Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne, city and metropolitan borough, metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear, historic county of Northumberland, northeastern England. It lies on the north bank of the River Tyne 8 miles (13 km) from the North Sea.

The settlement dates from the Roman period, when a fort was built on a site close to the present Tyne Bridge. The district and its name derive from a Norman castle built in 1080 by Robert II, the eldest son of William I the Conqueror. In the 12th century the town became important as a fortress settlement because of its key position in the frontier defenses guarding the east coast route from Scotland. In 1172–77 Robert’s castle was replaced by a massive stone keep (still standing) that was used to guard the bridge across the Tyne, and walls were built to enclose a small site northwest of the castle. The protection afforded by the fortress attracted religious and commercial bodies, and the resulting town rapidly expanded. The inhabitants gained municipal freedom and privileges granted in numerous charters, and the town became a thriving commercial centre. The wool trade was especially important, and in 1353 Newcastle became a staple (wool-manufacturing) town. By the late Middle Ages it had a thriving cloth industry. In 1400 King Henry IV created Newcastle upon Tyne as a county corporate (a town with the administrative status of a county).

In the following centuries Newcastle’s growth continued steadily. In the 16th century, locally mined coal destined for the growing London market surpassed wool as the town’s principal export. (London’s dependence on seaborne coal from Newcastle gave rise to the sarcastic phrase “carrying coals to Newcastle,” which conveyed the essence of an unnecessary journey.) By 1800 Newcastle had become an important industrial and financial centre (the first banking houses dating from 1755), with expanding ironworking and glassmaking industries. The River Tyne became a major focus for shipbuilding, and Newcastle’s shipyards were long among the largest ship-repairing centres in the world. Although the latter activity had declined by the late 20th century, the associated marine and heavy engineering industries remain important to Newcastle, which plays an important role in servicing Britain’s offshore oil and gas fields. Coal mining, however, had ceased in Newcastle by the late 20th century. The present economy rests mainly on the city’s function as a major service and financial centre. Newcastle is the commercial hub of the Tyne and Wear metropolitan area and of northeastern England. In 1888 Newcastle was designated a county borough.

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Municipal, commercial, and retail functions are located within the area of the medieval town, between the Tyne and the Town Moor. Outside the town walls, population increase since 1800 resulted in the growth of many middle-class suburbs—Gosforth and Jesmond in the north, Walker and Heaton in the east, Denton and Kenton in the west. The present city and metropolitan borough also embrace several formerly distinct towns. Six principal road and rail bridges link Newcastle with Gateshead on the south bank of the river—the most famous being the Tyne Bridge (1928), part of a major British road link. The rail link between London and Edinburgh also crosses the Tyne at Newcastle (the High Level Bridge, 1844–49). The electrically operated Swing Bridge (1865–76), one of the greatest engineering achievements of its time, is on the site of Roman and medieval bridges. The Cathedral Church of St. Nicholas dates from the 14th century; another church occupied the site in 1123. The Guildhall (rebuilt 1655–58) stands on the Sandhill, the old city centre. The best-preserved portions of the old town walls lie between Westgate Road and Gallowgate, close to the ruins of the medieval Black Friars’ priory.

Newcastle is an important education centre. The University of Newcastle upon Tyne was founded in 1937 as King’s College by the merging of Armstrong College and the College of Medicine, both of which were attached to the University of Durham. The links with the school in Durham remained until 1963, when King’s College was granted a separate charter and became the present university. Further education is also provided by the Municipal College of Technology, Rutherford College of Technology, and a college of education. The Royal Grammar School, founded in the reign of Henry VIII (1509–47), was incorporated in 1600, and Dame Allan’s School was endowed in 1705. Important Roman and other archaeological finds are housed by the Museum of Antiquities (belonging to the university) and the Society of Antiquities. The industrial history of the region is displayed in the Museum of Science and Technology. Collections of several natural history societies are preserved in the Hancock Museum. Both the Laing Art Gallery and Museum and the Hatton Gallery have permanent collections of paintings. Area 44 square miles (113 square km). Pop. (2001) 259,536; (2011) 280,177.