The area was once known as Spike Island after the workhouse that was situated there, spike being the slang term for a workhouse at the time, taking the name from the implement used to unravel rope offcuts to be used for boat caulking, a chore undertaken by the able bodied inmates.

Much of the housing stock is Victorian with some 1940s council developments and a Cottage estate built for local Vickers armaments workers in 1916.

A conservation area on Brook Street safeguards some terraces that represent early examples of municipal housing.

[5] The European SF Society (Eurocon) Award-winning webzine, the Science Fact & Science Fiction Concatenation [6] was founded by former locals of Northumberland Heath, some of whom have established a local SF group.

[8] Northumberland Heath is within Northumberland Heath ward (local Councillors are John Fuller (Conservative, Cabinet Member for Education) and Wendy Perfect (Labour, Deputy Leader of the Labour Group and Shadow Cabinet Member for Education).