Must-Visit

Looking for vintage markets in North Shields or something different to do on the North East coast? I Love North Shields is bringing three more...

As part of the North Shields 800 celebrations, a long-overlooked piece of local maritime heritage was brought back into the spotlight today with the unveiling of a newly restored oil painting titled The Royal Visit to the Tyne, August 1884, by North Shields-born artist John Davison Liddell (1859–1942).

North Shields has marked a powerful moment in its 800-year history with the unveiling of a new bronze statue honouring Mary Ann Macham — an enslaved woman who escaped a plantation in Virginia, survived a dangerous transatlantic journey, and began a new life of freedom in this town on Christmas Day, 1831.

his in-depth feature traces the story of Robert “Mouseman” Thompson — the Yorkshire craftsman famous for his carved mice — and uncovers his unexpected footprint in North Shields, from Mouseman furniture in St Columba’s church to the 1958 Wooden Dolly in Northumberland Square.

And the lady who wants to make that happen is Emma Carlton.  Emma is the proud owner and founder of a very successful international business,...

Tucked away in the backstreets of North Shields since 2017, Tommy Smalls and Friends is a lively urban smallholding full of character. From Reginald the Gypsy Cobb to tiny Buddy Holly and Kenny Rogers, this family-run haven is home to horses, hens, ducks, and more. It’s the good life—North Shields style.

By Diane Wailes There was a time when everyone in North Shields knew the name ‘Tom Hadaway’. A blue plaque marks the house where he...

By Adrian Lee | Photography @Blyth & Tyne Model Railway Society Is the Blyth & Tyne Model Railway Society Shields’ best kept secret? On the first...

From childhood wanderings in Northumberland Park to uncovering secrets buried for centuries, local historian Mike Coates traces how a small burn helped shape the origins of North Shields itself. Drawing on archaeology, medieval records and a lifetime of passion for the town, his rediscovered work reveals the lost story of the Pow Burn, Spital Dene and the remarkable St Leonard’s Leper Hospital – a place of faith, charity and significance now emerging once more from beneath the park.

The Old Low Light Heritage Centre stands proudly on North Shields Fish Quay as the town’s oldest surviving building, once a guiding light for ships navigating the Tyne. Today, after major restoration and decades of changing purpose, it continues to illuminate the area’s rich maritime heritage. Run by dedicated volunteers, the centre has become a vibrant community hub, offering exhibitions, events, walks, workshops, and stunning river views. Its story is one of resilience, renewal, and a deep commitment to preserving local history.