Newcastle town wall, Gunner Tower

HER Number:
1523

District:
Newcastle

Site Name:
Newcastle town wall, Gunner Tower

Place:
Newcastle

Map Sheet:
NZ26SW

Class:
Defence

Site Type: Broad:
Town Defences

Site Type: Specific:
Town Wall

General Period:
Medieval

Specific Period:
C13

Form of Evidence:
Extant Building

Description:
The site of this semi-circular tower, of the usual pattern, still survives rather oddly on the south side of Pink Lane, the intra-mural road. It was not sited at the point where the wall changed direction, perhaps because this would have brought it too close to Pink Tower. In 1821 it was leased to the Company of Slaters and Tylers who converted it into a meeting hall, which is perhaps why it survived the wholesale destruction of the 1840s. After a succession of tenants from c. 1850s the Corporation demolished the tower in 1885. Excavation in 1964 showed that the visible semi-circular wall is a 19th century reconstruction, and that while the founds of the town wall survived the south-west wall of the tower was just damaged fragmentary footings. SCHEDULED ANCIENT MONUMENT AND LISTED GRADE 1

Easting:
2455

Northing:
6393

Grid Reference:
NZ24556393

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 1523 >> J. Brand, 1789, History of Newcastle, I, 10 Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle, 1887, The 'Gunner Tower', Pink Lane... 2, II (for 1885-6), p. 22 S. Holmes, 1896, The Town Walls of Newcastle upon Tyne, Archaeologia Aeliana, 2, XVIII, 13 C.H.H. Blair, 1937, The Walls of Newcastle...illustrated...by George Bouchier Richardson, Archaeologia Aeliana, 4, XIV, pl. xiv.1 T. Wake, 1929, Thomas Bewick: A Centenary Appreciation, Archaeologia Aeliana, 4, VI, 119 B. Harbottle, 1967, An Excavation at the Gunner Tower, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1964, Archaeologia Aeliana, 4, XLV, 123-137