Over the coming weeks, visitors to Jesmond Dene can expect to see surveys and maintenance work taking place around Deep Dene House as we begin to assess the condition of buildings across our estate.
Deep Dene House, also known as The Fisherman’s Lodge, is a building in Jesmond Dene that?has been empty?and unused?for over 8 years. Originally built in the mid-19th Century as part of Lord Armstrong’s estate, the building was known both as Deep Dene House and Heaton Cottage, and used as a residence for senior staff in Armstrong’s firm before becoming the private residence of the Noble family.
Deep Dene House was converted into The Fisherman’s?Lodge. The restaurant was a popular venue known for serving British classics and fresh seafood dishes, however, financial issues led to its closure in 2013. Following the restaurant’s tenure Deep Dene House remained vacant and in 2016 an arson attack caused extensive damage to the building which made it necessary for it to be fenced off from the general public.
When the charity was formed in 2019 we inherited a number of buildings from Newcastle City Council which were in various states of repair. In the case of Deep Dene House, the building sustained severe damage in the fire that caused?several?holes in the roof?which are increasing the risk of further damage to the interior.
Marian Chapman, Enterprise Director, says: “We know that Deep Dene House is not only significant to the history of the Jesmond Dene but also much loved by the local community. We want to do everything we can to save the building from any further damage and ensure that the structure is made safe.
Looking forwards we hope that we can engage with our park users and find a future use for the building which will honour its heritage and bring the building back to its former glory.”
As the first step in this process, we have recently appointed Building Surveyors LTD to carry out initial surveys to?assess whether the building can be saved and, if so, to gain a better understanding of what is required to make the roof?watertight and reduce any further damage to the property.?Providing they find that the building can be restored, they will also be advising us on how it can be made safe for?site visits so that we can gain access for further scoping?of the works and funding required to bring the building back into use.
If you would like to stay up to date with the plans for Deep?Dene House register on our mailing list or sign up to Urban Green Park Action to join the conversation about conservation in Newcastle’s parks.