Swalwell

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For the hamlet in Alberta, Canada, see Swalwell, Alberta.

Swalwell
Swalwell shown within Tyne and Wear
OS grid reference	NZ203622
Metropolitan borough	Gateshead
Metropolitan county	Tyne and Wear
Region	North East
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
Postcode district	NE16
Dialling code	0191
Police	Northumbria
Fire	Tyne and Wear
Ambulance	North East
European Parliament	North East England
UK Parliament	Blaydon
List of places: UK • England • Tyne and Wear

Coordinates: 54°57′14″N 1°41′02″W / 54.954, -1.684

Swalwell is a village in Tyne and Wear, northeast England, in the United Kingdom.

[edit] History

On 27 August 1640, an encampment of soldiers was gathered in the fields north of Whickham church on the slope down to Swalwell. This was part of the Royalist army of King Charles I preparing to fight the Scots who had taken the side of Oliver Cromwell's Parliamentary cause . Information was soon received that the Scots led by General Leslie were crossing the river at Newburn to attack the English at Stella, after which the Whickham contingent would be threatened, and so orders were given to burn the camp at Whickham rather than let it fall into enemy hands. Many of the villagers of Whickham joined in the retreat which followed. The fire at the camp ignited a seam of coal which apparently burned for several years in various places including the Coaly Well. On 7 September 1648 a burial took place at Whickham churchyard of a soldier in Cromwell's army which was then camped north of the church. Cromwell is supposed to have stayed in Whickham for two days before marching to Scotland down Clockburn Lane on 25 July 1650 on his way to the battle of Dunbar, crossing the Tyne at Newburn and using the ancient route of the cattle drovers. Other famous memories include Harry Clasper, a rowing legend in mid 1800s.