Bigg Market (Beremarket)

HER Number

6497

District

Newcastle

Site Name

Bigg Market (Beremarket)

Place

Newcastle

Map Sheet

NZ26SW

Class

Commercial

Site Type: Broad

Market

Site Type: Specific

Market

General Period

MEDIEVAL

Specific Period

Medieval 1066 to 1540

Form of Evidence

Structure

Description

All medieval towns had specialised market areas. This street was named after an ancient market which sold bigg (barley), oats and other cereals. There are references to temporary market booths from the mid 13th century. It was called Beremarket at first and from 1525 Bigg Market.

Easting

424790

Northing

564140

Grid Reference

NZ424790564140

Sources

N. Pevsner and I. Richmond, second edition revised by G. McCombie, P. Ryder and H. Welfare, 1992, The Buildings of England: Northumberland (second edition); D. Lovie, 1997, The Buildings of Grainger Town; I. Ayris, 1997, A City of Palaces; W. Gray, 1649, Choragraphia, p16, 18-19; H. Bourne, 1736, The History of Newcastle upon Tyne, p 55; W.H.D Longstaffe, 1857, Local Muniments, Archaeologia Aeliana, Series 2, Vol 1, pp 23-44; Malcolm L Scaife, 1974, Newcastle Old and New