John Dove's Mansion House, malt kiln and byre

John Dove constructed a "Head House" and associated outbuildings (including a malt kiln, granaries and dove-cote) at Whitley in the 1670s. In 1790 it was described as two cottages and a croft or garth, lately used as a granary and malthouse. During the early 18th century the cottages were occupied by miners from Whitley Pit. The land owned by Dove was later built on in 1803 for Whitley House, using part of the older house in its construction. Tomlinson reported that the shell of the malt kiln was still visible behind Whitley House in 1893, approached "by entering a passage or lane at the east end of the Victoria Hotel". These are probably the outbuildings shown on the Ordnance Survey first edition map of 1860. There are the remains of agricultural buildings in the eastern lane, including the remains of a brick arch in stone masonry walls. There are further remains of masonry in the yard at the rear of the Victoria Public House and incorporated into Whitley House. This could be associated with Dove's properties, but could be rather earlier in origin. It seems likely that they the oldest remains of standing buildings in Whitley Bay.