Rectangular structure built of stone, located alongside Wallsend Burn just outside the former village. Has a flight of steps at the western end and a small metal plate on the top, next to the steps. Probably the base of a metal water tank. Shown as a tank on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map. Unnamed on the second edition, and marked as a pump on the third edition of 1913.

Site of Milkwell Burn hamlet. There was a hall here known by various names (Milkwell Burn Hall, Surtees Hall and Black Hall). This was the home of famous writer of country tales R.S. Surtees, who later moved to Hamsterley Hall. The Surtees family had owned the Milkwell Burn estate since the reign of Charles II (1660-85). The hall was demolished in 1956 and its fine oak staircase was sent to the Gort family (Lord Gort of Hamsterley Hall was Surtee's grandson) in Cork, Ireland. Remains of the hall can still be seen in the wood adjoining Black Hall Farm {1}.

Intact skew type bridge across the Milkwell Burn. Arched, constructed in four courses of red brick, with a stone revetment at each end. 7.3m wide {1}.

Narrow gauge, rope hauled wagonway built by the Consett Iron Company circa 1872 to take coal from Carr Pit in Milkwell Burn Wood to the cokeworks at Westwood Colliery. A section of the wagonway was investigated during the course of a watching brief in 1991. The track was found to have been laid on a ridge of sand and gravel. The ridge was 7m across at the base and 3m across at the top and was 2m high. It crossed the River Derwent on a wooden trestle bridge (in County Durham - NZ 1133 5681). The stone abutments are still in situ. The wagonway crossed the Milkwell Burn on a skew type bridge (SMR 5194) which still survives {1}.

The furnace is situated at the north end of the mill race which supplied the Blackhall Steel Works (SMR 1017). Remains of the furnace can still be seen. In 1719 the furnace was operated by Wilhelm Bertram, a steel worker from Remscheid in Germany. The furnace was supplying steel to the German swordmakers at Shotley Bridge. Swedish traveller Reinhold Angerstein described the furnace at "Blackermille" in 1753 as being built of sandstone, of similar construction to nearby Derwentcote. Shear Steel was the trademark of Bertram. This was apparently introduced into Sheffield in 1767 by a workman from Blackhall Mill. By 1753 swordmaking activities at Shotley Bridge were winding down. The furnace had only supplied one ton of steel, presumably due to the end of the Napoleonic War. In 1810 and 1825 the furnace was operated by the Cookson family. It was not in use by 1863 and is not shown on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map. It was demolished in 1916 to make way for the new school-house {1}.

During the course of a watching brief in 1991 during the excavation of a sewer trench, a road constructed of tree trunks was found. Three trunks were observed, 1.5m below ground level, each circa 50cm in diameter and 3.8m long. The road may have been used for the removal of timber from Chopwell Woods. The woods date to the C12. Chopwell oaks were used at the castles of Norham, Bamburgh and Dunstanburgh, and by the navy for shipbuilding. Large quantities of bark were supplied to the tanneries of Newcastle {1}.

Stones apparently displaying Lewis holes (for the lifting devices of Roman cranes), chisel facing and drill holes were noticed by the Northern Archaeology Group decorating the roundabout at the junction of Mill Dam, Commercial Road, Station Road, Coronation Street and Ferry Street in 1998. Several dozen similar stones border the flowerbeds at one side of the carpark in Coronation Street {1}.
NB re-evaluation of the article and some more recent photos of the stones in 2022 suggests that there was nothing distinctively Roman about them, and that some were in fact not shaped or dressed in any way, and would not have been usable as building stone. These are likely to have been waste from a quarry and modern in date. Others had various cuts and toolmarks, all compatible with a post-medieval date, and are likely to have come from demolished buildings and structures. The stones have since been removed, probably during road widening and utilities works in 2018 (see HER event 5016 report 2019/90), and their present location is unknown.

Roman stones with lewis holes (for the lifting devices of Roman cranes) have been found in West Boldon church. Similar stones have been found at Roker harbour {1}.

The 134ft coarse gritstone Roman Doric column was originally designed by Benjamin Green to be 150ft high. The heroic size Portland stone statue of Earl Grey, sculptured by Edward Hodges Bailey, is 13ft high and stands on a pedestal above a balcony reached by 164 steps within the column. The column was built by Joseph Welsh. The foundation stone was laid in September 1837 and the statue placed in position in August 1838. The foundation stone has within it a chamber containing a glass bottle, in which is a sketch of the monument, a list of subscribers to its erection and a collection of coins, medals and tokens. The column was paid for by public subscription. The pedestal was originally surrounded by railings carrying lamps which have since been removed - as has the fountain which stood to the north of the monument. The statue was struck by lightning in 1941 and the head was broken off the statue. It was replaced by sculptor Roger Hedley in 1947 {1}. Erected to commemorate the efforts of Charles Earl Grey K.G. towards parliamentary reform. Inscription on north commemorates the centenary of the passing of the 1832 Reform Bill {4}. McCombie - the inscription extols Grey as 'champion of civil and religious liberty' under whom the 'great measure of parliamentary reform was… safely and triumphantly attained'. First proposals for the column were opposed because it would spoil the buildings, and the Town Moor was suggested as the site instead. The stone platform belongs to the refurbishment of c.1982, following Metro engineering works.

The infirmary burial ground was set up in the 18th century and the last burial was in 1845. In 1996 the burial ground was excavated in advance of the construction of the International Centre for Life. A large quantity of disarticulated bone was found along with 43 articulated inhumations. Many burials had been wrapped in shrouds or blankets held together with pins. The burials were layered and intercut. Two well-preserved coffins survived in a waterlogged condition, containing skeletal remains. Hair survived on some of the burials. Evidence for dissection of human cadavers, presumably as teaching practice for the infirmary's medical students was noted. If this is the case it is likely that the anatomical training was being carried out surreptitiously since such practice was not legally condoned until the Anatomy Acts of the later C19. An entire left leg with pelvis had been added to one of the burials. Jumbled human remains were also found in two charnel pits outside the burial ground. Many of the long bones and skulls had been cut with saws. These probably represent amputation waste and autopsied/dissected cadavers on which medical students had practiced amputation and other medical techniques. This burial ground is the most substantial post-medieval assemblage of human skeletal remains to be available for study in the north-east of England to date. It offers the opportunity to study the anthropology of the working class of an emerging industrial society and the development of medical and autopsy technique. The skeletal remains were examined by Duncan J. Robertson of the University of Sheffield. There were more adults than sub-adults represented in the burial ground and more males than females. The inhumations examined displayed evidence of infections, traumas (such as compression episodes of the spine) and developmental anomalies. Dental lesions and caries were present. Degenerative joint changes were evident particularly on the vertebrae {1}. The skeletons were reburied at Lemington Cemetery (pers comm John Nolan).