Exploring Hadrian’s Way

Around the Town WallsUp to 3 miles / 5km

This 3 mile / 5 km walk roughlytraces the line of the Town Walls,built 800 years ago to protectNewcastle from Scottish raiders.Several fine sections of the Wallsremain intact surrounded bycenturies of later development.

The route can be joined at anypoint and can be followed ineither direction.

Newcastle city centre is wellserved by buses, trains andMetros.

Several parking areas areindicated on the map, althoughcar parking in the central areasis limited.

Contact details:

TravelineTel: 0870 608 2608www.traveline.org.uk

Hadrian's Wall Information LineTel: 01434 322002www.hadrians-wall.org

Newcastle TouristInformation CentreTel: 0191 2778000

To give feedback on these &other strategic routes in andaround Newcastle,please contact:

John Robertson,Newcastle City CouncilPlanning & TransportationTel: 0191 232 8520

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Based upon the 2000 Ordnance Survey mapwith permission of the Controller of H.M.S.O

Crown Copyright Reserved LA 076244

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Newcastle

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MCENTRALSTATION

The Birth of a City

Although no sign of it remainstoday, the Romans established afort where the Castle Keep nowstands called Pons Aelius.

The settlement survived after theRomans departed in the5th century and later becameknown as Monkchester becauseof the settlement of monks.The name Newcastle came intoexistence during Norman timeswhen William the Conqueror’seldest son Robert Curthose builta ‘New Castle’ on the earlier siteof Pons Aelius and the name hasremained ever since.

It wasn’t until the medievalperiod that Newcastle becameestablished as an importantmilitary post against the invadingScots. This allowed safe tradeand the town soon became amajor sea port. A large area ofthe foreshore was laterreclaimed and The Close,Sandgate and the Charesbecame the centre of the town’scommercial activity. Otherindustries developed includingglass and rope making, shipbuilding and most important ofall, the mining and export ofcoal. These local pits wereamong the first in England to be

worked and Newcastle becamethe most important exporter ofcoal to London for manycenturies.

Each wave of development haslargely obliterated what existedbefore, but Newcastle’s historicroots can still be traced today.

The Town WallBuilt in the 13th century toprotect the expanding townfrom cross-border raiders,Newcastle’s Town Wall was animpressive structure. It wasapproximately 3km / 2 mileslong, up to 2m / 7ft thick andapproximately 7.6m / 25ft high.It enclosed the Castle and itsBlack Gate as well as the maincommercial district along thequayside and all the groundnorthwards to St. AndrewsChurch.The town could be enteredthrough seven gateways.Along the wall were seventeentowers and several smallerturrets which acted as lookoutposts.A section of the Wall extendedalong the quayside to protectthe properties of wealthymerchants from waterborneattack.

Designed by Ad Infinitum, Rothbury. Published by Newcastle City Council © 2002

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Main routeAlternative route(walking)Alternative route(avoiding steps& steep slopes)Hadrian’s WaySlopeStepsParkingTourist InformationPublic ArtMetro stationTown Wall remainsRefreshments

•••

A

Around the Town Walls 3 miles / 5km Suggested starting point: Tyne BridgeN

W E

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Scale of map

In the 12th and13th centuries,this was the siteof the St. MaryMagdelene LeperHospital. At thattime leprosy wasendemic and thoseaffected by thedisease lived in aseparate communityoutside the TownWalls.

As the Quayside became busier commercially,the wealthy merchants built houses up the hillaway from the crowds and the dirt. HanoverSquare was one of the areas developed in the18th century, although little remains today of thegrand homes which once stood here.

8

The Chares – narrowmedieval streets – werebuilt on land reclaimedfrom the river. Many weredestroyed in the Great Fireof 1854 but some, such asBroad Chare and TrinityChare, have survived.

1

All Saints Church

2

Based upon the 2000 Ordnance Survey mapwith permission of the Controller of H.M.S.O

Crown Copyright Reserved LA 076244

This leaflet can be used inconjunction with OrdnanceSurvey Explorer Map 316Newcastle Upon Tyne

Built on land reclaimed fromthe river, The Close became thehub of medieval Newcastle.Some of the later 17th centurybuildings have survivedsubsequent redevelopment,notably The Cooperage andBessie Surtees House.

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Quayside QuaysideCivic Centre BlackfriarsCentralStation

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The Castle Keep isthe only survivingpart of the 12thcentury castlewhich was built ina defensiveposition above themedieval bridge.

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Blackfriars was a13th centurymonastery whichwas dissolved byHenry VIII in 1539.It now housescraft workshops,galleries and arestaurant.

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