NewcastleGateshead WALKING GUIDE

WALKING GUIDENewcastleGateshead

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Published by NewcastleGatesheadInitiative, 4th Floor, Central SquareSouth, Orchard Street, Newcastle NE1 3AZT: +44 (0)191 243 8800F: +44 (0)191 222 1282E: [email protected]

Welcome to the first NewcastleGateshead Walking Guide. This guide is perfect for visitorsto NewcastleGateshead as you can explore the city on foot taking in the best sights,attractions, buildings and monuments. It’s also great for locals, who want to discovermore about the place where they live.

Each of the seven walks are easy to follow: there’s a map to help guide you around the route, a description and some interesting facts and historicalinformation about the locations you will see along the way.

The walks start and end at a Metro station, so they are always easy to get to and find. See page 22 for information on the best Metro tickets to buy and also sources of further informationon NewcastleGateshead.

GRAINGER TOWN (I) 4

GRAINGER TOWN (2) 6

NEWCASTLE CENTRAL STATION 8

CASTLE & QUAYS 12

UNIVERSITY QUARTER 14

JESMOND 16

GATESHEAD 18

THE OUSEBURN VALLEY 20

FURTHER INFORMATION 22

NewcastleGateshead’s world-class festivalsand events programme is funded by:

CONTENTS

5

Starting point: Monument Metro station/ Grey Street

Length of walk: 1.5 - 2 hours

When it comes to grandiose views, EarlGrey - former Northumberland MP andPrime Minister - has got it spot on. He'sthe fellow perched atop 1. Grey'sMonument, casting his gaze down thestreet which he gave his name to. GreyStreet (voted the most beautiful in thecountry by the listeners of Radio 4 andthe Commission for Architecture and theBuilt Environment CABE) is indeed amagnificent sight and the work ofvisionary property developer RichardGrainger (B.1797). Starting in 1834,Grainger set about transformingNewcastle, with his classically designedstreets all part of his “City of Palaces”blueprint. Grey’s Monument itself isregarded by many as the centre ofmodern Newcastle and was erected in1838 to commemorate Earl Grey'sachievements in passing the GreatReform Bill of 1832. Behind the Earl is Blackett Street and the

Emerson Chambersbuilding, a fineexample of the ArtNouveau style. If youcut down betweenthis building and theNewcastle Unitedclubshop (a blackand white scarf isoptional at this

stage), you'll discover 2. BrunswickMethodist Chapel, one of theearliest of its type in North East England.Back onto Blackett Street, turn right, andcontinue along and you'll find 3. OldEldon Square on your right. Thishouses the city’s war memorial: a bronzestatue of St. George - the patron saint ofthe Northumberland Fusiliers - slaying adragon. Continue along Blackett street,and under the bridge, and you'll see 4. St. Andrew's Church, onNewgate Street. Structurally the buildingcontains more 12th century work thanany other in the area making it “theoldest church of this town” and to therear of it you can see a short stretch ofthe medieval town wall (more of which,later).

Continue along Newgate Street and youcannot miss the arresting façade of the

5. Co-op building (which originallyhoused the Co-operative Wholesalemovement), a great example of the ArtDeco style, popular in the 1920s and1930s. Pop into the North or South towerand take a look at the stairwells with thelittle human figures carrying thehandrails, another superb Art Decotouch. Adjoining the Co-op is 6. The Gate, home to a plethora ofswish bars and restaurants. You’ll noticethe glass and steel sculpture ‘EllipsisEclipses’ by Danny Lane on the corneroutside. Between The Gate and TigerTiger (opposite), head down beneath theglass pedestrian bridge (it has The Gatewritten on it) and turn right ontoDispensary Lane which will bring you to7. Blackfriars and a real step back intime. The first thing you'll notice is thenoise. There is none. This little haven isone of Newcastle's hidden gems and,befitting the quiet air, was once home toDominican friars who arrived here in1239. The church that was once here wasdestroyed during Henry VIII's Dissolutionof the Monasteries, but its outline is stillvisible today. The building the friars usedas their eating area is now an award-winning bistro/restaurant, Blackfriars,which also has tables outside on thegreenery, so you can grab a bite to eat inthe tranquil air of this delightful square. Alternatively bringyour own sandwiches for a picnic.

Following through a little archwaytowards the top end of Blackfriars(straight ahead from where you enteredit), takes you onto Stowell Street, hometo Newcastle's Chinatown. You'll begreeted by a wonderful array of aromasinforming you that you've reached thebest Chinese restaurants in town! Turnleft and at the end of Stowell streetyou'll see the West Walls, the longestsection of the original town walls - builtbetween 1280-1283 to protect the city -still surviving today. Following the walldown the slope will lead you ontoWestgate Road, where you'll see 8. The Journal Tyne Theatre(opened in 1867), one of the mostimportant theatres in the country,housing its original 19th century stage machinery. Continue down Westgate Road, overClayton Street, and you'll reach the 9. Newcastle Arts Centre on the

right hand side. Inthe open courtyardof the centre are theremains of a cornerof a Romanmilecastle. The ArtsCentre is also agreat place to pickup a gift and housesa gallery and apotter’s studio.Continue down theroad to see thegraceful 10. AssemblyRooms (built in1774) on the left, anda little further,11. St. John's Church on thecorner of Grainger Street. Inside thechurch are a range of interestingfeatures including a commemoration toRichard Grainger himself. Also paycareful attention to the woodenchoirstalls in the north aisle and see ifyou can spot the little wooden micewhich were carved by the Yorkshirecraftsman Robert “mousey” Thompson,who developed that particular trademarkas an indication that he and his fellowcraftsmen were “as poor as churchmice”.

Back out and onto Grainger Street and again, your chance to take in themagnificence of Grainger Town’sbuildings as you head back towardsGrey's Monument. Along the way, be sureto stop off at the 12. GraingerMarket, the covered market on yourleft hand side. Thought to be designedby John Dobson - who worked closelywith Grainger - the market containsmany shops which have been in thesame family for generations, and is stillhome to one of the original Marks andSpencer's Penny Bazaars (built in 1895,with its shop front being the smallest,and oldest, still surviving today.)

Finally, just before Grey's Monument and Monument Metro station, you'll see the beautifully tiled Edwardian 13. Central Arcade (1906) on yourright hand side. This is another ofGrainger's creations and the perfect wayto end your stroll through Newcastle's“golden heart”.

Wooden mice, Dominican friars, Marks & Spencer's Penny Bazaar, and an Earl.

4 | WALKING GUIDE www.NewcastleGateshead.com

GRAINGER TOWN (1)

Central Arcade

Blackfriars

Grey’s Monument

GRAINGER TOWN (I)


GRAINGER TOWN (2)GRAINGER TOWN (2)

Starting point:Monument Metro station / Grey Street


Many have fallen in love with Grey Street,none more so than the former poetlaureate, Sir John Betjeman, who oncecommented: “I shall never forget seeingit to perfection, traffic-less on a mistySunday morning. Not even Regent Street,even old Regent Street, London, cancompare with that subtle descendingcurve.” The street is the jewel in thecrown of Grainger Town, a clearly definedconservation area in the middle ofNewcastle, which was the brainchild ofproperty developer, Richard Grainger,who began his re-modelling of Newcastleback in 1834. Walk down the street and you'll sooncome to the impressive front entrance tothe 1. Theatre Royal, which wasopened in 1837. This beautiful Grade I listed building was massivelyrenovated in 1986 and is now the thirdhome to the Royal Shakespeare Company(after London and Stratford upon Avon).

Return up thehill and pastWaterstone’sbookshop onyour right, andhead down thealley which willtake you to the 2. TynesideCinema, one

of the few independent cinemasremaining in England. It still boasts adelightful 1930s Art Deco auditorium.Intermezzo, the café bar underneath is aperfect refreshment stop - serving thebest Italian coffee in the city. Turn left atthe end of the alley and you'll come to 3. Northern Goldsmiths on thecorner. Look up and you'll see thebeautiful golden lady representing Venusatop an ornate clock. She'll always giveyou the time of day. Cross now intoNorthumberland Street, Newcastle's mainshopping area. Head past Fenwick’s onyour left and above the Zara clothes shopyou'll notice 4. four stone figuresgazing down on the shoppers. Thebuilding was once owned by Boots theChemist, who had a habit of decoratingtheir buildings with local historic figures.These are: Thomas Bewick (the 18thcentury wood engraver - more of which

later); Harry Hotspur (14th centurysoldier and son of the first Earl ofNorthumberland); Sir John Marlay(Newcastle's Mayor during the Civil Warperiod); and Roger Thornton(Newcastle's 15th century “DickWhittington”). Head back downNorthumberland Street and turn left atVision Express to see the 5. LaingArt Gallery straight ahead.The Laing celebrated its 100thanniversary in 2004. When you'veavailed yourself of the gallery'swonderful collection and emerge fromthe glass fronted entrance/exit, you'llfind the next attraction beneath yourfeet. This is the 6. Blue Carpet, atiled area completed in 2002 by artist,Thomas Heatherwick and winner ofseveral arts' awards.Leave Blue Carpet Square (with thegallery on your right hand side) and turnleft, head towards the next junction andturn right onto Market Street. Walk alonghere and turn left onto Pilgrim Streetwhich will bring you to the narrowopening of High Bridge, one of the oldeststreets in Newcastle, and home to somelovely boutiques and independentretailers. Heading down this street(crossing over Grey Street whichintersects it) you'll arrive at the 7. BiggMarket. This is where medievalNewcastle citizens once sold and boughta type of barley known as “bigg”.Towards the top end of this paved area(up the hill) you'll see the 8. Rutherford Memorial, possiblythe most ironic monument in Newcastle.It commemorates John HunterRutherford, a Scottish doctor andeducational reformer of the mid 1800s,and a strong advocate of temperance.Today the area is the playground foryoung revellers, drawn by the sheerweight of pubs, and the inscription onthe monument - “water is best” - isunlikely to challenge their belief that“Barcadi Breezer is best”. Look abovePop World pub and you can see the smallwhite crescent moons which are areminder of its past as an old coachinginn. Other notable features of the areainclude the wonderful tiling of theBeehive pub (spot the bees!); The OldGeorge pub (walk down the alley andnotice the building opposite which wasonce a stable. The pub has been inexistence since 1690); and Balmbras (nowa brash 80s fun pub, but in the 19th

century, where the Geordie anthem, “TheBlaydon Races”, was first sung). OppositeHigh Bridge, and a little uphill, headdown Pudding Chare until you reach the9. Revolution bar (the grandinterior reflecting its former history as abank) on the corner. Continue alongCollingwood Street and you'll come to10. St. Nicholas' Cathedral. Theelegant Lantern Tower (1448) isparticularly ornate and the cathedral'scrowning glory. Inside there are a host ofinteresting features (guidebooks areavailable). On leaving the cathedral, turnleft and left again (past the oldchurchyard) and you'll arrive at a pavedarea. Look at the doorway opposite andyou'll notice a 11. Fanged Hare, or, asits more popularly known, the VampireRabbit! One of the more striking sights intown, no-one knows for sure why it isactually there. Answers on a postcardplease... In the south corner of thisenclosed area is a bust of 18th centurylocal artist and wood engraver, 12. Thomas Bewick. Bewick was apioneer of wood engraving, and hisworkshop once stood on this site.Now, head down the flight of stairs ontoDean Street, turn left and head up thehill. Once over the junction, you're backonto Grey Street and time, once again, toenjoy your wonderful surroundings asyou stroll up Grainger's masterpiece,back to Grey's Monument and MonumentMetro station.

John Betjeman sings praise, a Blue Carpet, The Blaydon Races, and the Vampire Rabbit.

Theatre Royal

Blue Carpet

Vampire Rabbit

6 | WALKING GUIDE


NEWCASTLE CENTRAL STATIONNEWCASTLE CENTRAL STATION

Starting point: Central Station Metro,Neville Street

Length of walk: 1 - 1.5 hours

North East England has a strongconnection with railways and it'sappropriate that this walk begins at oneof the city's most striking buildings, 1. Newcastle Central Station.From the entrance to the Metro stationon Neville Street walk towards the hugearches of the station. Designed by JohnDobson, it is regarded as one of the mostimportant train sheds in the country, andit dominates this area of town.

You'll find the entrance beneath thearched area, over the traffic lightsopposite O'Neills pub. It's well worthhaving a look inside the station towitness first hand the magnificence ofthis Grade I listed building. Turning left atthe entrance which led into the station,you'll notice a bar/bistro, 2. The Centurion. This place wasoriginally where first class passengersused to rest their bustles and the bar

area exudeselegance. In1893 the railwaycompanydecorated theroom withspeciallycommissioned,hand-madeBurmantoft

tiles, which were very expensive and notusually used in public buildings. However- in a move which would have had thoseelegant Victorians spluttering into theirEarl Grey - this wonderful décordisappeared from view when the BritishTransport Police moved into the buildingand painted over the tiles with a garishshade of red. The room is now restored toits original splendour, and has a beautifulinterior.

Pass through Centurion onto NevilleStreet and turn left, past the entrance toNewcastle Central Station, and walkstraight ahead until you reach 3. Centre for Life, which opens outinto Times Square. The Centre for Life is actually the UK's first biotechnologyvillage and is well worth paying a visit,if you're interested to discover just howtruly amazing life is! Here you can meet

your 4 billion year old family, find outwhat makes you unique, test yourbrainpower and enjoy the thrill of themotion simulator ride. Also worthy ofattention in the Square itself, is a singlestone building which was once themarket manager's office (this area usedto house a bustling market).

Turn left out of the Square (from the wayyou came in) and in the distance you'llspot a large red brick building, toppedwith some green domes. This is the 4. Discovery Museum and wellworth a visit. Its pride and joy is surelyTurbinia, a boat constructed by SirCharles Parsons, which, in 1897, becamethe fastest vessel on the seas.

After your visit, turn left down St. James'Boulevard and then turn right ontoWestgate Road, down past the5. Journal Tyne Theatre, and atthe junction with Clayton Street West,turn right towards 6. St. Mary'sCathedral. Six different architectsworked on the church including, between1842-44, Augustus Welby Pugin who alsoworked on the design for the Houses ofParliament in London. Around the otherside of the building you'll see the statueof Cardinal George “Basil” Hume, formerleader of the English Roman Catholiccommunity, and devoted NewcastleUnited fan! Cardinal Hume is shownwearing his Benedictine monk’s habit.

Walk down past Newcastle CentralStation once again, and you'll come toanother sculpture of one of the region'sfavourite sons, the railway pioneer,George Stephenson (1781-1848). Thedesign improvements and engineeringskills which he introduced proved thatsteam locomotives could transport bothgoods and passengers economically andefficiently. On the other side of thestreet you'll see the 7. Literary andPhilosophical Society. Opened in1822, one of its claims to fame is that ithoused the first public room in the worldto be lit by the electric light when SirJoseph Swan demonstrated his newincandescent light bulb. Next to it isNeville Hall which was built as the officesand library for the North of EnglandInstitute of Mining and MechanicalEngineers.

Around the corner from Neville Hall,follow Orchard Street under the tunnel,to emerge opposite the Telegraph pub.Close by is a section of the 8. Medieval town wall, builtbetween 1311-1333. For the best view, walkalong the path at the foot of the walland go back to the Telegraph. Continuedown the street to get to ClaveringPlace. 9. Clavering House was builtin the 1780s, and hints at what was oncea very fashionable corner of Newcastle,before the railways arrived. Follow thestreet as it curves around into HanoverSquare and Hanover Street. Thisstreetscape (as it continues down thebank) hasn't altered much since the mid-19th century, when the bondedwarehouses were built. Check out the“stone tramway” built into the cobbleswhich once provided a smooth surfacefor horse drawn carts.

Near the top of this bank, a short flightof steps leads to Whitefriars Place. You'llsee on your left the award-winning officedevelopments of Central Square Southand 10. Central Square. Head forthe narrow space between them to see“Reaching For The Stars” a striking pieceof art by Kenneth Armitage. Down theend of this lane is South Street andopposite is the brick building which oncehoused the world's first locomotivefactory (established by RobertStephenson, son of George). At thebottom of South Street turn right andyou can't miss the massive sculpture,“Vulcan”, by Sir Eduardo Paolozzi, areminder of Tyneside's industrial pastand a symbol of the region's strength ofspirit. Turning through the tunnel andturning left, will bring you back to thestart of your walk.

The world’s fastest sea-faring vessel, a Cardinal, the development of the railways and a “Vulcan”.

Discovery Museum

Centurion

City Walls

8 | WALKING GUIDE


CASTLE & QUAYSCASTLE & QUAYS

Starting point:Castle Keep steps, off Collingwood Street


What better way to start a walk ofNewcastleGateshead than to begin at thespot which gave Newcastle its name. In1080, Robert Curthose, son of William theConqueror, was ordered to build a 1. “new castle” on the high groundoverlooking a crossing point on the RiverTyne. This new castle was a royal castleand was often home to the early Normankings - somewhere they could hold court,sit in judgement and entertain. The Keepwas the principal stronghold of whatwould have been a much larger castlecomplex than survives today. If you climbto the top of the battlements you will berewarded by a bird’s eye view of the city.Turning left from the bottom of the Keepstairs you will see 2. Moot Hall (1812).“Moot” is an old English term meaning ameeting place. Usually a meeting place ofjudges or magistrates and wheresentences or punishments could beannounced. This Moot Hall was designed

by architectJohn Stokoewho wasinfluenced bythe classicalstyle of ancientGreece. Walkaround theoutside of the

3. Castle Keep until you see cobblestones set into the pavement. These markthe position of the Roman Fort, PonsAelius. Walk beneath the railway archesand on your right you'll see anothersignificant part of the castle complexwhich is Blackgate. This massive gatewayoriginally strengthened the defences ofthe castle on its vulnerable west side.After exploring this area face thecathedral and take the steep hill (knownas The Side) down past Agora bar. Noticethe bust above the door of 4. MilburnHouse. This is Admiral Lord Collingwoodwho was born in 1748 in a house on thissite. During the Battle of Trafalgar, it wasCollingwood who took over command ofthe fleet after Lord Nelson was killed.The Side joins Dean Street. Follow itround the bend and you'll see 5. TheCrown Posada, one of the oldestpubs in the quayside area and a real step

back in time with its high, ornateceilings, embossed wallpaper andstained glass windows. You're more likelyto have a dog for company in here thana bloke wielding a karaoke machine.Continue past the pub until you reachthe pedestrian crossing. Cross over, turn around and take a lookat the imposing black and white framedbuildings opposite. This is part of theMedieval Sandhill area. In the bottom lefthand corner of one of the buildings is aplaque beneath a window. In the 18thcentury, this was the home of 6. Bessie Surtees, the eldestdaughter of a Newcastle banker. Sheeloped with John Scott (he was from apoor family and her family consideredhim not up to scratch) and this is theactual window she climbed out to elopewith him. Their fate? Bessie's parentseventually accepted the marriage andJohn went on to become Lord Chancellorof England. Talk about a window ofopportunity...Next to the traffic lights is 7. TheGuildhall. Once the centre of thecommercial life of the area, it hasrecently been transformed into a TouristInformation Centre. Behind it you'll seethe River Tyne and five of its bridges:The High Level (1849); The QueenElizabeth II Bridge (1981); The SwingBridge (1876) , Gateshead MillenniumBridge (2001) and, of course, The TyneBridge (1928), NewcastleGateshead'smost famous landmark. Retrace your steps back across the roadand you’ll see the 8. Akenside pub.Mark Akenside (Newcastle poet andphysician) was born on this site in 1721and there's some information about himon a panel near the door (including anunflattering quote about his appearancebeing “unpromising, if not grotesque...”).When facing the pub, turn right and upAkenside Hill. At the top you'll see9. All Saints Church (1786).Continue over the hill, passing themodern housing on your left, down DogBank, and into Broad Chare. Turn right tofind 10. Trinity House, founded in1492 and from the mid-1500s onwardsresponsible for collecting tolls and taxesfrom ships using the Tyne. Continuealong Broad Chare, passing the excellent11. Live Theatre on your right, toreach the river once again. There's a lotof public art dotted around this area, but

it's the magnificent 12. GatesheadMillennium Bridge which draws theeye. Opened to the public in 2001, it hasalready won a host of accoladesincluding the Royal Institute of BritishArchitects Stirling Prize. Cross over tothe equally stunning 13. BALTICCentre for Contemporary Artwhich houses an ever changing artprogramme. After exploring inside thisfree art gallery (make sure you visit theviewing platform giving stunning viewsover the river), head up the stairs fromBALTIC Square, and towards the hugesteel and glass structure, 14. TheSage Gateshead, the internationallyacclaimed music venue and home toNorthern Sinfonia. Walk through theconcourse and exit via the west door.Accross the road you will notice 15. Gateshead Visitor Centre inSt Mary’s Church lies ahead. Fantasticviews and postcard opportunities ahoy! Back down the hill and over the 16. Swing Bridge will lead you backto Bessie Surtees’ house. Head left andtake the Castle Stairs back up to theCastle Keep. Halfway up, pause (forbreath!) and admire the ancient PosternGate - a doorway through the castle'scurtain wall - which is one of the bestpreserved in England. After that climbwe can heartily recommend popping intoThe Bridge Hotel public house (oppositeThe Keep and just before the High LevelBridge), for a pint of a local brew.Cheers!

An elopement, NewcastleGateshead's most famous landmark, a Roman fort and an “unpromising” poet.

Gateshead Millennium Bridge

Blackgate

Bessie Surtees’ House

12 | WALKING GUIDE

15

UNIVERSITY QUARTERUNIVERSITY QUARTER

Starting point:Haymarket Metro station


Newcastle is a two university city andthis walk will lead you through theirmyriad of sights to see, with some othernotable points of interest along the way.

From the entrance to 1. HaymarketMetro station, face to walk downNorthumberland Street, Newcastle's mainshopping thoroughfare. Walk down it andturn left at BHS and ontoNorthumberland Road. If you follow BHSalong this road you'll see a relief on thewall, 2. “Newcastle Through TheAges”, which depicts many facets ofthe city's past: bridges, coalmining, steamlocomotives, cranes, etc. Continue downthis road and before crossing at thetraffic lights, glance upwards, across theroad, and you'll see a statue of a pitman.The building he stands proudly upon is 3. Burt Hall. Cross over to it. It wasonce the headquarters of theNorthumberland branch of the NationalUnion of Miners and was named afterThomas Burt, who was MP for Morpeth inNorthumberland for more than 40 years,from 1874, and was the first workingminer to be elected to Parliament.

Further along Northumberland Road, you'llnotice another delightful building on thecorner, College House, which once housedDame Allan's school. Continue down

Northumberland Road until you spot the4. pile of stone books on your rightand cross the road where you'll see asignpost pointing towards “StudentServices and Learning Resources”. This willlead you directly into the centre of theUniversity of Northumbria campus. Headfor the 5. University Gallery,opposite the Civic Centre, which usesimaginative programming to ensure thattheir exhibitions are always well worthchecking out, and entry is free.

Upon leaving the gallery, cross SandyfordRoad, keeping the 6. Civic Centre(enormous white building) on your right.Follow the Civic Centre round until youarrive at the public park and theentrance to the building. The Civic Centreitself was opened in 1968 and is wherethe city council operates from. Look outfor the three golden castles on top of the

tower which form part of the city’s coatof arms, while the seahorses recallNewcastle's maritime heritage. Justbefore the arches leading to theentrance, you'll notice on the wall theimpressive sculpture, “Tyne God”.Beyond it (under the arches) is anequally arresting work, “The Swan”. The five bronze birds represent the fiveScandinavian countries of Norway,Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Iceland.

Return the way you came and follow thepath towards the church. Beside thethree flagpoles there is a carved stonecommemorating the visit in 1977 offormer US president, Jimmy Carter, whofamously drawled in his southern accentto the cheering crowds, “Howay thelads”, a popular cry of the followers ofNewcastle United.

Take time to investigate the church of 7. St. Thomas the Martyr, beforecrossing at the lights (to whereBlackwell's bookshop is) and turn right.Head along to the next road junction,and you'll spot a lifesize sculpture of 8. Sir William Armstrong, one ofNewcastle's most famous sons. Bornhere in 1810, he was an engineering giantand responsible for the ArmstrongBreech loading gun and the Swing Bridgeon the quayside, amongst other things.Walk up Claremont Road and you'll seethe 9. Hancock Museum on yourright, which is North East England’snatural history museum, and just theplace for all manner of wonders from thenatural world and the odd Egyptianmummy or two! (Closed until 2009).

Across from the museum is King's Walk,leading directly into the University ofNewcastle buildings. On your left you'll10. Northern Stage and to yourright is an arched gateway leading to theQuadrangle area and some of the city’smost interesting galleries and museums.

Go into theQuadrangle andon your rightyou'll see 11. TheHattonGallery. There'san ever-changingprogramme here,but on permanentexhibit is theAmblesideMerzbarn byGerman bornartist KurtSchwitters, described by art historian,Andrew Graham Dixon as “the mostimportant work of modern British art.”Across from The Hatton Gallery is theMuseum of Antiquities (which has a raftof information regarding the Romanworld and particularly Hadrian's Wall)and at the top end of the Quadrangle, onthe left, is the Shefton Museum of GreekArt and Archaeology (both of which arefree).

After exploring these galleries, leave bythe exit opposite to where you came inand onto Queen Victoria Road. Turn leftand head along until you see the row ofwhite terraces (opposite the Trent Housepub), Leazes Crescent. Follow the roadalong up to 12. Leazes Terrace, theelegant, early 19th century houses whichwere built by Richard Grainger (see theGrainger Town tours for more). Thisterrace overlooks the ornamental LeazesPark which has recently undergone amassive programme to restore it back tothe splendour of its Victorian heyday.Behind Leazes Terrace is 13. St.James' Park, home to NewcastleUnited, one of the overriding passions ofthe locals. Organised tours of the groundare available.

Heading to the 14. Trent House pubis a good option for a refreshment stop,where you'll see the charming curvedterrace of St. Thomas’ Crescent. This pubalso has a great free jukebox. Strolldown it and if you turn right at thebottom you'll see the Haymarket busstation and 15. Marks andSpencer. Walk down here and turn leftand you'll be back to the HaymarketMetro station once again.

A US president, a pitman, the “Tyne God”, and “the most important work of modern British art”.

Civic Centre

St James’ Park

King’s Walk


JESMONDJESMOND

Starting point:Jesmond Metro station

Length of walk: 1.5 - 2hours

Jesmond is just a short Metro journey out of NewcastleGateshead and thisbeautiful, leafy suburb has a whole hostof interesting sights to view and alsoprovides one of the most pleasurable andrelaxing walks you're likely to findanywhere.You’re never far from a work of art inNewcastleGateshead and this continuesin Jesmond. After alighting from theMetro, ascend the stairs and you’ll noticean intriguing sculpture behind someglass panels. This is by Raf Fulcher andentitled “Garden Front” and wasdeveloped using the language of 17th and18th century garden design. A panel on anearby wall will give you moreinformation about it. Bear left out of the station onto JesmondRoad and turn left again up OsborneRoad. A little way along, cross over ontoFernwood Road. You’ll pass FernwoodHouse on your left, before you see thegrandiose looking Mansion House.

This is wherethe Lord Mayorof Newcastleentertainssundry royalsand otherdignitaries whenthey visit theregion. Continuedown Fernwood

Road and turn right into AkensideTerrace. Follow the street down and crossover (taking extreme care, it’s a busyone), to the imposing looking gateway tothe Jesmond Old Cemetery. Theman responsible for designing the archedentrance is John Dobson, who had such ahand in the reshaping of Newcastleduring the mid-19th century. Thecemetery was constructed to accept allreligious denominations with one half ofthe ground consecrated and the otherhalf reserved as unconsecrated for non-conformists and it provides the finalresting place for many of Newcastle’sfamous residents of the 19th centuryincluding engineers, artists, industrialistsand inventors. Fittingly John Dobsonhimself is buried here, in the south westcorner. Exit the cemetery by the way youcame in and turn right, walk along to thelights and cross over. If you keep

following the road along you’ll pass thePunch Bowl pub. It was built in the1870s in the Scottish Baronial style,which was very popular in the 19thcentury. Continue down this way(heading for the church spire in front ofyou), passing the Cradlewell pub andseveral shops and restaurants. Turningright, just past the church, and head pastthe stone pillars leading ontoArmstrong Bridge.Sir William George Armstrong was bornin Newcastle in 1810 and attainedmagnificent achievements in the worldof hydraulics, armaments and in thedevelopment of electricity (seeUniversity Quarter walk for more onhim). The bridge (designed by the manhimself, naturally, and completed in 1876)affords magnificent views of JesmondDene which was another of the greatman’s lasting legacies. He had manyexotic trees and shrubs planted here,and laid out in some of the footpathsyou can enjoy today. Stroll over thebridge (there’s a delightful arts andcrafts market held here each Sundaymorning) and at the other side there’s aturning to the left leading down into theDean itself. Continue down the hill andtake some time to explore the area.Millfield House offers refreshments,toilets and an information centre andmake sure you check out PetsCorner which houses exotic birdsamongst its range of different animals.Following the road past the assortedpeacocks and pot-bellied pigs, walkalong with the river on your left untilyou see the aptly named Ivy Bridge.Climb up the stairs and cross over thenfollow the path to the left. You’ll passJesmond Dene House Hotel (a great place for afternoon tea) as youcontinue upwards, then take the stairson the left, which lead up to LordArmstrong’s Banqueting Hall, builtby John Dobson in 1860.Turn left out of the grounds of the halland continue along until you see thestreet sign for The Grove on the right.Just up this road, and hidden in thetrees to the right, you’ll discover theruins of St. Mary’s Chapel (it canbe reached through a wooden gate). Aplace of worship for at least 700 years,this little chapel was also a place ofpilgrimage with a reputation for healingthe sick who visited the holy well nearby.The well can be reached by heading up

the small track straight up from TheGrove and is marked by a blue plaqueand small gate. Return to the main road,turn right, and look for the turning intoGrosvenor Road. Head up here, turningleft into Manor House Road and then ashort stroll down leads to Fern Avenueon your right. Along this street you’llnotice the antiques centre on your right,just the spot for a good browse.Continue along to the end of the streetand turn right onto Osborne Road. You’llsee the spire of St. George’schurch ahead, which was built by LordArmstrong’s business partner, CharlesMitchell, for £30,000 - an absolutefortune in the late 19th century. There’splenty of bars along this street and justthe place to stop for a drink, especially ifthe weather is favourable as most haveoutdoor seating. Go on, you’ve earned it!Further along this street, turn into AcornRoad, which leads off to the left. At theend of it, follow the sign to the nearestMetro station which is West Jesmond.

A mansion, a holy well, a banqueting hall and some peacocks.

Armstrong Bridge

Jesmond Dene

Jesmond Dene


Jesmond Dene House Hotel


GATESHEADGATESHEAD

Starting point:Gateshead Interchange


When it comes to boosting yourinternational profile, there’s not manyareas can match the enormous stridesmade by Gateshead in recent years.There’s The Angel of The North of course(more of which later), but you can alsoadd BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Artand The Sage Gateshead to the list of highprofile ventures undertaken by thisforward-looking town (see Castle andQuayside walk for more information onthese two). Hop on a Metro to Gatesheadand you’ll find that it has even more tooffer...Adjoining the Metro station is the businterchange (follow the signs from the

station to getthere). However,don’t jump on abus just yet. Theroad in whichthe buses arriveis divided byone of thelargest public

artworks to have been created in Britain:1 & 2. Opening Line, which wascreated by Danny Lane. Composed of 19elements in steel and glass, the sculptureruns for over 90 metres, rising to a heightof over five metres above the ground,and incorporates elements of engineeringand maritime culture to reflect the historyof Gateshead.After taking in this impressive piece ofwork, head for Stand K and you catch anynumber of buses (X1, 724, 728, 709 and723) to the 3. Shipley Art Gallery(ask the driver if you can have a ticket tothe Gateshead war memorial. The journey

only takes 5 minutes). When you arrive,cross over at the lights, with thememorial on your right, and you’ll seethe Shipley Art Gallery. The gallery wasnamed after Joseph Shipley (1822 - 1909),a local solicitor who achieved greatwealth through practising law, whoploughed some of his cash into collectingpaintings. When he died his immensecollection was offered to the city ofNewcastle but only if certain conditionswere met. However, after much debateover a variety of issues, it was decidedthat Newcastle could not find a home forthe collection. So, the Shipley Bequestcame to its final resting place here in thepurpose built art gallery in front of you.Just inside the main entrance, check outthe goat on the wall to your right. It oncegraced one of the town’s old pubs, TheGoat Inn, but it is possible that the nameof the town itself is rooted in the storiesof goats once roaming freely on the highground, or headland, to the south east.So, “goat’s head”, evolved into“Gateshead.” Voila! The gallery has animaginative arts programming policy anda collection of contemporary crafts thatis one of the largest outside of London.One of the gallery’s must-see pieces isthe famous painting Blaydon Races(WC Irving 1866-1943) which is teemingwith life and depicts the goings on ofTyneside’s most famous anthem. Onleaving the gallery look to your right tosee the reclining figure of JamesRenforth who, in 1868, won thesculling Championship of the World(sculling being a form of rowing, whichwas very big on Tyneside during the1850s/60s). Sadly in 1871 he collapsedduring a race and fell back into the armsof his companion, Robert Chambers,never to regain consciousness.Head down the road (with the gallery onyour left) to Central Library which housesa Tourist Information Centre, 4. Caedmon Hall and The Gallery, a space for temporary exhibition byprofessional artists. Caedmon was asimple cowherd who lived in the 7thcentury and joined the monastic life atWhitby where his writing talentflourished. He is regarded as England’sfirst true poet.Turn back towards the Shipley Art Galleryand turn right down Shipcote Lane andthen left along Avenue Road until youreach 5. The Little Theatre, hometo the Progressive Players, an acting

troupe that has existed for over 80 years(this, their permanent home, was built in1939). Across the road you’ll see anentrance to 6. Saltwell Park, one ofNorth East England’s greatest parks.Dubbed “The People’s Park”, it wasopened in 1876 to provide theindustrialised town of Gateshead withsome green space, and it has recentlybeen restored to its past glories, andwhat glories! The central area isdominated by the magnificent 7. Saltwell Towers which is now avisitor centre and café. This building wasthe private mansion of William Wailes, alocal stained glass manufacturer, and itsdesign was influenced by his extensiveEuropean travels. There’s a lot more tosee in the park besides the Towers,however. The map by the gates will guideyou to: sporting facilities (includingbowling greens, tennis and basketballcourts); the lake; play areas; the RoseGarden, The Dene (complete with lilypond); a maze, and much more besides.When you’ve enjoyed the park, leave bythe entrance you came in, and walk uphillonto Durham Road and cross to catch abus (21, 21a, 21b, 723 or 724), which, aftera few minute’s journey, will take you toAntony Gormley’s incredible sculpture, 8. the Angel of the North. Thispowerful symbol of regeneration is also areminder of the engineering skills whichmade the region world famous. It hasbeen named among the top twelve iconsof English life by the Department forCulture, Media and Sport.Return to the Gateshead Interchange bycatching either the 21, 21a, 21b, X1 or X41 bus. Contact Traveline on 0870 608 2 608 for bus times.

The Blaydon Races, England’s first true poet, the People’s Park, and Angel delight.

The Angel of the North

18 | WALKING GUIDE

Shipley Art Gallery

BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art

THE OUSEBURN VALLEYTHE OUSEBURN VALLEY

Starting point:Baltic Square on Gateshead Quays


There are numerous links betweenNewcastle and Gateshead, with the mostobvious, and justifiably famous, being theriver Tyne which joins the two. What a lotof people don't know, however, is that theTyne has a little cousin, The Ouseburn,which has a tale to tell all of its own...Begin this tour in 1. Baltic Square,next to the BALTIC Centre forContemporary Art. And if you haven't yetpaid a visit to this fantastic gallery now isan ideal time to do so. The building itselfhas quite a history as back in the 1950s itwas used to store grain, with the RiverTyne being used as a key route for tradingwith Scandinavian and Baltic states. Thecompany which built it had a habit ofnaming its warehouses after famousoceans of the world, hence its name. Afteryou've taken in whatever BALTIC currentlyhas on show, prepare yourself for moreartistic delights, this time of thearchitectural variety as you head over thestunning 2. Gateshead MillenniumBridge. Once over the bridge turn toyour immediate right and past the glass

fronted Pitcher and Piano bar, where youwill discover some of the sculptures whichmake up the 'Art on the Riverside’ scheme.The golden globe you can see sits atop the3. Swirle Pavilion and walking insidethe sculpture reveals the names of thedestinations of ships which departed fromthe Tyne during its industrial heyday.Further along you’ll come to the 4. Blacksmith’s Needle. It is dividedinto six sections and amongst the manyobjects which make up this sculpture, youshould notice an ear, an eye and a noseamongst other things. The theme is thesenses, with the last segments indicatingthe sixth sense!Continue along this way (with the Tyne on

your right) and past the smart lookingoffices and residential properties. Soonyou will arrive at the Ouseburn, flowinginto the Tyne, which is usually resplendentwith colourful little boats bobbing at themouth of the river. On the opposite bankyou will be able to see the modernbuilding of the 5. Ouseburn Water SportsCentre. Now you need to double back alittle bit (and behind the residentialproperties) until you come to a cobbledsteep incline which is Horatio Street. Onthe left hand side, at the top of this road,you’ll see the 6. Sailors’ Bethel. Theword “Beth-el” is Hebrew for “House ofGod”, and in the 130 years of its existencethis building has served as a non-conformist chapel, a community centre, aDanish seamen’s church and now, finally,offices. In the late 19th century regulartrade between Newcastle and Danishports resulted in cargoes of butter, eggsand fresh meat arriving at the mouth ofthe Ouseburn, and the Sailors’ Bethel wasthe ideal place for the Danish seamen tostay overnight whilst their cargo wasunloaded.Just about opposite the Sailors’ Bethelyou’ll notice a memorial to 7. William LBlenkinsopp Coulson, a man notedfor his huge efforts on behalf of not onlythe weaker members of society, butanimals, too. The drinking trough has twofountains: the larger one for humans, andaround the back, a smaller one foranimals! Take a left at the top of HoratioStreet, cross the City Road and head upthe hill until you come to 8. Cut Bank.On a grassy corner at the top of this roadyou’ll notice yet another piece ofsculpture. This slim work has the words“sisal”, “hemp”, “coir” and “jute” carvedinto it, recalling the days when this areasupported a number of industriesincluding rope-making.Continue down Cut Bank and past theDallas Carpet warehouse, and once overthe road bridge at the bottom of theslope, head down the steps on the right-hand side. Now walk under the bridgeyou’ve just crossed and along the riverfootpath towards the heart of theOuseburn Valley.This is the valley which gave birth toNewcastle’s own industrial revolution. Asearly as the 17th century, glass factorieswere established near the mouth of theOuseburn and local supplies of coal were

used to fuel the glassmaking processes.Water power drove machinery in the flintand flax mills which developed in the late18th/early 19th centuries; lime kilns, acoppers works, tanneries and a white leadfactory also arrived on the scene. Now,the whole of the Ouseburn area has beenearmarked for careful regeneration aimedat keeping its unique character intact.If you head along the footpath, and thenover the wooden bridge, you won’t fail tonotice the various bridges spanning thevalley. The Byker Road Bridge (brickarches) dates back to 1878; the OuseburnRail Viaduct (wrought iron) opened in 1839,while the modern, concrete, Byker Viaductwas opened relatively recently and carriesthe Metro line high above the valley.There’s more, however. Walk under the redbrick arches of the first bridge and you’llbe standing on one of the oldest of theravine’s bridges, 9. Crawford’s Bridge.Retrace your steps along past the Shippub and spend a bit of time exploring thearea. 10. The Cluny is a great bar andis housed in an old whisky warehouse,originally built as a flax mill in the 1840s,and was designed by John Dobson. It hasa great selection of real ales. Just up fromhere is the recently opened 11. SevenStories, the Centre forChildren’s Books, which is a superbplace to go to see an inspirationalcollection of original artworks,manuscripts and all manner of otherparaphernalia and activities relating tochildren’s books (note: there is a fee toget in, but it’s free to use the bookshopand cafe). Heading further along LimeStreet (pausing to check out the 12. Ouseburn Resource Centrefor more information on this fascinatingarea), will bring you back to Cut Bank andonto Newcastle’s Quayside again.

The sixth sense, the Danish connection, the birthplace of Newcastle's industrial revolution and a hidden bridge.

Gateshead Millennium Bridge

The Ouseburn


22 | WALKING GUIDE

• The Pocket Guide is a handyreference to all the attractions,museums, retail outlets, pubs, clubs andrestaurants in NewcastleGateshead.• The Accommodation andAttractions Guide gives generalinformation on NewcastleGateshead andits attractions, plus accommodationavailable in the city. Versions of thisguide are also available in German,Dutch, Norwegian and Spanish.• The What’s On Guide givesdetails on all the music, theatre,entertainment and festivals taking placein NewcastleGateshead in the comingmonths.

Tourist Information CentresNewcastle Tourist Information CentresCentral Arcade, NewcastleOpen: Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri 9.30am –5.30pm; Thurs 9.30am – 5.30pm; Sat 9am– 5pm; closed Sundays and BankHolidays.The Guildhall, Newcastle QuaysideOpen: Mon – Fri 10am – 5pm; Sat 9am –5pm; Sun 9am – 4pm. Open BankHolidays (except Christmas Day, BoxingDay and New Year’s Day).Tel: +44 (0)191 277 8000.Email: [email protected]

Gateshead Tourist InformationGateshead Visitor Centre,St Mary’s Church, Oakwellgate,Gateshead Quayside Open: Mon – Fri 9am– 5pm; Sat 10am – 5pm; Sun & BankHolidays 11am – 5pm

Tel: +44 (0)191 478 4222Email: [email protected]

Public TransportInformationMetrowww.tyneandwearmetro.co.ukMost of the walks within this guide startat a Metro station. If you’re travelling onthe Metro to your start point, there area variety of tickets types available fromthe ticket machines at each Metrostation, including all-day tickets.A Metro DaySaver gives unlimited travelacross all zones, whilst a Metro Hopperallows unlimited travel within one zone.

QuaylinkYou may also want to use the QuayLinkbus which connects Newcastle city centreand Gateshead Interchange with thequayside. Look out for these bright yellowbuses which run approximately every 10minutes, 7 days a week.

For further public transport information,call into a Nexus Travelshop located atmain Metro stations, or call Traveline on 0870 608 2 608.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTSCover Image: Peter Atkinson Photographs:Graeme Peacock, John Donoghue, Alan Bennington, Dave Foster, Peter Atkinson-Ad Infinitum, Andrew Roper, Gemma Rutherford, Wes Stobbart, Jed Wee and Ray Main. Text: Robert Meddes and Jan Williams. Designed and produced by The Crack.

DISCLAIMER: While every care has been taken in theaccuracy of producing this guide, the publisher is notliable for any errors or omissions which may inadvertentlyoccur. All information in this publication is subject tochange and prices stated are subject to availability. Alldetails correct at time of going to print July 2006.

If you want to find out more about NewcastleGateshead, there are several publications available free of charge from the Tourist Information Centres in NewcastleGateshead – see addresses and contact details below.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Stunning coastal scenery and a wealth of cultural and heritage attractions, make this special corner of England’s North East the perfect destination.

Spectacular cliffs, secret coves and pristine golden sands togetherwith picturesque villages, provide a visual delight whatever theweather.

Our fascinating heritage has been preserved on the banks of theTyne at Bede’s World and within South Shields Museum and ArtGallery whilst our Roman past has been stunningly recreated atArbeia Roman Fort.

Visitors can easily explore this compact destination on two wheelsor on foot thanks to the extensive cycle trails and heritage walks.With fantastic nightlife, dining and shopping opportunities and afun-filled events programme, South Tyneside really has it all.

For further details please contact Tourist Information Centre on

0191 454 6612 www.visitsouthtyneside.co.uk

South Tyneside

NS/0103/JUN2006

The Guildhall Visitor Information Centre

Documents

NewcastleGateshead WALKING GUIDE