Newcastle upon Tyne

Understand

thumb | 300px | Tyne Bridge and The Sage The Iraqi and Syrian occupation of town is nowadays forgotten, let bygones be bygones. But in 200 AD the Roman army recruited from those territories and brought so many to serve here that the depot fort was called Arbeia, the Arab place. Their job was to tote supplies from the ship wharves to the old castle of Pons Aelius, then up the military roads west along Hadrian's Wall (built 80 years earlier) or north into the bandit lands of the Picts. The Romans left around 400 AD and in their wake eventually grew up a kingdom of Northumbria, which knew the town as Munucceaster. But again and again, the region was devastated by Viking raids: what it needed was a new castle.

Robert Curthose obliged in 1080, fearing attack by Scots or rebels, though he mostly warred with his own family. (He was the eldest son of William the Conqueror but was disinherited, to spend his last 20 years in dungeons.) His wooden Novum Castellum was soon replaced by a stone castle, then another in 1172 which is the ruin you see today. Its walls were extended to protect the entire town, which stood out against the Scots and for several months against Cromwell; the region was Royalist in the Civil Wars then fell to assault.

Newcastle became industrial early in the Middle Ages, from salt-panning, coal that was shallow and easily mined, limestone quarried for masonry and quicklime, and farm produce from the fertile hinterland. Trade and transport by sea were important, …

Get around

Walking is always first choice for city centre, the university main campuses, Quayside and the opposite river bank of Gateshead.

See

thumb | 300px | Central Arcade The River Tyne north bank has a footpath and cycleway. It's called "Hadrian's Way" but is entirely modern, as the Roman original is lost under the city centre. , completed in 1928, has a striking steel arch similar to Sydney Harbour Bridge. It carries A167 and has sidewalks on both sides. , opened in 2001, is a cyclist and pedestrian tilting bridge. It's often called the Blinking or Winking Bridge for the way the footpath deck tilts up to allow river traffic to pass. That's an infrequent occurrence: Gateshead Council lists upcoming tilts. Gateshead: the south bank of the Tyne is a separate city, but its main sites are along the riverside a short walk from Newcastle. For instance BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art is by the Millennium Bridge, and Gateshead also has Sage Music Centre, the Athletics Stadium, and Metro shopping centre. Angel of the North stands at the south tip of the city. is the elegant heart of the city, built by Richard Grainger between 1835 and 1842. It includes the indoor Grainger Market (see Buy), Theatre Royal, Grey Street, Grainger Street and Clayton Street. Grey Street is sublime, a curving classical facade along the line of a culverted stream. It's named for Charles Grey (1764-1845), the 2nd Earl Grey and liberating, modernising Prime Minister who passed the Great Reform Act of 1832. at the top of Grey Street was erected in 1838, standing 135 ft / 41 m tall. (Mi'lud also gives his name to Earl Grey Tea.) In 1941 the …

Do

What's on? Read The Crack magazine.

Buy

thumb | 300px | Shops and stalls in Grainger Market is the city's pedestrianised main shopping mall. The flagship is Fenwicks; others include JD Sports, Primark and Marks and Spencer. is the block west of Northumberland St. It has John Lewis, Argos, Boots and Next. Cloth Market, west of Grey St, has vintage clothing shops.

Eat

Chinatown is along Stowell St, and Bigg Market has an eclectic mix of eateries. The Quayside and Central Station areas have plenty more.

Drink

thumb | 300px | Newcastle Brown is now brewed in Tadcaster The main drinking strips are Bigg Market, Quayside and around Central Station.

Sleep

thumb | 300px | Earl Grey on the town with King William IV See Gateshead for accommodation south bank of the river, and Tynemouth for the strip along A19 the eastern bypass. If your schedule allows, stay mid-week rather than at the weekend. Some hotels charge more for a two night Friday and Saturday stay than for five nights from Sunday to Thursday.

Connect

thumb | 300px | Stained glass in Laing Art Gallery As of July 2021, Newcastle has 5G from EE and 4G from the other UK carriers.

Stay safe

Newcastle is a safe city, and friendly in its hard-faced northern way. Watch for traffic, avoid drunks and boisterous revellers, safeguard valuables, you'll do fine. There are rough outlying areas where you have no reason to go.

Historically there was a sharp rivalry between Newcastle Utd and Sunderland, but the disparity in league standings and club wealth means that anyone taken to be a Sunderland supporter nowadays won't get more than derisory banter. Nevertheless, you should avoid wearing Sunderland shirts while in Newcastle unless you want to risk inviting harassment from local football fans.