Registered parks and gardens

Registered parks and gardens are sites that are placed on the national register of parks and gardens of special historic interest.

The register is compiled and maintained by Historic England. It was established to identify and increase awareness of the existence of such sites, and to help make sure that the features and qualities that make these parks and landscapes of national importance are protected and conserved.

Registration identifies the area of land and its significance for consideration in the planning system, but does not trigger any special statutory protection system.

Historic parks and gardens are an important, distinctive, and much cherished part of our inheritance.

They are a fragile and finite resource, which can easily be damaged beyond repair or lost forever and we have a duty to care for them.

North Marine Park, South Marine Park and Bents Park in South Shields together form one listing. 

The decision as to whether a park or garden merits registration is based on an assessment by Historic England as to whether it can be said to be of 'special historic interest'.

All Registered Parks and Gardens are classified into grades to indicate their relative importance:

• Grade I are of international historic interest; grade II* are of exceptional historic interest
• Grade II are of special historic interest.

South Tyneside's listing is Grade II. The grading of sites is independent on the grading of any listed building(s) which falls within them.

There are currently over 1,600 sites on the national register.