In 1835, the townships of Elswick, Westgate, Jesmond, Heaton and Byker were added to Newcastle upon Tyne in 1935,they being outside the boundary of that borough when history was written by earlier historians Bourne, Brand and Mackenzie. Owing to the proximity of those townships to the town and to the castle of Newcastle upon Tyne, they were owned by men of considerable local position and by reason of their gradual absorption into the building area of Newcastle, their condition during the last 200 years been entirely altered. The ancient estates have long since been broken up and all but a few of the old landmarks have been removed and the title deeds of the estates in private hands have been dispersed.
The then Jesmond Township lay, as present day Jesmond still does, on the north-north-east side of Newcastle upon Tyne. It measured in the early 18th Century, approximately 1½ miles in length from north to south, and one mile in width, east to west. Although it has always, within historic times, been included in the Newcastle upon Tyne parish of St Andrew, it was, until the 1830s situated within the Castle Ward division of the county of Northumberland and was outside the boundary of the then City and County of Newcastle upon Tyne.
By the Reform Act of 1832, it was included within the Borough of Newcastle and by the Municipal Corporations Reform Act of 1835, Jesmond became detached from Northumberland and was included, since the 15th August 1882 within the boundaries of Newcastle.
Today, Jesmond is a popular suburb of Newcastle and still, to some extent, retains its individual character. Described variously by estate agents as a "leafy suburb" and by letting agents as a "vibrant and exciting suburb", it nevertheless has features of both.
Jesmond contains a main shopping area in
Acorn Road and St. Georges Terrace, with several, smaller but nevertheless thriving smaller shopping areas.Jesmond is predominantly a residential area, which surrounds a central core of businesses, shops, pubs and restaurants. There are four well-known schools, The Church High, The Central Newcastle High, The Royal Grammar School and last but not least, West Jesmond School, presently undergoing redevelopment, the pupils being taught on a temporary site. Sadly, the La Sagesse Convent School closed its doors after 96 years.
Because of its close proximity to the City centre, living in Jesmond is highly desirable, both by students attending the two main Universities,
Northumbria and Newcastle, and by permanent residents. Walking to the City centre takes ten to 15 minutes (depending on how fit you are). In addition, there is a regular Metro service and a 'bus service, if you are less fit...
