Jarrow

Jarrow is a town in the metropolitan borough of South Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England. It sits on the south bank of the River Tyne, opposite Hebburn, and forms part of the broader Tyneside urban area. Historically it was part of County Durham until local government reorganization in 1974, after which it became part of Tyne and Wear.

The town grew in the 19th century as a centre of shipbuilding and heavy industry along the Tyne, with Palmer’s Shipyard operating on the riverfront. As shipbuilding declined in the early 20th century, unemployment and economic hardship increased, culminating in the Jarrow March of 1936, when local residents travelled to London to petition the government for work and relief.

Since the postwar era, Jarrow has become predominantly residential, with retail, services, and light industry forming the local economy. It remains an administrative unit within South Tyneside and serves neighboring communities with schools, healthcare, and cultural facilities. The town’s enduring associations with the river and its industrial heritage continue to shape its identity.

Transport links connect Jarrow to the wider region. The Tyne and Wear Metro serves the town with a station on the line between South Shields and Sunderland, providing rapid access to surrounding towns and cities. The River Tyne remains a defining geographic feature, and the broader Wearmouth–Jarrow historical area nearby adds to the area’s cultural significance, connected to the Anglo-Saxon monastery tradition associated with Bede.