Blyth versus Cowpen

[winshipstreetlad]

I was born in Newsham, and l am sure that the the township  of the said Newsham is a lot older than both Cowpen/Blyth. Therefore I think that it should of been NewshamUDC. To cover both of them! Mind you the only place to of had a council office would of been the old Plaza, Black Diamond, or the old working mans club. Just a thought?

[thetowers]

Because Cowpen is a pretty stupid name ?

And although Blyth was smaller at the time,  it may have been a longer-established place.

[winshipstreetlad]

 
Blyth was a wet land swamp till around 1600 only shows how much the history of Blyth is known, or not known. My granddad used to tell me about how Newsham was in fact the capital of the world. Oh happy days when we all had nowt.

[blythian]

Mike Dixon has a lot more info on this lol. Cowpen was a heck of a lot bigger than it is today, the dividing line was Union Street next to the bus station, the other side being blyth. In 1907 Cowpen merged with Blyth and they took on Blyth's name (we've debated the reasons why it was Blyth and not cowpen used). As for Newsham, it was attached to Blyth at some point as far as i'm aware, but don't take my word for it, someone will likely correct me haha

[cowpenexile]

Just picking up on this post re meaning of Cowpen. When I was a bairn I remember Father Dunne the priest at St Cuthberts incorporating the history of the Sydney family in his Sunday sermons. One of the things I recall him saying was that the monks from Tynemouth priory had salt pans on the river and the locals used to swap( cowp in Geordie) goods for salt hence the name COwPEN . He was a massive NUFC supporter and I remember him bringing Frankie Brennan to St Cuthberts school to present us with an archery set for some reason

[blythian]

Just thinking, the Manor of Newsham was bigger than "Blythsnook", Blyth was just the area at the tidal inlet off the river (again, Union Street heading towards Cowpen Square), the slither of land that is now Bridge St, etc was the "Snook". Maybe Blyth came to be so big since Ridley/White were pumping so much money into the place??

[Correct me if i'm mis-informing here, this is how i understand it though lol]

[Phodgetts]

Blyth Snook (various spellings over the years like 'Snuke') was on North Blyth on the shore side behind the Seven Stars public house facing onto Shinny Gripe Lug and Crab Law Rocks.

You can see it's location on this version of the OS Map of 1896.

http://maps.nls.uk/view/101027304

Hope this helps with the exact location of the Snook. 

I assume a 'snook' was like a lump of land, nose or bulbous promontory. The 'snook' no doubt would have be a useful feature for sailors being able to identify and navigate that part of the Northumberland coast given the generally featureless and low lying shore.

P

[TriciaK]

.....the monks from Tynemouth priory had salt pans on the river and the locals used to swap( cowp in Geordie) goods for salt hence the name COwPEN .

That's such a revelation! Even though we pronounce it "Coop'n" I could never understand why a village would be called after a shed where cows live.

[Phodgetts]

The name Cowpen is not an easy one to explain.

I have to refer to information in John Wallace's book The History of Blyth.

Before Richard the Lion Heart left for Palestine in 1190, he granted 'Copun' to monks of St Oswin's.

Wallace stated that 'Cowpen' has been a place of importance since Saxon times.

He mentions "couping" which was an ancient form of bartering, or exchanging one commodity for another.

A Salt Pan was granted at 'Cupun' by King John in 1201. Also mentioned was the 'Cup-well'.

In 1240 "Cupun" was accounted in the Barony of Bolam.

About 1240, James de Bolam granted the canons of Brinkburn Salt Pans at 'Cupun' which involved the Bishop of Durham.

By 1307, Brinkburn and Tynemouth Priories had Salt Works at 'Cupen'.

By 1428 it was 'Coupowne'

By 1560 they were spelling it 'Coopon'

By the 19th Century it was 'Cowpen'.

Additional information, it is not a Pen in which to put Cows! Hehehe. I made that mistake myself.

It is also believed that the name 'Cowpen' might originate from an Old Norse-Scandanavian word 'kupa', which means cup or bowl. The word is also used to describe a cup-like depression or valley in the ground, and this might well make reference to the earliest saltpans in the area or perhaps the lay of the land. The word 'kupa' also has connections with the Swedish 'kupa' meaning a small cottage or household. So both phrases 'at the hollows' or 'at the cottages' have relevance.

In reality, no-one can say for sure now, where the name originates.

I hope you have found it interesting despite being no further forward after reading that little lot.

P