BLYTH, or BLYTH-NOOK (SOUTH), a chapelry and sea-port (small),
partly in the parish of HORTON,
but chiefly in the parish of EARSDON, eastern division
of CASTLE ward, county of NORTHUMBERLAND,
gi miles (E.S.E.) from Morpeth, 13 (N.N.E.) from
Newcastle, and 283 (N.N.W.) from London, containing,
with the lordship of Newsham, and exclusively of that
part of the town which is in the parish of Horton, 1805
inhabitants. The town is situated at the mouth of the
river Blyth, where it empties itself into the North
sea; and, until of late years, consisted of a few narrow
and irregularly formed streets. Considerable improvement,
however, has been mad"; but this has taken
place principally in that part of it which is in the pansn
of Horton, owing to the tenure of property in a
manor being less objectionable than that in the parish
of Earsdon; so that the entire population of the town
and its environs may be estimated at about three ^thousand.
The trade of the port consists principally m tne
exportation of coal, and the importation of various articles
of local consumption. The coal trade, during tne
siege of Newcastle in 1644, flourished greatly, but subsequently
experienced considerable depression; it
however, revived, and now furnishes occupation to nearly
one hundred vessels, of the aggregate burden of upwards
of fifteen thousand tons. The produce of the
Bedlington iron-works, which are about three miles
distant, is brought down the river Blyth to this port,
where the articles are shipped for London. Muscles
abound on the coast. The harbour, the entrance to
which is at all times free from obstruction, is extremely
secure, even during the most tempestuous weather. The
tide formerly flowed over an extensive waste on the
western side of the harbour, but, with a view to counteract
this, a quay has been partly formed on the margin
of the river; the undertaking, however, has been advisedly
suspended, from an opinion that the free admission
of the tide is essential to the preservation of the harbour.
A dry dock, capable of receiving four vessels, was constructed
in 1811: the custom-house is a branch of the
establishment at Newcastle. A circular stone lighthouse
was built by Sir M. W. Ridley, in 1788; and
there is a beacon-light, called the Basket Rock-light. A
detachment of troops from Tynemouth was stationed
here during the late war with France, in a small fort
commanding the mouth of the harbour. A chapel of
ease was built by Sir M. W. Ridley, in 1751, the right of
presentation to which belongs to the present baronet:
attached to it is a burial-ground. A meeting-house for
Presbyterians was built in 1814, one for Wesleyan
Methodists in 1815, one for a congregation of the New
Connexion of Methodists in 1818, and one for Scotch
Seceders in 1827- George Marshall, author of a miscellaneous
volume of poems, and "Letters from an Elder
to a Younger Brother," was born at this place.