Whitley village

A gift of Henry I to Tynemouth Priory, Whitley is listed as one of their possessions at the beginning of the 12th century, and appears in subsequent taxation lists without any indication of size or number of tenants. In c. 1539 there were 5 copyhold tenants, each with a tenement and land, and also a cottage and orchard: these figures were repeated in 1633. On mid-19th century maps it appears as an east-west 2 row village, perhaps with green, with the hall in the centre of the south side, and still very small. Today the site lies around the major cross-roads of Park View - Whitley Road east-west, Park Avenue - Marden Road north-south. York St marks the back lane on the north side. There are a few remnants of stone partition walls, farm buildings and perhaps 17th century or earlier dwellings on the north side, but most buildings are 20th century brick. Whitley House, latterly a social club and part of the New Coliseum cinema, is a brick and ashlar building of 1803 with remnants of earlier buildings incorporated to the rear. Number 270 Whitley Road is an ashlar-fronted house of 18th or early 19th century date on the north side of the village street.