Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne

In the 12th century Heaton became part of the Barony of Ellingham granted by Henry I to Nicholas de Grenville. King John is claimed to have stayed in the castle at Heaton (the remains of which can still be seen in Heaton Park) on a number of occasions. In the 17th century the Heaton estate was purchased by Henry Babington who was knighted at Heaton Hall by James I on 1 May 1617. By the 18th century, Heaton was a coal mining area with many of its collieries owned by Matthew White and Richard Ridley, then by his son Matthew Ridley. The Heaton estate was broken up in 1835 when the area became part of Newcastle upon Tyne. In 1841 much of the land in Heaton was owned by Armorer Donkin, who on…