Shieldfield fort

HER Number:
285

District:
Newcastle

Site Name:
Shieldfield fort

Place:
Shieldfield

Map Sheet:
NZ26SE

Class:
Defence

Site Type: Broad:
Fort

Site Type: Specific:
Artillery Fort

General Period:
Post Medieval

Specific Period:
C17

Form of Evidence:
Documentary Evidence

Description:
The fort was certainly in existence early in 1644 and probably built after 1639. A contemporary description of "Sheiffield Fort" describes it as square in plan, standing to a moderate height with a four-cornered Bastion at every angle and a wooden drawbridge at its entrance. In February 1644 it fell to the Scots and in the autumn of that year was heavily damaged, subsequently repaired in 1648. It was still visible in late 19th century between Christ Church Shieldfield and Ridley Villas, at which time is was said to measure 67 yards x 67 yards.

Easting:
2555

Northing:
6485

Grid Reference:
NZ25556485

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 285 >> C.S. Terry, 1889, The Scottish Campaign in Northumberland and Durham...1644, Archaeologia Aeliana, 2, XXI, pp. 159-60 C.S. Terry, 1889, The Siege of Newcastle-upon-Tyne by the Scots in 1644, Archaeologia Aeliana, 2, XXI, pp. 207, 212 Common Council Books, 1648, Shieldfield Fort, 589/5 (1650-9), p. 113 - Tyne and Wear Archive Services T. Oliver, 1830, Newcastle upon Tyne R.J. Charleton, (date unknown) Newcastle, pp. 56, 371 M. Ellison & B. Harbottle, 1983, The Excavation of a 17th-Century Bastion in the Castle of Newcastle, Archaeologia Aeliana, 5, XI, 138-9 J. Brand, 1789, Newcastle upon Tyne, I, 442 and n. A. Morgan, 1995, Bygone Shieldfield Tyne and Wear Museums, 2004, Ridley Villas, New Bridge Street, Newcastle - Archaeological Assessment; The Archaeological Practice Ltd. 2014, 95-113 New Bridge Street, Newcastle upon Tyne - Archaeological Evaluation, NPA Ltd., 2010, Back New Bridge Street, Newcastle upon Tyne - Archaeological Evaluation