WANSBECK

district, administrative and historic county of Northumberland, northern England, along the North Sea in the southeastern part of the county. Wansbeck spans a narrow coastal plain edging the Northumberland uplands to the west. Its three principal towns (Ashington, Bedlington, and Newbiggin-by-the-Sea) suffered economic decline in the 1960s and '70s because of the loss of employment both in the Northumberland coalfields centred on the district and in the North Sea fishing industry. Many inhabitants of Wansbeck have more recently sought employment in the manufacturing industries in the metropolitan area of Tyne and Wear, about 18 miles (29 km) to the south. The district's landscape is marked by many abandoned coal pits. Where possible, dairy cattle are grazed and there is mixed farming. The sandy beaches at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea suffer from wave erosion. The 14th-century spire of St. Bartholomew's Church, historically a landmark for passing ships, is situated precariously near the shoreline. Ashington is the administrative centre and largest town. Area 27 square miles (69 square km). Pop. (1998 est.) 62,100.