The Towneley Arms, Rowlands Gill
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The Towneley Arms, Rowlands Gill's only public house, was
opened in 1835 to serve travellers (and their horses) using the
new turnpike road between Swalwell Bridge and Shotley Bridge.
At that time the pub and the nearby Toll Gate were the only
buildings in what is now Rowlands Gill (apart from a couple of
farms).
In 1865 Rowlands Gill Railway Station opened nearby followed
around 1880 by the Lilley Drift (coal mine) - and the village
grew rapidly.
The original Towneley Arms served the village until 1961 when
it was demolished and replaced by a much larger building - the
new Towneley Arms. The old building lasted some 126 years, but
sadly the "new" Towneley Arms was much more short-lived - it
closed in May 2000 and has since been demolished.
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Last
updated:- 21st July 2002
