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Brief History

With a traceable History of over 2000 years Newcastle has seen many visitors, some friendly, some not so friendly...

First Settlers

Settlers moved into the Tyne Valley around 8000 years ago, they were Middle stone-age people who hunted fished and moved between lowland and highland with the seasons.

4000 years later saw changes, more organised farming, the clearing of forests to use for grazing.

In the first century, as a snapshot of 70AD, the whole Northern area including the Tyne Valley was dominated by the Great Celtic Tribe The Brigantia . On both sides of the Tyne could be seen occasional hill forts and farms.

In AD 71 The Romans marched North, defeated Brigantia and continued into Scotland. After several set backs in AD122 they returned and settled on a line of defence leading from The Solway in the West to the Tyne in the East. Along this natural line they built one of the Greatest Man Made Frontiers ever made. Hadrian’s Wall, named after the then emperor of Rome.

Pons Aelius

At the narrowest ‘bridging point’ on the Easterly end of the wall, where the Swing Bridge now stands, the Bridge called Pons Aelius was built. Aelius being the family name of Hadrian.

Newcastle was born, a wooden fort was later built near to the bridge. The fort stood virtually on the site of the current castle. From this landmark a settlement began to grow. The whole wall and settlement can be viewed on a large model at The University of Newcastle Museum of Antiquities www.museums.ncl.ac.uk/archive. Looking down Westgate Hill

Around AD 200. ‘Roman Times’

Newcastle on the far left. By Graham Mitchell.

Saxons…

Apart from raids on the wall in the 4^th Century by the Picts and Scots. The next visitors, a German tribe called The Saxons, in AD 367, joined the Picts and Scots and began raiding

the whole of the province. By the beginning of the 5^th century the whole Roman Empire was falling and although the Romans did not actually walk out. Pay to those soldiers left defending the area stopped.

Over the next two centuries the Angles and Saxon tribes from Germany firmly took over Briton. Even though in the North the Picts and Scots continuously raided farms and villages.

Christianity spread in the region especially after the Roman Catholic Religion was adopted in AD 664, as a result many monasteries were built. Newcastle was known as Monkchester (fort of the Monks). Being, it is believed, to be named after the site of a Monastery built upon the site of the Roman fort at Newcastle.

The Angles and Saxons settled in Briton. However they did not actually decide on who ruled the divided landscape. In Northumbria, the Humber river was the Southern boundary of the Picts. The North never actually settled, such feuding left the united defence of the country weak.

Vikings

In the late 9th and early 10th Centuries the Danes and the Norsemen arrived taking without any major opposition whatever they wanted especially the rich and easy pickings of the Monasteries. Although warriors they did build fortified towns in which trade flourished. However they continuously fought over land. In the North continuous fighting took place between York a strong Viking settlement and Bamburgh which remained the seat of the King of Northumbria who was still Saxon. The coming of the next set of visitors was soon to settle such fueds.

New-Castle (1066…

In 1069-70 William the Conqueror travelled North to settle a hostile Northumbria. He ordered his son Robert Curthose to build a Castle as a stronghold in the area to quell the Northern Barons and to fend off any Scottish attacks.

The first Castle was built where the current one now stands. In 1167 the then King

Henry II ordered a new stone built castle at a cost of £1,144 to replace the timber and earth one built by Curthose. Thus the New-castle was built!

1st Scottish Rule…

Early in the 12th Century the first Civil War broke out with King David of Scotland ruling Northern England between 1139-1157. However in 1157 Henry II regained control and pushed the Scots back to a border along the Tweed River.

Town Status

During the reign of Henry II Newcastle was given a ‘Charter’ setting out effectively in writing many of the customs and rules that had been accepted during the Anglo-Saxon and Danish periods. The Charter allowed Courts to sit and judge breaches of the new Charter. The Newcastle had gained the status of a Town. In the early 13th century King John granted the Town Lord Mayor status.

“Proud Edward’s Army!”

In 1296 Scotland again revolted against England and in 1309 King Edward II,

(‘Proud Edward’), assembled the massive English army in Newcastle in readiness to march into Scotland.

Edward was indecisive and the troops revolted with many deserting. The march into Scotland did not take place. The Scottish did not settle! In 1314 Edward returned, marched into Scotland and suffered a heavy defeat at Bannockburn…the Scottish “Sent him homeward to think again !”

Newcastle County

The visits continued and in 1341 the 20-30 foot Town Walls are said to have withstood a ‘substantial’ Scottish Army. Despite this in 1400 County status was granted to the population of 4000.

Although many people lived outside of the Town on farms and smaller settlements Newcastle was rapidly taking shape. People were taking their cattle out of the Town onto moors outside of the Walls, ships were being built on a prosperous River Tyne. Markets had been set up. Market Street lead to Bigg Market and Cloth Market. The many small burns and streams were being covered to allow building development.

Religious Following…St. Andrews Church. Newgate St.

Inside the walls were 4 Churches, 5 Friaries and 1 Nunnery with most of the Barons and Nobles having strong religious beliefs. Friars preached around the Town and nearby settlements. With Nuns working in Hospitals helping the sick.

Situated next to the Town wall the Friars of Black friars were allowed the privilege of a small gate in the wall near to Heber Tower. Blackfriars is now the only one of the 5 left standing.

Disease

Like the rest of the Country in the late 16th and early 17th centuries the Plaque struck. Over that short period over one third of the Towns population (5,000) died as a result.

Coal !

1600 - Coal trade from Newcastle (17th C)

The land which the Churches once owned now belonged to the state. In the area of Newcastle, that meant land rich in coal. Not a new idea as the Romans are said to have used it as a means of heating. Records also show shipments from the river to London as early as the 14th Century. The river exported coal almost continuously to London and World-wide except during the Civil War until its demise in the mid 20th Century.

There is no doubt that Coal brought about prosperity and change.

Change

With prosperity coal also brought much associated industrial wealth. Settlements grew around the Town, houses were built on roads leading to the Town. Inside the walls the Town was changing. The area around Sandhill is an example of the type of houses being built. Still standing are Bessie Surtees House and The Cooperage of the ‘Boom Town’. Also build around the same time was a new Town Hall, Guildhall and Trinity House.

Punishments

Like any similar English town, in the 17th and 18th centuries, Newcastle had its fair share of criminals as well as witches! Hangings were a regular occurrence with the condemned being taken to the Town Moor, Westgate, or in the market place in Newgate Street to be hung.

On 21^st August 1630, 14 women, plus 1 man for ‘Witchcraft’ and 9 Moss Troupers for ‘Robbery’ were hung on the Town Moor.

On 11^th August 1744, Thomas Lister for ‘horse stealing’, James Moben and John Samuel for ‘coining’, hung at Westgate Gallows.

2nd Scottish Occupation

In 1640 during the civil war, under the threat of overwhelming odds, Royalist Troops were forced to retreat South from Newcastle, leaving the Town open allowing Scottish to walk into and take the Town totally unopposed. A year later they left and returned to their homeland. Shortly after Charles I realising things were not going to plan, doubled the strength of the Royalist troops based at Newcastle. The Town soon became strong supporters of the King and the Royalist cause.

Siege

(Third Scottish Occupation…

In 1644 the Civil War was at a peak, Cromwell’s ‘Parliamentary’ troops were advancing North from Yorkshire toward the Town. The Kings Royalist troops based at Newcastle were called South to stop the Parliamentary advance. The Town’s defences were left vulnerable to attack from the Scots---and attack they did! The same year The Scottish arrived with over 30,000 men.

John Marley the Mayor realising what was about to happen ordered the Town Walls to be strengthened. The Town with only 1,500 defenders and totally surrounded was for 3 months attacked constantly before the walls were eventually breached. The Scots took the Town…Charles who was still King hearing of the brave defence gave Newcastle its motto ‘Fortiter Defendit Triumphans’.

Newcastle was once again in the hands of the Scots…who were Parliamentary Supporters!

Royal Prisoner

In 1646 at Oxford the King’s armies surrendered. Charles and his Royalist cause had been finally defeated by Cromwell’s ParliamentaryArmies. The ‘Civil War’ was over, Oliver Cromwell was in control and Charles was a prisoner.

The same year Charles was brought and held for over a year at Newcastle as a prisoner by the Scottish, with whom he constantly tried to win over. They later sold him to the Parliamentarians for a ‘Kings Ransom’.

Great-Names-on-Tyne

In the 18th century Newcastle was possibly the greatest industrial city in England if not the World.

The area’s notable Families at that time being, Blackett’s, Anderson’s, Clayton’s, Ridley’s, Grey, Eldon, Armstrong, Parsons, Stephenson, Palmer, and Grainger. See also ‘Great Border Names’ and ‘Time-Line’.

Growth

Growth by demolishing began on the Quayside in the mid 18 th Century. Many of the buildings between the Bridge End Gate and Sand Gate were removed to provide an easier route to growing East End of the Town.

Dean Street, (The Lort Burn), which once moored boats as far upstream as ‘High Bridge’

was growing rapidly although it was not the most pleasant area to live in! Those more prosperous merchants were now moving their businesses and dwellings into the new developments in Grainger’s new developments in the Town.

Railways

Rail transport (rails) is said to have had its berth as a necessity to move heavy coal trucks around colliers. It wasn’t until the steam engine was developed that the potential for growth in rail transport was fully appreciated. The race to produce the best saw northeast steam engine pioneers George and Robert Stephenson developing and building in their Newcastle factory ‘The Rocket’. Achieving speeds of up to 30 mph it was the most successful of its day.

Fire!

Not only did London have its Great Fire Newcastle did too!

The Great Fire of Newcastle and Gateshead began around 1 am on 6^th th October 1854. A warehouse on the Gateshead side of the river caught fire. The fire spread to an adjoining chemical store, which exploded spreading the fire across to Newcastle. Many onlookers were killed by the explosion. The fire took 2 days to put out, leaving 53 dead and around 800 families homeless and destitute.

At that time fire cover was available but only to those premises that had paid insurance cover!

It was not until 1885 that the Town council organised and paid for a fire service making fire cover available to all.

Security Uniform of The First Police Officers.

Before the 19th Century there were no police officers, as we know them today. Policing was done by locally based soldiers. Newcastle in the late 18th century had suffered its fair share of lawlessness. Riots took place. Workers who either had suffered poor returns through bad crops or in the case of the Keelmen’s (riverboatmen) riots a very harsh winter protested bitterly.

In the early 19 century a group of around 30 men were appointed to walk the town during the night. In 1836 a Police Force was established. With the world’s first ever formation of an organised River Police being formed as The River Tyne Police in 1845.

Buildings

In the rapidly growing town new buildings were to be seen everywhere. New houses, shops, schools, theatres, river bridges, public houses, markets, arcades and a railway station.

Theatre Royal. Grey Street.

Blackett Street, Eldon Square, Grey’s Street, The Royal and Central Arcades were all built in the late 18th early 19th centuries.

Transport

With the expanding town distances ‘across town’ became greater. As the 19th century drew to a close the whole town was linked by a well set out horse drawn tram network.

The early 20th century saw the horse being replaced by electric trams. Trams which ran from the suburb of Throckley 7 miles West of the Town, to Walker, a suburb in the East of the Town. As well as the introduction of the new electrified coastal railway, which ran from the Town to Tynemouth in the East, through Whitley Bay and in a circular route back to the Town.

Poverty 19^th Century Quayside

Amongst all this boom there was also gloom. The population increased from 28,000 in 1801 to over 215,000 a century later. Many people had moved into the Town to fill the many unskilled manual jobs created in the growing chemical, engineering and railways. As well as the traditional heavy industries more jobs were available in the parallel growth of shops, banks, theatres and other service industries. The Town was not prepared for this mass influx of new inhabitants. Those who could afford to, like the rich merchants, moved either ‘up Town or out of the old Town Walled area. Leaving their once family mansions in areas like the Quayside to absorb many poor families. Several families moved into one large house where they lived in small cramped filthy conditions. Disease was inevitable due to poor food, water and sanitation. It took many acts of Parliament , in the early 20th century to finally improve conditions. New housing estates were eventually built outside the old town. Slowly the cities crowded tenements emptied.

In 1882 Newcastle was awarded City Status. Almost simultaneously families were moved out and new developments took place. Financial and commerce centres grew in Collingwood and Mosley Street. Other premises like the magnificent office accommodation in the Cathedral Buildings in Dean Street were also a tribute to the changing times. Many other City streets were also ‘developing’ evolving from dwellings to office accommodation, those of Grey street and Northumberland Street being of the greatest significance.

Europe at War (World War One)

The early 20th Century saw war looming in Europe. War to Tyneside meant more work…more coal, ships and armaments. War also meant more demand, with fewer men. The factories and shipyards took on women to replace the men. Women were seen in many jobs for the first time including driving the Cities public transport.

Although Newcastle itself did not suffer any direct hits, bombs were dropped 3 miles East of the City Centre. Sightings of German ‘U’ boats were also confirmed in the North Sea off the mouth of the Tyne River. Unfortunately like all towns, cities and villages Newcastle suffered many human casualties.

Europe at Peace (between the Wars)

War caused many changes, reduction in licensed drinking time being one! Demands for war materials had caused a boom in full, well-paid, 24-hour employment.

At the end of the war celebrations were the order of the day. Festivities however were short lived. Although replacement demands continued for a short time by the early 1920’s as the country had replenished its stocks, the demand for ships and armaments suddenly stopped. The demands on heavy industry had dropped by three quarters. Men were inevitably ‘laid-off’ work.

In the coal mines, rather than lay men off, they were given large reductions in pay---the word ‘depression’ was on everyone’s lips! People were starving, living in poor conditions, no pay meant no food. Such was the pressure men and families were under in 1926 the miners went on strike.

Newcastle saw many mass protests the worst being a Police ‘charge’ upon protesters who were force out of the City into the neighbouring Town of Gateshead where they were dispersed.

Even though there were many protests, one of the regions most famous being the Jarrow March, they were driven back to work through lack of money and starvation.

Poverty, prosperity and another War (World War II).

The Nineteen Thirties saw 40,000 men out of work, a housing shortage and many children and adults undernourished. Prosperity was a word not often heard. Local and central government jointly stepped in, in an attempt to provide more jobs and improve housing. Thousands of new houses and flats were built and by the mid to late thirties most were re-housed in ‘council’ owned properties in Benwell, Walker and Fenham.

Industry was brought into the area, road access had recently improved into the city by the construction of the Tyne Bridge, which removed much of the traffic from the Swing Bridge.

Another significant boost to employment was an armaments race. Traditional industries were called on to produce more goods. That meant a return to full employment for most men.

War was declared and the demand for more ships, guns, tanks and other armaments continued. The whole of Tyneside was working to full capacity again.

The horrific effects of war did come to the area on this occasion. It came most nights when sirens were sounded and bombers tried to destroy factories and shipyards. Fortunately with little success, except for direct hits on the Manors Goods Yard, which suffered a direct hit and burned for days.

Post War Peace

Unlike the period following the previous war traditional industries on this occasion continued to prosper and employment remained at a peak. Although such a peak was to be relatively short lived—coal reserves were now beginning to run out and collieries were closing. Cheaper coal could now be imported as could cheaper ships. The demand for ships worldwide also slumped. Unemployment in the region gradually began to rise as the demand for the North East’s traditional industries fell. Central government again stepped in, ordering the building of out of town trading estates, where light industrial factories were built to create jobs for those workers displaced by the closure of heavy industry and coal mines. A balance that was never actually achieved.

Washington and Cramlington new towns were built to accommodate a post war population boom and a desire to live away from the city, with ‘trading estates’ being built nearby.

By the end of the late 20th century, coal mining, shipbuilding and virtually all heavy industry had closed down.

Present, Past and Future…

Newcastle, as can be seen, has had a prosperous, poor and petulant history, during which the population has survived and evolved on several occasions. Most changes have been caused by the need to adapt to the continuously changing situations. In fact on an adaptation or die basis—Newcastle adapted!

Trace these changes through “Newcastle Walking Tours” see how the Town has survived. See how the old has blended with the new, see how abandoned commercial buildings have been turned full circle back into expensive down town apartments and also Banks into Beer houses.

The city will continue to develop as will this web-site. This site will provide further walks and information to update and inform you the visitor.