It was well known to Catherine Cookson during her youth and the setting for several of the books. South Shields is going from strength to strength, with its lively shopping area and popular open air markets, in the bustling town centre. There is also a summer fair held during the Catherine Cookson Country Festival. Jarrow is a town steeped in history. With the Venerable Bede it was renowned as an international religious centre in the 7th century, while in 1936 its famous Jarrow crusade took place at the height of mass unemployment.
Distances shown are in a direct line.
Distances by road will be longer. Only 2 miles south of South Shields, Souter Lighthouse overlooks the cliffs of Marsden Bay, high above the rocks and notorious currents of the 'Whitburn Steel' that have wrecked dozens of ships and claimed the lives of many mariners. Welcome to a whole season of activities and exhibitions at South Shields Museum. Built in AD 160s, the stone fort at South Shields played an essential role in the mighty frontier system which stretched across the width of the country, marking the northern boundaries of the Roman Empire. The North of England's Premier Aviation Collection.