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In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Blyth like this:
BLYTH (South), a seaport town, a township, and a chapelry in Earsdon parish, Northumberland. The town stands on the S side of the river Blyth, at its mouth, and on the Blyth and Tyne railway, 9 miles SE of Morpeth. It was formerly a disagreeable place, of poor appearance, with narrow, irregular streets; but it has been much improved; and it now contains many good houses. ...
It has a post office,‡ of Blyth, Northumberland, a r. station with telegraph, a bank, a church of 1863, two Presbyterian chapels, a Wesleyan chapel of 1866, a P. Methodist chapel, and national schools. A weekly market is held on Wednesday; a large trade is carried on in coals and coasting; and much manufacturing industry is a foot in connexion with shipping. The harbour has undergone great improvement since 1854, and not yet completed, costing nearly £50,000, and including docks, a quay of 1,400 feet, and a breakwater of about 3,000 yards. The depth of water over the bar, at full tides, was formerly 16 feet; and this has been increased. Two fixed lights, put up in 1788, are 445 feet apart, and 26 and 48 feet high.-The township comprises 1,180 acres. Pop., 1,953. Houses, 327. The manor belongs to Sir M. W. Ridley, Bart.—The chapelry is conterminate with the township; and is a donative in the diocese of Durham. Value, £93. Patron, Sir M. W. Ridley, Bart. The church was built in 1751.
Blyth is now part of NORTHUMBERLAND Unitary Authority. Click here for graphs and data of how NORTHUMBERLAND has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Blyth itself, go to Statistics.
How to reference this page:
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Blyth in Northumberland | Map and description, A Vision of Ireland through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofireland.org/place/761
Date accessed: 15th February 2026
Click here for more detailed advice on finding places within A Vision of Ireland through Time, and maybe some references to other places called "Blyth".
