Passionate about Ouseburn Valley? Do you want to learn about local heritage and culture? We're bringing you Ouseburn Talks Online, a programme of virtual sessions developed and delivered by a host of volunteers who love the Valley. 

Ouseburn Talks Online tickets are £3 each*. All fund raised will help support the Ouseburn Trust and our various local-interest projects. 

*You only need to book one ticket per household/device, regardless of how many people are watching. If you purchase a second ticket for someone elsewhere, email us at least 48 hours before the event so we can send them their own joining link. 

Take a look at the schedule of talks below and book through the calendar at the bottom of this page. Please note - bookings will close one hour prior to the event's start time. 

Jump to the booking calendar

Ouseburn Talks Online schedule

The Haunted Valley

POSTPONED - check back for re-arranged date | Led by Stephen Laws

Join this renowned local author to discover how growing up in and around the Ouseburn Valley inspired his writing career, including his horror novel 'Spectre' set in the Valley. This will include a showing of the short film ‘The Secret’ filmed in The Cumberland Arms.

Family History: My Ouseburn ancestors and how I found them

POSTPONED please check back for re-arranged date. | Led by Sue Bright 

Our guest speaker Sue states: "I have been researching my family history for over 30 years, before computers.  These days it's quite easy to research online without leaving your home, and new information is made available online all the time.  I will look at each of my Ouseburn ancestors and the records available on them." Join Sue on her ancestral journey and perhaps you'll be inspired to embark on your own.

Geology of the Ouseburn Valley

Tuesday 13th October 2020 7pm - 8pm | Led by Karl Egeland-Erikson

Going further back in time than ever this talk will explain the ground beneath our feet and how it has changed. The presentation will include maps, illustrations and plenty of rock samples.

The Roman Wall through Ouseburn

Tuesday 20th October 2020 7pm - 8pm | Led by Lesley Turner and George Davies

Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site passes through the Ouseburn Valley, completely unknown by many visitors - and there have been many attempts to locate the site. This talk will look at what we know about the route, what we don't know, and the current efforts to find the Wall and its stones.

The Butterflies and dragonflies of Ouseburn Valley

Tuesday 10th November 2020 7pm - 8pm | Led by Mike Jeffries 

Ouseburn Valley is home to a diverse and evolving range of wildlife. Newcastle's city centre urban village creates a climate where many animals can thrive and reproduce, however, many factors impact this delicate balance of creatures. Mike Jeffries, Ecologist and Associate Professor at Northumbria University has spent many years monitoring and recording Ouseburn's butterflies and dragonflies. This talk is a beautiful blend of wildlife photography and interesting discussion which gives you a glimpse into a world which may have passed you by.

Manors to Quayside branch line

Tuesday 17th November 2020 7pm - 8pm | Led by Jeff Taylor

From 1870 to 1969 an amazing railway carried goods on the steep incline between the Manors Goods Yard and the Quayside. This illustrated talk will step through the route, examine the engineering solutions involved, the rolling stock used, and show what remains can still be seen today.

Hope and Opportunity: amidst the decay of a neglected valley

Tuesday 15th December 2020 6:30pm - 7:30pm | Led by Bob Langley with special guests |Free to Members of Ouseburn Trust

The talk will focus on the very beginnings of the interest in the regeneration of the Ouseburn by some of those who went on to form the Ouseburn Trust – the commitment to try to ensure that the values driving its development should take people and community seriously, in contrast to the commercial property led development on the Quayside.  

J W Carmichael, an artist from Ouseburn 

Tuesday 19th January 2021 7pm - 8pm | Led by Lesley Turner

J W Carmichael grew up in Ouseburn at the very start of the 19th century and became a successful artist reflecting his times. Find out more about his story, his art - including his pictures of Ouseburn - and how he made a living as an artist.

Murder in the Pottery 

Tuesday 13^th April 2021 7pm - 8pm | Led by Chris Wood

The brutal murder of a watchman at the Ouseburn Pottery Works in the winter of 1816, incited great interest in the locality. It would eventually culminate in the trial and execution of Charles Smith. As his life ebbed away on the end of a noose on the Town Moor, the macabre masses in attendance were happy to see justice prevail. But was Smith even guilty of the crime?