Newton Bewley and North Billingham

Newton Bewley village, now part of Hartlepool, is the focal point of this composite map from 1954 and 1972. 

The boundary line with Billingham is just visible. To the south of Newton Bewley the expansive, flat farmland has been urbanised with the construction of Marsh House Avenue, Seal Sands Link Road and housing estates at Low Grange, High Grange and Owington Farm. The public footpath between Low Grange and Newton Bewley survives today despite some extensive housing developments.  

Cowpen Lane Estate

The distinctive, circular street planning of Cowpen Lane Estate is shown clearly on this 1950s map. The linear Greenwood Road can be seen branching out to Belasis and Haverton Hill.

Belasis Lane Halt can be seen by the railway line to Port Clarence to the south of Charlton's Pond. The pond was formerly a clay pit and brick works.

There is no Roseberry Bridge, Marsh House Avenue or industrial estates either side of the railway line to Hartlepool. The site of St Joseph's Church and St Michael's school are still open countryside.

The Hut - 1954 map

The site of the temporary Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary R.C. Church at Grosvenor Road, Billingham. Known by many parishoners as 'the hut', the building was opened on 14th May, 1950. The building and parish served Billingham north of the railway line until the new church was inaugurated at Sidlaw Road on 22nd September, 1960.

On this map we see Grosvenor Road, The Swan Hotel (also used for Catholic Mass before 1950) and Sidlaw Road. The A19 Wolviston Road was then the main highway to Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Stockton-on-Tees. 

Here the location of the current Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary remains undeveloped. 

Wolviston Grange was later demolished and north Billingham today is predominantly suburban and almost contiguous with Wolviston. The modern A19 now runs to the west of Billingham.

The Swan

The Swan sits aside the old A19 Wolviston Road which was once the main highway between Stockton and Sunderland. The building was used to celebrate Mass before the construction of the 'hut' and Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary. Here we see the pub in June 2025. 

1954 Map

In 1954 Low Grange was little more than farm land. Marsh House Avenue, St Michael's School and St Joseph's Church now occupy this previously remote corner of Billingham. Note the railway line in the bottom corner used today for trains to Middlesbrough and Tyneside.

Marsh House, High Grange, Low Grange and Owington Farm have all disappeared surviving only as place or road names. Green spaces survive behind St Michael's and alongside the railway line as part of Cowpen Bewley Country Park.

Pic: St Joseph's, June 2025.

Greenholme

Greenholme served as a presbytery for Billingham's Catholic priests and later as an annexe to St John's School. Here we see the presbytery listed on the 1954 OS map. Today, Greenholme is the location of Billingham Catholic Club. 

Temporary Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary R.C. Church

The site of the temporary Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary R.C. Church at Grosvenor Road, Billingham as it appeared around 1950 and as it appears in June 2025. 

Mary Tucker (mother of Peter Tucker) writes

Here is a photograph of my mother Norah Kearney at her sister Kathleen Kearney's wedding to James Teasdale in 1954. My mother Norah Kearney was a bridesmaid, as was her sister Agnes (not facing the camera). Also in the photo is James Teasdale's brother.  

For those with a keen eye, the wedding location was 'the Hut'.