This weekend saw the grand opening of the most exciting new development in Stockton for many years.
The Waterfront park has been in development for a couple of years. It is a bold reimagining of the space between the High Street and the River Tees and features open spaces for events, a large adventure playground, water features and great views.
The site references the town’s history, particularly through shipbuilding, industry and the Stockton & Darlington Railway which celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2025.
However, with time and new generations it will be easy to forget the history of this site and all that has gone before.
We take a look back…
Stockton Castle
An artist’s impression of Stockton castle. But what did it really look like?
This particular site is in the southern part of what is today’s High Street. But before all that came Stockton Castle.
Despite its grand name, it was more of a fortified house, owned by the Bishop of Durham, and didn’t last very long. Nobody even knows exactly what it looked like, and nothing remains save for some stones reused in Hartburn village and Finkle Street.
The Growing High Street
The site of what is now Stockton’s Waterfront Park was once full of grand buildings along the High Street.
The original site of Stockton was a small village around the present St Thomas’ Parish Church at the north end of the High Street.
Over time, as the town grew in importance, commerce, industry and trade, the High Street spread further south towards the site of the castle.
Grand buildings sprang up, and behind were a series of yard where people lived and worked, often in appaling conditions.
The High Street had trams and other important buildings, and became the widest in the country.
Along the south eastern part of the High Street, where the Waterfront Park is today, there were many tall buildings. They were occupied by retailers, large and small, as well as public houses, hotels and banks.
The Riverside
The former riverside area on the left had factories, warehouses and wharfes.
The Stockton to Newport Ferry once sailed from the site of the park.
The banks of the River Tees as it passed through Stockton became an important place for trade and industry.
The town was a port, importing and exporting goods from its wharfes, and also became the site of shipbuilding along the banks of the river.
When the railway came, tracks were laid from the terminus at St John’s Crossing along the banks of the river to aid in loading and unloading ships, and large warehouses appeared.
First Wave of Redevelopment
The Castlegate Centre and Swallow Hotel
Stockton’s industry began a period of decline from the 1960s and 70s and much of the riverside area became derelict.
Shipping had moved to Middlesbrough and Tees Port, and the area was cleared of the buildings, tracks and wharfes that had once been thriving. A new road was built along the riverside.
A plan was hatched to build a new shopping precinct and hotel on the High Street, which saw a large portion of the High Street and its grand buildings demolished.
The result was the Castlegate Centre, named in reference to the castle that once stood there, as well as the Swallow Hotel. They were a popular addition to the town, despite the sadness over losing many former buildings.
Reimagining Stockton
In 2023-24 the Castlegate Centre and Swallow Hotel were demolished, leaving a large open space on the High Street.
The new diagnostic medical centre was constructed quickly, but the park has been a long time in the making. However, it is now here and being celebrated, ready to revitalise the High Street and town that had become a little sorry for itself and no longer a thriving destination for people to visit.
We of course miss the heritage and grand buildings, but will hopefully use this as a way to celebrate the town once again.
What are your thoughts on Stockton’s Waterfront park? What are your memories of this area in the past? Leave a comment below!
Stockton – A Colourful Past
If you’d like to relive memories of Stockton in the past, check out this stunning, large book which features 300 pages of historic images, photographs and memories of the town.
It’s full of images of what the riverside and High Street once looked like around today’s Waterfront park.
Since its release, the reviews for the book have been incredible.
Stockton-on-Tees: A Colourful Past, by Paul Menies