Newcastle town wall, White Friar Tower

This tower was sited at the top of the steep slope above Close Gate, and was probably built in the first half of the 14th century. It was unique among the towers on the Newcastle wall in having an octagonal ground floor beneath a circular second storey, the two separated by "a bold moulding". In the 17th or 18th century a mullion and transom window was inserted in the west wall of the upper room. At one time the masons had their meeting hall in the upper room, the companies of bricklayers and mettors below. In 1776 the tower was leased to Isaac Cookson for 21 years, "with liberty to make a battlement and way from his summer-house to the top of the said tower". He converted it into an icehouse. The tower was demolished 1841-1843/4 by Amor Spoor for the construction of Hanover Street.