With a traceable History of over 4000 years The North East has seen many visitors, some friendly, some not so friendly...
Early 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, and 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.
The Next Visitors were the Romans...
Pons Aelius
In AD 71 The Romans marched North, defeated the Brigantia and continued into Scotland.
After several set backs in AD.122 they returned. They 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.
At the narrowest ‘bridging point’ on the Easterly end of the wall, where the Swing Bridge now stands in Newcastle, Pons Aelius bridge was built. Aelius being the family name of Hadrian and Pons being the Latin word for bridge .
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
magnificent model at Museum of Antiquities of The University of Newcastle
.
University of Newcastle Museum of Antiquities.
The Romans
The Saxons
Angles Saxons and Christianity.
Apart from raids on the wall in the 4th Century by the Picts and Scots. The next visitors were a German tribe called The Saxons.
The Saxons in AD 367, joined the Picts and Scots and began raiding the whole of the province.
By the beginning of the 5th century the whole Roman Empire was falling and although the Romans did not actually walk out all at once, 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
could not actually decide who should rule 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.
The Saxons
The 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 feuds...
The Vikings
A New Castle a Turbulent Town. In 1066 England had visitors...William took the throne and sent his son North to settle the Scottish.1069-70 William ordered a Castle built where the current one now stands.
In 1167 a 'New-castle' of stone was built!
The Castle
1st Scottish Rule
King David of Scotland ruled Northern England between 1139-1157. In 1157 Henry II regained control and pushed the Scots back to the Tweed River.
Town Status
Henry II gave Newcastle a ‘Charter’, Courts could to sit and judge breaches of it. The New-castle had gained Town status.
Proud Edward’s Army!
In 1296 Scotland revolted. In 1309 King Edward II, (‘Proud Edward’) assembled the English army in Newcastle to march into Scotland. Edward was indecisive and the troops revolted. The march did not take place. In 1314 Edward returned, marched into Scotland and suffered defeat at Bannockburn…the Scottish "Sent him homeward to think again!"
Newcastle County
In 1341 the Town Walls withstood a ‘substantial’ Scottish Army attack. In 1400 County status was granted. Newcastle was rapidly taking shape. Ships were being built on a prosperous River Tyne. Markets had been set up.
Religious Following…
Inside the walls were 4 Churches, 5 Friaries and 1 Nunnery. Blackfriars is now the only one of the 5 left standing.
The Keep of the new castle
A thriving Town!
Disease
In the 16th and early 17th centuries the Plaque struck. 5,000 died as a result.
Coal
In 1600 -the Coal trade from Newcastle was thriving. (17th C) Local land was rich in coal. Records also show large shipments from the river in the 14th Century. The river exported coal almost continuously until the mid 20th Century. Coal brought about prosperity and change.
Change
Changes associated
with industrial wealth began. Settlements grew around the Town, houses were built outside the Town. Inside the walls the Town was changing, Sandhill is an example. Still standing are Bessie Surtees House and The Cooperage. Build at the same time was a new Town Hall, Guildhall and Trinity House. See Quayside Walk.
Walk the historic Quayside
Punishments
In the 17th and 18th centuries, hangings took place on The Town Moor, Westgate, or in the market place in Newgate Street. In August 1640 14 women, plus 1 man for ‘Witchcraft’, 9 Moss Troupers for ‘Robbery’, a man for 'horse stealing' and 2 for coining.
2nd Scottish Occupation
In 1640 during the civil war, Royalist Troops retreated South from Newcastle, the Scottish took the Town. A year later they left. Charles doubled the strength of the Royalist troops based at Newcastle.
Siege
In 1644 (Third Scottish Occupation) Civil War at a peak, Cromwell’s ‘Parliamentary’ troops were advancing, Royal troops at Newcastle went South to fight. The Scottish arrived with over 30,000 men. John Marley the Mayor and The Town with only 1,500 defenders were for 3 months attacked constantly before the walls were eventually breached. The Scots, (Parliamentary Supporters), took the Town …King Charles gave Newcastle its motto ‘Fortiter Defendit Triumphans’.
Royal Prisoner. ‘Civil War’. In 1646 Charles surrendered. He was brought and held at Newcastle by the Scottish. They later sold him to the Parliamentarians for a ‘Kings Ransom’.
Fortiter Defendit Triumphans
(Triumphing by a brave defence).
Great Names on the Tyne
In the 18th century...Newcastle was the greatest industrial city in England if not the World. The area’s notable Families at that time being, Blackett, Anderson, Clayton, Ridley, Grey, Eldon, Armstrong, Parsons, Stephenson, Palmer, and Grainger.
Growth
Growth began in the mid 18th Century. Many of the old buildings were removed. Dean Street (The Lort Burn), which moored boats as far upstream as ‘High Bridge’ was growing rapidly. Merchants moved businesses and dwellings into the new developments in Grainger’s new developments in the Town.
Railways
Steam engine development saw pioneers George and Robert Stephenson develop and build in their Newcastle factory ‘The Rocket’. It was the most successful railway engine of its day.
Fire!
The Great Fire of Newcastle and Gateshead began in Oct.1854 in Gateshead and spread to Newcastle. 53 were killed : 800 families homeless and destitute. 1885 the Town organised a fire service making fire cover available to all.
Security
Newcastle had suffered workers Riots and high crime. Policing was done by soldiers. 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 in Newcastle. With The River Tyne Police being formed in 1845.
Building Development
In the late 18th early 19th century 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 Arcade were all built.
Transport
In the late 19th century the whole town had a horse drawn tram network. The early 20th century saw the horse being replaced by electric trams. Trams which ran from West to East some 7miles. As well as the introduction of the new electrified coastal railway.
Poverty
19th
Century. The population increased from 28,000 in 1801 to over 215,000 a
century later. People moved in to fill jobs. The Town was not prepared for
this mass influx. The rich merchants, moved either ‘up Town, or out of
the old Town Walled area. Leaving family mansions in areas like the
Quayside for poor families. Families moved in into small cramped filthy
conditions. Disease was inevitable due to poor food, water and sanitation.
Parliament, in 20th century finally improved conditions. New housing
estates were built outside the old town.
In 1882 Newcastle was awarded
City Status.
Paddy's Market
Europe at War
(World War One) 1914 War to Tyneside meant more work…more coal, ships and armaments meant more demand. Bombs were dropped 3 miles East of the City Centre. Sightings of German ‘U’ boats were confirmed in the North Sea off the mouth of the Tyne River. Unfortunately like all towns, cities and villages the area suffered many human casualties.
Europe at Peace (between the Wars)
War caused changes especially a boom in full employment. By the early 1920’s replacement demand for ships and armaments suddenly stopped. Men were 'laid-off’, or they were given large reductions in pay. People 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. Even though there were many protests, one of the regions most famous being the Jarrow March, people were driven back to work through lack of money and starvation.
Poverty, prosperity, and World War II.
The Nineteen Thirties saw 40,000 men out of work, a housing shortage and many children and adults undernourished. Local and central government jointly stepped in, 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. Another was an armaments race. Traditional industries produced 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
After the war traditional industries continued to prosper and employment remained at a peak. Coal reserves were beginning to run out and collieries were closing. Cheaper coal could be imported as could cheaper ships. The demand for ships worldwide slumped. Unemployment began to rise as the demand for 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 workers.
Washington and Cramlington new towns were built, 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.
Past-present-Future
The North East, has had a prosperous, poor and petulant history, the population has survived and evolved on several occasions. Most changes have been caused by the need to adapt to a continuously changing situation,
...on an adapt or die basis...
The North East adapted!
Trace these changes through Newcastle Walks, see how the Town and region has survived. See how old blends with new, see how abandoned commercial buildings have been turned full circle back into town apartments, see how Banks have been turned into Beer houses.
The region, it's cities, towns and villages will continue to develop,
NW strives to provide walks and information to update you on the ever changing North East of England...
WWI Tank
Spitfire/Winston Churchill
The Twenty First Century.....to be continued!
