High Spen is a small former mining village in the metropolitan borough of Gateshead, in Tyne and Wear and historically part of County Durham. It sits on the edge of the Derwent Valley amid rolling countryside and woodland, with easy access to the green corridor of the Derwent Walk Country Park and reasonable commuting links to Newcastle and the wider Tyneside conurbation.
Built around coal mining in the 19th and 20th centuries, High Spen retains a strong village identity despite post‑industrial change, with local clubs, a village hall and walking routes along former railway lines such as the old Derwent Valley Railway. Today it is largely residential, valued for its rural feel and community spirit while many residents commute to nearby towns for work.
Postcode districts covering High Spen
Most populated places nearby
- Newcastle upon Tyne 7.6 miles12.2 km
- Sunderland 14.6 miles23.6 km
- South Shields 14.8 miles23.8 km
- Gateshead 7.7 miles12.4 km
- Washington 10.9 miles17.5 km
- Durham 13.4 miles21.5 km
- Wallsend 11.5 miles18.5 km
- Newburn 4.1 miles6.6 km
- Whitley Bay 15 miles24.2 km
- Houghton-le-Spring 13.7 miles22 km
- Blyth 16.7 miles26.9 km
- Peterlee 21 miles33.8 km
Neighbouring places
- Chopwell and Rowlands Gill Ward 0.8 miles1.2 km
- Rowlands Gill Built-up area 1.1 miles1.8 km
- Winlaton and High Spen Ward 1.2 miles2 km
- Chopwell Built-up area 1.6 miles2.6 km
- Hamsterley Mill Built-up area 1.9 miles3 km
- Crawcrook and Greenside Built-up area 2.2 miles3.6 km
- Low Westwood Built-up area 2.4 miles3.9 km
- Burnopfield Built-up area 2.6 miles4.2 km
- Prudhoe South Ward 2.9 miles4.7 km
- Hedley Parish 2.9 miles4.7 km
- Burnopfield and Dipton Ward 2.9 miles4.7 km
- Hobson Built-up area 3.1 miles4.9 km
Example postcodes in High Spen
NE39 2DN, NE39 2AZ, NE39 2DS, NE39 2AD, NE39 2DU, NE39 2DP, NE39 2BR, NE39 2AF, NE39 2AR … See all
Transport links
- Newcastle International Airport 8.3 miles13.4 km
- Durham Tees Valley Airport 32.2 miles51.9 km
- Wylam Railway Station 3.4 miles5.5 km
- Blaydon Railway Station 3.7 miles6 km
- Eldon Square bus station 7.4 miles11.8 km
- Haymarket bus station 7.4 miles11.9 km
Hotels near High Spen Ad
- The Nest at the Woodmans Arms 5 3.5 miles5.6 km
- Michelangelos 3.5 miles5.7 km
- Delta Hotels by Marriott Newcastle Gateshead 4 4.6 miles7.4 km
- Beamish Hall Country House Hotel, Bw Premier Collection 4 5.3 miles8.4 km
- Holiday Inn Express Newcastle Gateshead 3 4.6 miles7.4 km
- Staybridge Suites Newcastle 4 7.9 miles12.6 km
- Beamish Park Hotel 3 4.6 miles7.4 km
- Innside by Meliá Newcastle 4 7.3 miles11.7 km
- Durham House Hotel 7.4 miles12 km
- Riding Farm Cottages 4 6.4 miles10.4 km
Schools in High Spen
- High Spen Primary School Primary
Local points of interest
- Ravensworth Estate 5.7 miles9.1 km
- Beamish Museum Museum 6.4 miles10.3 km
- Discovery Museum Museum 6.9 miles11 km
- Life Science Musuem Museum 6.9 miles11.1 km
- St James' Park Stadium 7.1 miles11.5 km
- Woolsington Hall Estate 7.2 miles11.6 km
- Eldon Square Shopping centre 7.3 miles11.7 km
- Holy Jesus Hospital Historic site 7.5 miles12.1 km
- Laing Art Gallery Museum 7.5 miles12.1 km
- Hancock Museum Museum 7.6 miles12.2 km
- Baltic Art Centre Museum 7.8 miles12.6 km
- Barn at The Biscuit factory Museum 8 miles12.9 km