Newcastle town wall
Newcastle town wall
HER Number
1507
District
Newcastle
Site Name
Newcastle town wall
Place
Newcastle
Map Sheet
NZ26SW
Class
Defence
Site Type: Broad
Town Defences
Site Type: Specific
Town Wall
General Period
MEDIEVAL
Specific Period
Medieval 1066 to 1540
Form of Evidence
Ruined Building
Description
Newcastle was enclosed by defences in piecemeal fashion between perhaps 1265 and the early 15th century (evidence from excavations). At their greatest extent the defences occupied a strip of ground c. 100 feet wide, and consisted of an intra-mural road, a wall (2-3+ metres thick), a ditch (11 metres wide x 5 metres deep) and some open ground. The wall was defended by 6 large gates and one small one, 17 towers and some turrets, and was pierced by several posterns and watergates. Demolition began in c. 1762, and continued into the 20th century. Remains include the curtain wall (with some gaps) between the Close and Forth Street; the curtain with towers (3 gaps) between Westgate Road and Newgate Street; Plummer Tower; Corner Tower & curtain wall to the east; Walknoll Tower. SCHEDULED ANCIENT MONUMENT
Easting
424000
Northing
563000
Grid Reference
NZ424000563000
Sources
<< HER 1507 >> J. Brand, 1789, History of Newcastle, I, 1-19
R.E. Hooppell, 1886, The Town Wall of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in Pandon Dene, Archaeologia Aeliana, 2, XI, 236-9
S. Holmes, 1896, The Walls of Newcastle upon Tyne, Archaeologia Aeliana, 2, XVIII, 1-25
S. Holmes, 1896, The Town Wall of Newcastle, in Gallowgate, Archaeologia Aeliana, 2, XVIII, 109-12
P. Brewis, 1934, The West Walls of Newcastle upon Tyne, between Durham and Ever Towers, Archaeologia Aeliana, 4, XI, 1-20
C. Blair, 1937, The Walls of Newcastle..iluustrated...by George Bouchier Richardson, Archaeologia Aeliana, 4, XIV, 123-28
J. Nolan, et al. 1989, The Medieval Town Defences of Newcastle..Excavation and Survey '86-87, Archaeologia Aeliana, 5, XVII, 29-78
J. Nolan, 1993, The Town Wall...Orchard Street and Croft Street, 1987-89, Archaeologia Aeliana, 5, XXI, 93-149
R. Fraser, 1993, Excavation adjacent to Close Gate, Newcastle, 1988-89
R. Fraser, 1993, Excavation on the site of the Mansion House, Newcastle; Grace McCombie, 2009, Newcastle and Gateshead - Pevsner Architectural Guide, pp 168-9; Barbara Harbottle, 2009, The Medieval Archaeology of Newcastle in Diana Newton and AJ Pollard (eds), 2009, Newcastle and Gateshead before 1700, pages 34-37
R.E. Hooppell, 1886, The Town Wall of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in Pandon Dene, Archaeologia Aeliana, 2, XI, 236-9
S. Holmes, 1896, The Walls of Newcastle upon Tyne, Archaeologia Aeliana, 2, XVIII, 1-25
S. Holmes, 1896, The Town Wall of Newcastle, in Gallowgate, Archaeologia Aeliana, 2, XVIII, 109-12
P. Brewis, 1934, The West Walls of Newcastle upon Tyne, between Durham and Ever Towers, Archaeologia Aeliana, 4, XI, 1-20
C. Blair, 1937, The Walls of Newcastle..iluustrated...by George Bouchier Richardson, Archaeologia Aeliana, 4, XIV, 123-28
J. Nolan, et al. 1989, The Medieval Town Defences of Newcastle..Excavation and Survey '86-87, Archaeologia Aeliana, 5, XVII, 29-78
J. Nolan, 1993, The Town Wall...Orchard Street and Croft Street, 1987-89, Archaeologia Aeliana, 5, XXI, 93-149
R. Fraser, 1993, Excavation adjacent to Close Gate, Newcastle, 1988-89
R. Fraser, 1993, Excavation on the site of the Mansion House, Newcastle; Grace McCombie, 2009, Newcastle and Gateshead - Pevsner Architectural Guide, pp 168-9; Barbara Harbottle, 2009, The Medieval Archaeology of Newcastle in Diana Newton and AJ Pollard (eds), 2009, Newcastle and Gateshead before 1700, pages 34-37