Horsley Hill
Newcastle (South Shields), Tyne and Wear, England
Horsley Hill, Newcastle (South Shields), England — opened Not precisely confirmed; in use by 1902, 41 rugby league games hosted, home of South Shields R.L.F.C., 1902-03 and 1903-04 seasons — the club's entire senior existence, only two seasons.
Sourcing caveat: Rugby-league-era capacity and floodlights are not confirmed. No internationally or historically notable rugby league matches were found — this was a short-lived, minor club ground.
Ground facts
| Opened | Not precisely confirmed; in use by 1902 (This site's own venue directory lists the town/region as 'Newcastle (South Shields)' — the correct, precise location is South Shields, South Tyneside, a separate town in Tyne and Wear several miles from Newcastle upon Tyne; 'Newcastle' is dropped from this write-up as a loose regional grouping rather than the ground's actual town.) |
| Home club | South Shields R.L.F.C., 1902-03 and 1903-04 seasons — the club's entire senior existence, only two seasons |
| Games hosted (rugby league, on record) | 41 |
| Top recorded crowd | 2,000 |
| Surface | Grass |
| Years used | 1901–1904 |
| Location | Newcastle (South Shields), Tyne and Wear |
Name history
- Horsley Hill / Horsley Hill Stadium — no name change found across its rugby league, rugby union, football, and greyhound-racing eras
Rugby league history
A short-lived, minor rugby league club ground: South Shields R.L.F.C. played its only two senior seasons here before folding, including a friendly vs Hull (1902) and a divisional match vs St Helens (1903). The ground had a much longer life under other sports afterward: South Shields Adelaide (rugby union) took it over from 1905 for £30/year rent; South Shields A.F.C. used it for football 1919-1930 (and a second South Shields F.C., 1936-1950), including an FA Cup fifth-round tie vs Swansea Town (19 Feb 1927, attendance 24,348, a football-era record unrelated to the rugby league tenancy); greyhound racing ran 1933-1966. Closed 1966, later demolished; the site is now residential.
Later used for rugby union, football (1919-1950), and greyhound racing (1933-1966).
Sources
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
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