south shields

South Shields is a large coastal market town in South Tyneside, Tyne and Wear. It is situated at the south of the River Tyne. Historically, it was known to Romans as Arbeia and as Caer Urfa by Early Middle Ages. According to the 2011 census, the town had a population of 76,498. It is the fourth largest settlement in Tyne and Wear; after Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland and Gateshead. It is roughly equidistant (approximately 3.7 miles (6.0 km) between the border of Newcastle and the border of Sunderland.

South Shields is represented in Parliament by Labour MP Emma Lewell-Buck. The town became part of Tyne and Wear in 1974, formerly belonging to County Durham.

Landmarks and tourism

The Customs House Theatre

"Tyne" lifeboat of 1833

As well as being the oldest and largest town in South Tyneside, South Shields is also one of the region's most popular seaside resorts. From 1985 to 2009 the area marketed itself as "Catherine Cookson Country", which attracted many visitors. Further improvements and developments to the seafront were announced in March 2007.

The town and region include:

• the reconstructed Roman Fort and excavations at Arbeia, which form part of the Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site
• the town's museum & art gallery, including a permanent exhibition dedicated to the life and times of Catherine Cookson
• the home to the Barbour headquarters, warehouse and factory
• the Customs House theatre and arts venue and the historic Mill Dam riverside
• traditional, continental and farmers' markets and high street shopping
• seafront complete with promenade, parks, fairground and amusement arcades, crazy golf, skate complex, quasar laser, miniature steam railway and boating lake and live entertainment
• coastal scenery, beaches and dunes at Littlehaven, Sandhaven and Marsden Bay
• the National Trust-owned Souter Lighthouse and The Leas cliff tops
• St Hilda's Church, reputedly built on the site of Hilda's own 7th-century chapel
• Haven Point
• The combined Jubilee Clocktower and Wouldhave Memorial, which stands on Pier Parade alongside "Tyne", Britain's second-oldest preserved lifeboat.
• an extensive network of cycle paths and trails, and
• a newly refurbished multi-purpose family-friendly complex at the seafront, including a bowling alley, a soft play area, a fully licensed bar, Italian restaurant, an arcade called Dunes Adventure Island and a renowned Amphitheatre.
• South Shields is also home of the oldest provincial newspaper in the UK, the Shields Gazette.