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Hvis du er Norsk behage falle i staver her over for en oversettelse av denne side
Monument Walk
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ften referred to as the centre of the City the whole area is affectionately know as ‘The Monument’. This grade I listed building is described as a Roman Doric Column, of millstone grit, and is a popular meeting place. People arrive on buses, which stop at nearby Old Eldon Square, on foot and from trains; beneath the ground is a major junction of the Metro Rapid Transit System. (See Metro Trail)
All of the older buildings you now see around you were designed by Richard Grainger. His creative designs can be seen all around this part of the City, indicated on street names as ‘Grainger Town’.
Looking around you, you cannot fail to notice and admire the 135 foot tower with Earl Grey standing on top, overlooking the City. Built two centuries ago by public subscription, the inscription on the base outlines his achievements. Grey stands 13 feet high above a viewing platform open to the public (see below)—if you can climb the 160 plus steps to the top!
In 1941 nature did not acknowledge his greatness when a lightening bolt knocked his head off causing it to fall into the street below! It has since been restored.
Open to the public who may feel fit enough to ascend the tower, 10am-4pm Fri.
10am-1pm Sat. Sun. Mon, bookings only on 0191 2778011.
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eaving the monument and slowly descending Grey Street stop and admire what you see in front of you, a street that has been called the ‘Greatest Street in the Kingdom’. The street and the land on which you stand were once a deep valley in which ran the Lort Burn. The burn, now piped underground, still runs into the Tyne River.
On your left you will see Waterstones bookshop (www.waterstones.co.uk) where events and writers can often be found in store. In this area were once the workshops of Joseph Swan, born Sunderland in 1813, the inventor of the first electric light bulb. (Disputed with T.Eddison)
A plaque can be seen later in the walk, on the wall outside Carliol House commemorating his achievements.
Walking down the street on the left side you will see the bank buildings of Lloyds/TSB. In 1580 there stood here a Franciscan Priory. In 1646, at the end of the Civil War, the building on the site housed a Royal prisoner…Charles I. He was prisoner of a Scottish Army. An army supporting Cromwell’s Parliamentary sympathies, that had in 1644, after a Siege, captured the Town.
Many times the King and his children were seen walking in the area through the green fields of Carliol Croft out toward the City Walls and Plumber Tower which is still standing.
In 1782 the Anderson family bought the buildings and there stood their a magnificent mansion.
The current building, of sandstone, was initially designed, by Grainger, as a Court House. Soon after being built it was converted into a mansion house, then the bank you now see.
Looking across the street you will more of Grainger’s buildings. The whole block called the Exchange Buildings, with the Nat. West Bank proudly on the corner, is where this walk later ends.
Stand now for a moment on the corner of Grey’s and Market Street and you will see in front of you the magnificent portico of the Theatre Royal, described more fully in another walk.
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urn left and walk along Market Street to its junction with Pilgrim Street. There you will see the cities central Police and Fire Stations. Built in 1931 of Portland Stone they still command character and grandeur and are fully operational.
On the opposite corner is ‘Carliol’ house. Standing on what once were the green fields of Carliol Croft, named by the affluent family who in the 13 Century owned all the land and property in this area.
Cross over to The Police Station main entrance and continue along Market Street East. You will not be out of place taking a photo opportunity at this time. At this point several times a week coaches drop off and pick up many visitors from Scandanavia. Whilst waiting to be collected they are often seen being photographed with friendly British Bobbies as they pass in and out of the Police Station located in Market Street.
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ontinue along Market Street East over Carliol Street and on to Croft Street.
A short way down Croft Street, where the city wall once stood (see Brief History), you will find ‘Plumber or Cutler’s Tower’. Built in the late 13 century as a look out Tower, it was situated at the far north eastern corner of the city wall (see Wall Walks).
Nowadays the Tower as you will see is surrounded not by enemies attacking the City but by bland 2oth century concrete structures, which will probably be demolished while the tower will still be standing!
In its later years it was used as a Cutler’s Hall and finally a school. It is open to the public on certain occasions.????????????????
Carliol Square
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alk down Croft Street into Carliol Square. You are now standing at what was once the easterly part of the City wall and Carliol Croft. It’s hard to imagine, that at this point, to your East, in 1644 part of a massive Scottish Army of over 30,000 had laid siege on the City and was constantly bombarding the walls with cannon fire. Also imagine on one of his walks how the King must have gazed at the hills of Gateshead in front of him. How he would have seen the masts of the sailing ships anchored in the river below. Wondering if he should run down Croft Stairs in front of him and seek out sympathisers who would have taken him to France to meet his estranged wife…he did try but his attempts were foiled!
As you turn back to walk up Croft Street, there stood, in the 18th Century, on your left the Great Prison of Newcastle and Gateshead, known as The Bride-Well or House of Correction!
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ow walk back onto Market Street East and cross the road toward Gallagher’s pub, famed for it’s fine Ales and Music.
Looking through the archway as you crossed the road, you may have noticed the Central Motorway, beyond that stands Shieldfield. Where once stood a great fort built during the civil war to defend the area. It was named after the field in which King Edward’s English armies were mustered before they went into battle with the Scots, (see brief History). Finally famous as an area where the King was allowed to play golf during his imprisonment.
Laing Art Gallery
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alking along New Bridge Street West back towards the city centre you will see on your right the large domed building of the Laing Art Gallery. The building lies just outside the line of the old wall. The Gallery with its modern new front entrance and magnificent blue tiled pavements, was built in 1904, as a gift to the city by the Laing family who were brewers.
It is open daily between 10am-6pm and on Sunday between 2pm-5pm. It is host to many award winning paintings of fine and applied art. On regular occasions guest speakers give talks on social and educational issues. It also houses an excellent café and toilet facilities.
Almost opposite the Gallery you will see the site where the original ‘Lying In Hospital’ was built for poor pregnant married women in Rosemary Lane in 1760.
The new hospital, which you now see was built in 1825/6 on the site.
In later years the building was used as the Headquarters of the local BBC television company.
Carliol / Weaver’s Tower
At the road crossing in front of you (New Bridge St. and John Dobson St) once stood The Carliol or Weaver’s Tower. You are now in the area where the Carliol family once lived.
The Tower at the site at which you are now was situated at the far North –Eastern corner of the City Wall. During the Siege of Newcastle in 1644 it was near to this point that the wall was finally breached. Allowing the marauding Scottish Army to take over the Town.
In the early 17th Century was the meeting place for a society of Weavers. They discovered during refurbishments a Canon Ball lodged Two and a Half feet deep in the wall. A solemn reminder of the siege!
In 1880 the tower was demolished to allow the ‘New Bridge Street’ access to the new bridge over the Ouseburn and to allow the building of a new Public Library.
A fated site it must be, as the library was demolished in 1968 to allow the dual carrigeway which stands before you to be built.
Library
Now cross over John Dobson Street and follow it up to the side entrance of the new Central City Library built in 1970. Stop and take a break, take the lift to one of the many floors. Apart from being able to rest and use the facilities, this modern library has what you would expect, informational facilities for the whole area and an excellent selection of books. It also has on sale many local and historic books on Tyneside over the centuries. As well as a local history reference section with a whole area dedicated to tracing your local family tree and very helpful staff!
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eaving the library by its main entrance turn right and walk through the archway which leads onto Saville Row.Turn left onto Saville Row. This exit / entrance to the library is currently under reconstruction. You may have to leave via the side entrance. If this is so turn left on leaving and walk across……street until you reach Saville Row. Turn left onto Saville Row.
Saville Row, once a street of Georgian houses was named in 1780 after Colonel Sir George Saville who in 1776-1777 remained in the city with his west Yorkshire Malitia. He was so popular they named a street after him!
Northumberland Street.
You have now entered one of the cities main pedestrian shopping areas. At the end of Saville Row you will find Northumberland Street. It’s easily recognisable by the atmosphere created by the hundreds of people walking in all directions going about their daily lives and popping in and out of the High Street Megastores.
Stop. Before you enter the 21st century shopping arena and look out from Saville Row across Northumberland Street. Looking above the first floor level you will see beautifully carved figures of famous Newcastle men,
Harry Hotspur (Earl of Northumberland’s Son)
Defended the City against the Scots and defended England against the Scots at the Battle of Otterburn.
Roger Thornton, a pedlar who rose to be the first mayor of the new county Town of Newcastle.
Thomas Bewick, famous for wood carving’s.
John Marley, strong Loyalist Mayor of the town, famous for his resilience during the ‘seige’ of the town.
Now turn right and walk up the street, the first shop you may wish to call into may be ‘Superdrug’ should you be thirsty take away reasonably priced light refreshments are available. Should you wish for more ‘Fenwick’s Department store down the street to your right has a vast take-out foodstore, excellent restaurants and cafes.
The shops in the High Street sell themselves, as you will see as you walk on. On your left you will see one of the biggest ‘Marks and Spencer’ stores in the UK. Housing a restaurant, bureau de change, vast clothing, houseware departments and a foodstore.
Whether you visit the store or not make sure you make a note of the entrance to Eldon Square Mall as the walk continues through the entrance and into the mall.
Eldon Square Mall
Follow the Mall as it winds its way to ????? and enjoy some of the 21st century side of the city. When you reach the ‘T’ junction in the mall ????? turn left and walk down ?????. On reaching ‘Blackett Bridge’ stop and look out over Old Eldon Square and Blackett Street with Grey’s Monument watching out over the whole area.
Continue your journey straight on toward ?????? where you are now looking for a large ‘Green’ sign above the walkway which says ‘Greenmarket’.
This is your exit to the Mall, however you may wish to take a few more steps to have fun browsing in the Shop called, ’Everything’s a Pound!’ Find your bargain and return to the exit.
Entering the area and descending the escalator you will see around you small shops almost market stalls. This area was once a covered in thriving wholesale fruit, vegetable and fish market. However the whole site was demolished to make way for the modern building you are in now. The fish market is represented at the north end of the building but the others are now fully represented in the Grainger Market.
Grainger Market
After you perhaps have browsed through this area, leave by the doors at the base of the escalator.
You are now in Clayton Street. Walk straight over to the entrance in front of you. Now step back in time and take in the atmosphere of a Mall designed by Dobson. Built
in 1835 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery followed by a ‘flesh market’ which when relatively new was demolished to make way for Grainger’s developments.
On opening many of the upper class quayside traders (see brief history) moved into the market, making it (at that time) the largest covered in meat and vegetable market in the country.
Today you will feel as if you have stepped back in time as traders in the time honoured tradition shout out the cost of their wares, telling you how good and how cheap they are!
[Before you actually venture into the market remember there are several exits, so give yourself a ‘landmark!’ The aisle by which you entered is the aisle by which you leave.
If you continued walking without deviating from this aisle you would walk straight through the market and out onto the junction with Grainger and Market Street.
This is where you must leave to eventually continue the walk!]
Although the majority are still meat and fruit stalls there are jewellers, music stalls, hardware stalls, cafes, ice cream stalls, a pet shop, clothes shops, a bakery, a public weigh-room, sweet shops, card shops and a great variety of others. Most famous of all is possibly the Marks and Spencer’s famous ‘penny bazaar’.
Leave the market and walk out onto Grainger Street turning left toward ‘The Monument’, you will see on your right The Exchange Buildings.
The Exchange Buildings
You are now looking for the entrance to ‘The Central Arcade,’ which you should find next to the Tourist Information Centre.
Modelled On the lines of a Corinthian Temple the whole block of buildings which stand in front of you were built in 1840 to Grainger’s specifications. Originally built as a Corn Market and offered free to the City by Grainger, they were built of sandstone. Notice the beautiful lead covered dome on the corners of the block and the now priceless Welsh Slate roof.
Although built as a corn market the block became many things; news rooms, reading rooms, a picture gallery and a concert hall.
Unfortunately almost all of the interior was destroyed by fire at the turn of the 18-19th century. Soon afterwards it was refurbished and the Central Arcade as you now see it was built.
Walk into the Arcade, browse the shops, admire the beautiful glass roof and Terrazzo Floor.
Leave by the exit to your left as you entered and you have completed the walk.
Thank you for sharing in one of Newcastle Walking Tours…we hope you have enjoyed the experience and will partake in another soon.
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