2-16 Wellington Street, High Level Parade

These single storey shops are set into the rusticated stonework of the railway bridge of the former Gateshead East Railway Stations, with its striking basket arches (including some polygonal voussoirs) framing of each of the nine 20’ span bays. They were built at a time when the commercial area around the stations and engineering works was expanding to take advantage of the opportunities for passing trade, and help offset the costs of such a large-scale construction programme. They have retained their original, good quality, decorative shopfronts. The slender columnar mullions crowned with detailed Corinthian capitals, with large plate-glass windows, timber panelled stall-risers, and traditional canted inset doorways make an important contribution to the area both visually and historically. The third arch from the east is open, and leads onto Bankwell Lane. It, and presumably all the other arches, has rustic, block-masonry facing, and brick soffit. Adjacent, the fourth from the east became the ornate entrance to the second (1887) Gateshead East Station, although it had previously housed a saddler. The arch and cornice have been given chamfers, a hood-mould has been added, and heavy brackets support the cornice and terminate the pilasters. Decoratively-panelled iron gates frame a stone panel with an Art Nouveau window. The ashlar parapet defined in the bridge above is a reminder of the importance of the now lost station buildings. They make a uniquely important contribution to the character of the Bridges Conservation Area, tied as they are, so completely to the historic industrial nature of the site. These buildings were the initial home of the Gateshead Industrial Co-operative Society (c1862 – 1877) before the building of premises on Jackson Street in 1881. MATERIALS Sandstone, timber DATES c1850 LOCAL LIST