GATESHEAD

town and metropolitan borough, metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear, historic county of Durham, England. It was initially a small settlement that developed at the southern end of a medieval bridge, opposite the fortress (later city) of Newcastle upon Tyne; at that time it was under the jurisdiction of the bishop of Durham. During the Industrial Revolution, locally mined coal fueled Gateshead's growing iron and steel industry, which made the town a major urban centre. The town's heavy industry declined dramatically during the 20th century, but Gateshead retains metal fabrication, engineering, light manufacturing, and food processing industries. It is also the site of one of Europe's largest indoor shopping centres. Besides the town of Gateshead, the metropolitan borough includes the towns of Felling, Dunston, and Blaydon, suburban areas, and open countryside and woodland. Area metropolitan borough 55 square miles (142 square km). Pop. (1991) town, 83,159; (1998 est.) metropolitan borough, 198,900.