Gateshead, Fell Dyke

In 1858 Longstaff described "...an ancient paved road from Newcastle to Usworth, (forming) the eastern boundary of the parish of Gateshead, ...now supplanted by hedges and walls". He also mentions that it appears as 'The Great Roman Way' on the Heworth Common Act and is also called 'Fell Dyke'. The enclosure award maps for Gateshead Fell show a continuous 'public foot road', usually entitled 'Roman Causeway', from the Old Durham Road southwards to the Wrekendyke, with a bend in the middle just north of Windy Nook Road. It functioned as a boundary between Gateshead and Heworth until 1974 south of the bend, and is still a public route of one sort or another in its south part.