basically the top of Benham bank looking down at the river Tine comes across to Newcastle in 1795 builds a mill and farming empire here passed on through the generations and when it eventually does all fold up the building name a park after the Freeman family and of course the Freeman hospital and it’s a reminder of how close Newcastle and Gates are not just geographically separated by the river but historically and culturally We share um so much together particularly through the industrial revolution of the the coal mining um and the the heavy industry in the ship building and working on the T. We worked together, we sweated together, we bled together, we died together, we married each other. And I think it’s really important to remember that that Newcastle and Gated and the whole of Tinside who have got similar backgrounds that were all proud workingass Jordies. One of the most popular attractions here at Jasmine Dean is this waterfall behind me. But is it a natural w waterfall or is it man-made? Well, Lord Armstrong created many water features throughout Jasmine Dean as part of his landscaping. His biggest project was the creation of this particular waterfall and the deep gorge further downstream. Explosives were used to blast out the rock and the stone was used to build up the sides of the waterfall. still operating today are these public toilets here in Jasmine Dean, but they’re only open at certain times and they’re closed at the minute and I’m desperate for a gentleman’s powder break. This really is a special environment to be in and I should make an effort to come here more often because it’s complete escapism really. You wouldn’t you wouldn’t think that the city center was a mile and a half or so just over there. It’s incredible. I wish I could name the trees. I wish I was an expert in these things, but I’m not. But, uh, it’s very popular and there joggers and dog walkers and cyclists, tourists. Everybody’s chill and smiling. It’s just a really pleasant environment to be in. Another great feature here at Jasmine Dean is Pets Corner where you can come and have a wander around. and particularly great for the families to see chickens and rabbits and goats and mini pigs. But it wasn’t always kind of a familyfriendly pets corner like it is today. Back in the early 20th century, this was Jasmine Dean Zoo and they had more exotic animals in here like monkeys and brown bears. Behind me here is the burn park visitor center. I’m going to pop in a second, get me sell. And directly opposite, I don’t know if we can see, but there’s a picnic area just behind with some benches. So, I’m going to take a bit of a break. Right, just got myself a ham and peas pudding stoy. Uh, bit on the small side, I have to say. A couple of sausages for the dogs and a couple of latte, which uh I’m really ready for. But what a fantastic setting this with the picnic benches. This is my happy place. this not specifically here but just this sort of environment and the peace and quiet surrounded by nature and trees. Oh me two dogs Lily and Setu having fun this is just it just doesn’t for me life just doesn’t get any better than this being free on a day like this to come to a place like this and just take in the fresh air. This big iron bridge behind me here which spans Jundine Dean is called Armstrong Bridge. Armstrong Bridge was designed by William Armstrong and built at his Elic Works on the Tine. It has a span of 168 m. It took 2 years to build and was opened in 1878 at a cost of £30,000. When it was finished, Armstrong gave it to the people of Newcastle along with the park. It was used by pedestrians, horses, and later cars. Legend has it that Lady Armstrong wanted the bridge built to make life easier for the horses pulling heavy loads up the sides of the valley. As the bridge stands on land mined for cool, Armstrong designed it so that it would adjust itself if the ground below moved. It was the first bridge in the world able to do this. Cutting through Jasmine Dean almost at the halfway point is the main trunk road the 1058 or the coast road. So now I’ve crossed that where Armstrong Bridge is and we are now in the southern half of Jasmine Dean. Behind me here just on the other side of the Oozeburn. There are two or three volunteer groups removing uh uh an invasive species called Himalayan balsam. And the volunteer groups are the Sage Foundation and Tine Rivers Trust. And there’s another one, Forgive Us, but I forgot. But they’re all busy beavering away pulling that Himalayan Balsson Balsson uh Balsson Balsson, not sure, out of the ground so to try and prevent it from spreading any further. So, as I just finished filming that little clip while I was still there, a lady walked past with a dog and she went, “Oh no, what they’re doing.” I said, “Oh, the volunteer groups are clearing away uh an invasive species.” She says, “I know what it is.” She says, “They should just leave it.” She says, “I was going to harvest that later on. It’s food.” Well, oh uh well, it can’t please everybody, I suppose. What are your thoughts on this? If you know a thing or two about invasive species, should it be left alone or should it be ripped out the ground? So, there’s not a lot going on in the southern end of Jasmine Dean. some a lotments, uh, little housing complex. It looks a little bit rundown in parts, but what there is here at the southern end is a very popular bar around these parts in Jzmine. And that’s the Blue Bell. So, I’m going to check it out. What the hell? I’m going to have a paint. Oh, I’m ready for this, man. Lovely warm day. It’s about 2:00 and I love on a hot day when I’ve been out for a bit of a walk. Paint a cool cider. Oh, man. That’s delicious. The food looks good as well. A couple out over there. Had a couple of meals brought over there just a couple of minutes ago and it did look nice. I feel a bit gutted that I had that ham and peas pudding sandwich earlier on because I could have been tempted to have some lunch here. But lovely big beer garden here. Yeah, I bet you this is absolutely rammed on weekends. I know it’s very popular. We’re going to finish with paint and crack on. Right, we’re nearing the end of uh Jasmine Dean now. It’s just another fiveminute walk down there and you’ll come across on the other side of the oozeburn there this kind of a I don’t know what it is like an art installation or the back of somebody’s garage or an aotment. It’s called St. Christopher’s Lookout. It’s got dummies in there. It’s got a little um fixed dining room uh dining room a dining table on the little ledge there. And I’ve got no idea where it is. I can’t find anything on the internet. If you know, if you’re from here, you know more than me. What is that? Behind me here, I’m not sure if you can see or not, is the end of what you would say is Jasmine Dean at Jasmineville. And this is where the burn river. Uh the burn disappears kind of underground in that concrete structure called a culvat. And that culvat goes underground for about 700 meters, nearly half a mile. Uh the whole structure is about 30 ft wide and 20 feet high. It was built between 1907 and 1911 and for the next five decades or so till about the 1960s landfill was put on top of it because the plan was to build housing and I think a road over the top of it but that never quite happened. Roughly at the halfway point of that 700 meter culvert, we arrive here in an area called the city stadium and it was built for one of a better word in the 1960s because it was going to be there were plans for it to be an actual stadium but it never quite transpired. I might do a separate video on that alto together but the culvert runs directly underneath the city stadium down toburn. Now I’ I’d guess that the culvert the oozeburn is probably 15 to 20 m underneath here. So go back 120 years. This land that I’m stood on that I’m walking across never actually existed. This was a deep well part of the Dean uh a deep valley that ran right down through and plops out obviously into the river Tine. During World War II, part of the Culbat, I think, accessed by from the Oozeburn end was actually an a World War II air raid shelter, and it held up to 3,000 people. And I think by all accounts, it was a a better area shelter that was being used by the old Victoria Tunnel. And up until couple two or three decades ago um a section of that shelter was being used by ravers used to get into the culvat and used to obviously drink and party all night. I don’t think, and I might be wrong, that you can get access through the culvert from the Oburn farmside because I think it’s been concreted off, but some of you out there might know a little bit uh different to me if you’ve actually been in underneath uh recently. You do get a sense of how high that landfill went when you come down the other side into under the bridges here. Yeah. So, it must be 15 to 20 m high. And at the other end when you when you come out you’re going to see this uh um culvat band stand. It was erected I’m not sure when to commemorate the culvat and it’s quite a popular gathering spot now for kids obviously and where I am walking now just directly behind me behind this wall is where the kulvat ends and it’s uh the burn is exposed to the skies again. I finished. I’m in Osborne now. I didn’t mean to come this far this extra half mile or so, but I thought since the burn culvert started in Jasmine Dean, I might as well have just finished it here and talked a little bit more about it and how far it stretched, etc. If you want to know more about the bridges, etc. And Victoria tunnel. I’ve done three or four videos on itself. And I’m actually right next to farm, community farm. Uh check those videos out. I’ve done them two 3 years ago. They’re in a in a playlist so they won’t be too hard to find. There some fantastic um and interesting historical facts about the place. So, hope you enjoyed this video about Jasmine Dean. If you’ve never visited before, you need to go there. It is absolutely fantastic. And if you have been there and particularly if you’ve been there a lot and you know more than me, of course, I haven’t covered everything. There’ll be all sorts of little nuggets of um interesting information. Don’t be shy. Drop them in the comments below. let us all know about it. Let me know about your experiences of Jasmine Dean. And uh I look forward to reading them. So yes, I hope you found the video interesting. If you did, don’t forget to give us a thumbs up. And if you want to see more videos like this, don’t forget to smash that subscribe button and the bell so you get a notification every time I release a new video. And for those of you who don’t know, it’s free. I’m going to head down into probably the probably the time bar for another pint before I head off home.