Marsden, Tyne and Wear

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Map sources for Marsden at grid reference NZ395650

Marsden is a suburb in South Shields, Tyne and Wear, located on the North Sea coast north of Seaburn in Sunderland.

Marsden Bay, looking south east towards Souter Lighthouse, Marsden Rock is on the left

The original village of Marsden was demolished in the 1960s due to the risk of erosion from the encroaching shoreline. What remains are five rows of Victorian terraced houses, which were originally built to house miners working in Whitburn Colliery. There is also a small chapel and a primary school, although this is technically located in Whitburn.

The coal from the colliery fueled the limekilns which closed at the same time as the mines.

Marsden is most famous for Marsden Bay, with its magnificent rock formations such as Marsden Rock, and The Leas, located to the north, which is one of Britain's most important seabird sanctuaries. This land, along with Souter Lighthouse (the first lighthouse in the world to be lit by electricity), is now owned by the National Trust.

The village also gave its name to the Marsden Rattler, a railway which joined Whitburn Colliery to the main line in South Shields.