Church of St Chad

As of the 1890s, the area around Bensham was mostly rural before quickly urbanising at the turn of the 20th century with the building of Tyneside flats to house workers. Walter James MP provided land for a new church designed by architect William Searle Hicks. The reported cost was £26,000, expensive for the time; the project received funding from Emily Matilda Easton of Nest House and West Layton Manor, whose brothers James and Thomas ran Oakwellgate Colliery. His final design before his death in 1902, The parish describes itself as "Liturgically and theologically influenced by the Oxford Movement" and liberal in outlook. It is a member of the Gateshead Deanery, part of Churches Together.…

St Chad's identifying feature from afar is the octagonal tower in the middle of its cruciform, which lights up at night and can be viewed from the East Coast Mainline (ECML). The building was constructed using sandstone as well as green Westmorland slates for the roofing. St Chad's also features woodcarvings by Ralph Hedley. The stained glass windows are attributed to Caroline Townshend and Laurence Walker