Facilities
The church has a Meeting Room holding approximately twenty people. It can be hired for meetings and social events. The following are available:-
* Tea and coffee making facilities.
* A television / video unit.
* Toilet (suitable for anyone disabled.)
An attractive garden surrounds the church. This year it received 2nd prize in the North Tyneside in bloom competition, thanks to our dedicated team of gardeners. There is a secluded walled part, with a bench, for resting after a hectic day or for quiet contemplation at any time.
Every Sunday coffee / tea and biscuits are served after the 9.30am Mass. This is always well attended and a great opportunity to get to know one another, everyone is welcome to join us. On warm summer days it takes place in the walled gardens but once the colder weather sets in we have to retreat into the meeting room.
Throughout the year there are a range of social occasions to which all members of both churches are invited.
Dates for your Diary in Saint Oswin’s Meeting Room.
Every Sunday after 9.30 Mass – coffee and biscuits.
History
Built in 1890 by Hansom & Dunn, Newcastle architects, famous in their time. Hansom, for example, gave his name to the cab he designed. (The saying was that Dunn saw it was handsome, and Hansom saw it was done!) Certainly true of this splendid little church – the foundation stone laid on Our Lady’s birthday, 8 September 1889, and opened on Trinity Sunday, only nine months after.
The Parish Priest at the time was Canon George Howe, a very gifted musician. Notice the organ he designed and built to his specification. While he had been at the Cathedral he was in full charge of music, but here at the opening, with the help of the choir from St Michael’s they sang Mass No 3 (The Imperial) by Haydn and the exit music was Beethoven’s Alleluia Chorus – all played by himself on a harmonium! His organ was not yet ready.
Look up at the roof and you will see the strong iron trusses supporting the roof timbers. During WWII a German bomber dropped a sea mine intended for the river mouth, which exploded on Pier Road (16.4.41 at 4.10am) and did great damage to this corner of Tynemouth , demolishing the houses and shops opposite the Gibraltar Rock, and doing great damage to the Bishop’s House, No 48 (as a result of which our Bishops have since lived in Newcastle). Father Fee the then Parish Priest, was left to see to the demolishing of No 49 his own house and No 50, Miss Bull, the teacher’s house, and to the repair of Nos 47, 48 and the Church.
St. Oswin’s is our second church. As you leave, look down the slope and see the inverted V mark on the house where our first tin church was built by Canon Bewick, our first Parish Priest, in his drive. The parish had to acquire these other houses before we had sufficient garden space to build St. Oswin’s in the traditional setting, East and West.
Lastly, why St. Oswin’s (or more exactly Our Lady and St Oswin’s)?. Since the burial of King Oswin, King of Northumbria, the Priory had this title, but at the Reformation the title became vacant with the suppression of the monastery in 1539. So Canon Bewick was happy to take up the title for our church and our parish, so that we might continue the traditions of the Priory and its monks in serving God and our neighbour.
Location
St Oswin’s is located at the Castle end of Tynemouth Front Street. Set back from the main road it is directly opposite the Turk’s Head public house.