Heritage & History in South Shields
Historic buildings, walking trails, museums, churches, and the stories behind the streets of South Shields.
Upcoming Events
View all →Noir at the Bar, South Shields
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM · The Word
Free (booking required)Bay Tales Presents: The Word is Murder, South Tyneside's Crime Fiction Festival
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM · The Word
£6 in person / £7.21 onlineJanet Street-Porter: Still Off The Leash At 80!
See booking page · The Customs House
See booking pageJarrow's Finest Hour: The Jarrow March 90 Years On
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM · The Word
Free (booking required)Featured Guides
More Guides
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The History of South Shields' High Street and Shopping Streets
How King Street, the Market Place and Ocean Road grew from Georgian fields into South Shields' shopping heart, and where the town centre is heading next.
Interesting Facts About South Shields
From a Roman fort whose Latin name means 'place of the Arabs' to a pub carved into a cliff by dynamite, South Shields is full of surprises. Here are our favourite facts.
South Shields on Screen: Film and TV Locations
From Catherine Cookson's Tyneside dramas to Brenda Blethyn's Vera on the Marsden coast, a guide to the film and television made in and around South Shields.
Things to Do in Jarrow: A Local Guide
From the Anglo-Saxon village at Jarrow Hall to the Jarrow March memorials, Green Flag parks and a historic riverside pub, a full guide to a day out in Jarrow, two Metro stops from South Shields.
Historic Trades and Crafts of South Shields
Glass making, shipbuilding, alkali works, salt panning, and the marine trades -- the industries that built South Shields at the mouth of the Tyne.
South Shields Docks: A Maritime Heritage Guide
Mill Dam, the coal staithes, the Shields Ferry, the Volunteer Life Brigade, and shipbuilding on the Tyne -- the maritime heritage of South Shields at the mouth of the river.
Local Places
Full directory →Arbeia Roman Fort
CommunityUNESCO World Heritage Site guarding the main sea route to Hadrian's Wall. Full-scale Roman reconstructions, a museum of significant finds, and free admission from late March to September.
The Customs House
CommunitySouth Tyneside's premier arts venue in a listed building overlooking the River Tyne. Home to a 440-seat theatre, cinema, art gallery, restaurant, and bar.
The Word
CommunityNational Centre for the Written Word. A striking modern library with interactive digital exhibits, a fabrication lab, performance space, events programme, and a rooftop terrace. Free admission.
Souter Lighthouse
CommunityThe first lighthouse in the world built for electric illumination, opened in 1871. Now managed by the National Trust with a visitor exhibition, tea room, and access to The Leas coastal walk.
South Shields Museum and Art Gallery
CommunityFree museum and art gallery celebrating the rich heritage of South Tyneside. Permanent displays on local history, maritime heritage, and the town's multicultural story, plus changing exhibitions.
Ocean Road Community Centre
CommunityCharity-run community hub offering sports, dance, arts and crafts, youth clubs, and a climbing wall. Works in partnership with South Tyneside Youth Support Service to provide free and low-cost activities for young people.