History of Newcastle

Medieval Newcastle upon Tyne

The city of Newcastle Upon Tyne was founded at the lowest place the Tyne could be easily crossed. In 1080 the Normans built a wooden fort to safeguard the crossing. They also erected a wooden bridge. (The 'new castle' rebuilt in stone in the 12th century). Soon a little town grew up in the shadow of the new castle and was named after it. In the Middle Ages towns often grew up by castles because the garrisons provided a market for the townspeople's goods.

Medieval Newcastle Upon Tyne prospered partly because of the wars between the English and the Scots. There was much traffic through Newcastle and travelers spent money there.

Newcastle Upon Tyne also became a busy port. In the Middle Ages the main export was wool. (Wool was by far England's most important export). Hides, grindstones and lead were also exported. Newcastle also famously exported coal, from the 13th century onward. Much of it was exported to London where it was used in many industries. Imports included alum and luxuries such as spices and wine.

Newcastle also had a shipbuilding industry in the later Middle Ages. The first record of a ship being built there was in 1294, there was also a rope making industry (ropes being essential for sailing ships). There was also a leather industry in Newcastle. There were skinners, tanners, saddlers.

Wool cloth was manufactured in Medieval Newcastle. First it was woven, then is was fulled. In other words it was pounded in a mixture of water and clay to clean and thicken it. Wooden hammers worked by watermills pounded the wool. When it dried the wool was dyed, in Newcastle there were also the same craftsmen you find in any medieval town such as butchers, bakers, brewers and smiths.

In the Middle Ages there were 2 fairs in Newcastle, fairs were like markets but they were held only once a year and they would attract buyers from all over Northumberland and Durham. Furthermore in the late 13th century walls were built around Newcastle - a sign of its growing performance. There were 7 main gates and 19 towers.

The church was very important and powerful in the Middle Ages, there were 4 churches in Newcastle, from the 13th century there were also friars. The friars were like monks but instead of withdrawing from the world they went out to preach. In Medieval Newcastle there were Franciscan friars (known as grey friars because of their grey costumes), Dominican friars, (known as black friars) Carmelite friars (white friars) Trinitarian friars and Austin friars. There was also a Benedictine nunnery in Nun Street. There were also several 'hospitals' run by the church in Newcastle. In them monks cared for the sick and the poor as best they could.

Newcastle Upon Tyne had a mayor as early as 1216. In 1400 it was made a county in its own right separate from the rest of the county. By then Newcastle had a population of around 4,00. It would seem tiny to us but by the standards of the time it was a large town.

Newcastle Upon Tyne in the 16th Century and 17th Century
In 1539 Henry VIII closed the friaries in Newcastle. In 1540 he closed the nunnery. However, Henry also founded a grammer school in Newcastle which was incorporated in 1600.

In the 16th century exports of coal boomed and it overtook wool as the town's main export. It is estimated that in 1500 and about 15,000 tons of coal were exported from Newcastle each year. By the mid 17th century that had soared to around 400,000 tons a year.

By 1600 the population of Newcastle Upon Tyne has risen to about 10,000, By the standards of the time it was a large and important town. In 1635 a writer called Newcastle 'the fairest and richest town in England inferior for wealth and building to no city save London and Bristol'.

In 1642 came civil war between king and parliament. Newcastle sided with the king but in 1644 a parliamentary army laid siege to the town, Newcastle surrendered in October 1644.

In the late 17th century coal exports continues to boom so did the shipbuilding industry in Newcastle. Rope making also flourished. Lime was made in kilns for fertilizer. Salt was made from seawater. The water was heated in pans to evaporate it and leave behind a residue of salt. From the late 17th century there was a glass making industry in Newcastle. By the early 18th century there was also an iron and steel industry, another industry in Newcastle was clay pipe making.

At the end of the 17th century the travel writer Celia Fiennes described Newcastle Upon Tyne as a noble town. She said it resembled London more than any other town in England. The streets were broad and the buildings were tall and made of brick or stone.