Newcastle upon Tyne - wikipedia Newcastle upon Tyne Not to be confused with Newcastle - under - Lyme. For other uses, see Newcastle. City and metropolitan borough in England, United Kingdom Newcastle upon Tyne City and metropolitan borough From top left : Quayside and River Tyne, with the Gateshead Millennium Bridge and Tyne Bridge, St James ' Park stadium, Theatre Royal, Georgian architecture around Grey 's Monument, the Castle Coat of arms Nickname ( s ) : Newcastle, The Toon Motto ( s ) : Fortiter Defendit Triumphans ( Latin ) `` Triumphing by brave defence '' Newcastle upon Tyne shown within Tyne and Wear Newcastle upon Tyne Location of Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne ( the United Kingdom ) Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne ( Europe ) Show map of North East England Show map of the United Kingdom Show map of Europe Show all Coordinates : 54 ° 58 ′ N 1 ° 36 ′ W ﻿ / ﻿ 54.967 ° N 1.600 ° W ﻿ / 54.967 ; - 1.600 Coordinates : 54 ° 58 ′ N 1 ° 36 ′ W ﻿ / ﻿ 54.967 ° N 1.600 ° W ﻿ / 54.967 ; - 1.600 Sovereign state United Kingdom Country England Region North East Ceremonial county Tyne and Wear Historic county Northumberland Founded 2nd century Town charter Henry II County Corporate 1400 City status 1882 Government Type Metropolitan district council Body Newcastle City Council Lord Mayor Councillor David Down Administrative HQ Newcastle Civic Centre MPs Catherine McKinnell Nick Brown Chi Onwurah Area City 44 sq mi ( 114 km ) Population ( mid-2017 est. ) City 295,800 ( ranked 40th district ) Urban ( Tyneside ) 879,996 ( ranked 7th ) Metro ( Tyneside -- Wearside ) 1,650,000 ( ranked 6th ) Demonym ( s ) Geordie, Novocastrian GDP Total US $ 44.6 billion Per capita US $29,978 Time zone GMT ( UTC ) Summer ( DST ) BST ( UTC + 1 ) Postcode NE Area code ( s ) 0191 ISO 3166 - 2 GB - NET ONS code 00CJ ( ONS ) E08000021 ( GSS ) OS grid reference NZ249645 NUTS 3 UKC22 Website www.newcastle.gov.uk Newcastle upon Tyne ( locally / nj uː ˈkæsəl / ( listen ) ), commonly known as Newcastle, is a city in Tyne and Wear, North East England, 103 miles ( 166 km ) south of Edinburgh and 277 miles ( 446 km ) north of London on the northern bank of the River Tyne, 8.5 mi ( 13.7 km ) from the North Sea. Newcastle is the most populous city in the North East, and forms the core of the Tyneside conurbation, the eighth most populous urban area in the United Kingdom. Newcastle is a member of the English Core Cities Group and is a member of the Eurocities network of European cities. Newcastle was part of the county of Northumberland until 1400, when it became a county of itself, a status it retained until becoming part of Tyne and Wear in 1974. The regional nickname and dialect for people from Newcastle and the surrounding area is Geordie. Newcastle also houses Newcastle University, a member of the Russell Group, as well as Northumbria University. The city developed around the Roman settlement Pons Aelius and was named after the castle built in 1080 by Robert Curthose, William the Conqueror 's eldest son. The city grew as an important centre for the wool trade in the 14th century, and later became a major coal mining area. The port developed in the 16th century and, along with the shipyards lower down the River Tyne, was amongst the world 's largest shipbuilding and ship - repairing centres. Newcastle 's economy includes corporate headquarters, learning, digital technology, retail, tourism and cultural centres, from which the city contributes £ 13 billion towards the United Kingdom 's GVA. Among its icons are Newcastle United football club and the Tyne Bridge. Since 1981 the city has hosted the Great North Run, a half marathon which attracts over 57,000 runners each year. Contents 1 History 1.1 Roman 1.2 Anglo - Saxon and Norman 1.3 Middle Ages 1.4 16th to 19th centuries 1.5 20th and 21st centuries 2 Geography 2.1 Quayside and bridges on the Tyne 2.2 Grainger Town 2.3 Climate 2.4 Green belt 3 Economy 3.1 Retail 3.2 Dwelling types 4 Demography 4.1 Population 4.2 Ethnicity 4.3 Dialect 4.4 Health 5 Culture 5.1 Nightlife 5.2 Theatre 5.3 Literature and libraries 5.4 Festivals and fairs 5.5 Music 5.6 Concert venues 5.7 Cinema 5.8 Museums and galleries 5.9 In film 6 Sport 7 Government 8 Transport 8.1 Airport 8.2 Rail 8.3 Metro 8.4 Road 8.5 Bus 8.6 Cycle 8.7 Water 9 Education 9.1 Tertiary 10 Religious sites 11 Media 12 Notable people 13 International relations 13.1 Twin towns -- Sister cities 13.2 Other friendship agreements 13.3 Foreign consulates 14 See also 15 References 15.1 Notes 15.2 Bibliography 16 External links History Main article : History of Newcastle upon Tyne Roman The first recorded settlement in what is now Newcastle was Pons Aelius, a Roman fort and bridge across the River Tyne. It was given the family name of the Roman Emperor Hadrian, who founded it in the 2nd century AD. This rare honour suggests Hadrian may have visited the site and instituted the bridge on his tour of Britain. The population of Pons Aelius then is estimated at 2,000. Fragments of Hadrian 's Wall are visible in parts of Newcastle, particularly along the West Road. The course of the `` Roman Wall '' can be traced eastwards to the Segedunum Roman fort in Wallsend -- the `` wall 's end '' -- and to the supply fort Arbeia in South Shields. The extent of Hadrian 's Wall was 73 miles ( 117 km ), spanning the width of Britain ; the Wall incorporated the Vallum, a large rearward ditch with parallel mounds, and was built primarily for defence, to prevent unwanted immigration and the incursion of Pictish tribes from the north, not as a fighting line for a major invasion. Newcastle Castle Keep is the oldest structure in the city, dating back to at least the 11th century. Anglo - Saxon and Norman After the Roman departure from Britain, completed in 410, Newcastle became part of the powerful Anglo - Saxon kingdom of Northumbria, and was known throughout this period as Monkchester. Conflicts with the Danes in 876 left the river Tyne and its settlements in ruin. After the conflicts with the Danes, and following the 1088 rebellion against the Normans, Monkchester was all but destroyed by Odo of Bayeux. Because of its strategic position, Robert Curthose, son of William the Conqueror, erected a wooden castle there in the year 1080. The town was henceforth known as Novum Castellum or New Castle. The wooden structure was replaced by a stone castle in 1087. The castle was rebuilt again in 1172 during the reign of Henry II. Much of the keep which can be seen in the city today dates from this period. Middle Ages Throughout the Middle Ages, Newcastle was England 's northern fortress. Incorporated first by Henry II, the city had a new charter granted by Elizabeth in 1589. A 25 - foot ( 7.6 m ) high stone wall was built around the town in the 13th century, to defend it from invaders during the Border war against Scotland. The Scots king William the Lion was imprisoned in Newcastle in 1174, and Edward I brought the Stone of Scone and William Wallace south through the town. Newcastle was successfully defended against the Scots three times during the 14th century, and was created a county corporate with its own sheriff by Henry IV in 1400. 16th to 19th centuries An engraving by William Miller of Newcastle in 1832 From 1530, a royal act restricted all shipments of coal from Tyneside to Newcastle Quayside, giving a monopoly in the coal trade to a cartel of Newcastle burgesses known as the Hostmen. This monopoly, which lasted for a considerable time, helped Newcastle prosper and develop into a major town. The phrase taking coals to Newcastle was first recorded contextually in 1538. The phrase itself means a pointless pursuit. In the 18th century, the American entrepreneur Timothy Dexter, regarded as an eccentric, defied this idiom. He was persuaded to sail a shipment of coal to Newcastle by merchants plotting to ruin him ; however, his shipment arrived on the Tyne during a strike that had crippled local production, allowing him to turn a considerable profit. Victoria Tunnel, built 1842. In 1935 after a government document requested its cities build air - raid shelters, part of the tunnel was converted. In the Sandgate area, to the east of the city, and beside the river, resided the close - knit community of keelmen and their families. They were so called because they worked on the keels, boats that were used to transfer coal from the river banks to the waiting colliers, for export to London and elsewhere. In the 1630s, about 7,000 out of 20,000 inhabitants of Newcastle died of plague, more than one - third of the population. Specifically within the year 1636, it is roughly estimated with evidence held by the Society of Antiquaries that 47 % of the then population of Newcastle died from the epidemic ; this may also have been the most devastating loss in any British city in this period. Newcastle was once a major industrial centre particularly for coal and shipping During the English Civil War, the North declared for the King. In a bid to gain Newcastle and the Tyne, Cromwell 's allies, the Scots, captured the town of Newburn. In 1644, the Scots then captured the reinforced fortification on the Lawe in South Shields following a siege. and the city was besieged for many months. It was eventually stormed ( `` with roaring drummes '' ) and sacked by Cromwell 's allies. The grateful King bestowed the motto `` Fortiter Defendit Triumphans '' ( `` Triumphing by a brave defence '' ) upon the town. Charles I was imprisoned in Newcastle by the Scots in 1646 -- 7. In the 18th century, Newcastle was the country 's fourth largest print centre after London, Oxford and Cambridge, and the Literary and Philosophical Society of 1793, with its erudite debates and large stock of books in several languages, predated the London Library by half a century. Newcastle also became a glass producer with a reputation for brilliant flint glass. Newcastle city centre, 1917 A permanent military presence was established in the city with the completion of Fenham Barracks in 1806. The Great fire of Newcastle and Gateshead was a tragic and spectacular series of events starting on Friday 6 October 1854, in which a substantial amount of property in the two North East of England towns was destroyed in a series of fires and an explosion which killed 53 and injured hundreds. The status of city was granted to Newcastle on 3 June 1882. In the 19th century, shipbuilding and heavy engineering were central to the city 's prosperity ; and the city was a powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution. This revolution resulted in the urbanisation of the city. In 1817 the Maling company, at one time the largest pottery company in the world, moved to the city. The Victorian industrial revolution brought industrial structures that included the 2 ⁄ - mile ( 4 km ) Victoria Tunnel, built in 1842, which provided underground wagon ways to the staithes. On 3 February 1879, Mosley Street in the city, was the first public road in the world to be lit up by the incandescent lightbulb. Newcastle was one of the first cities in the world to be lit up by electric lighting. Innovations in Newcastle and surrounding areas included the development of safety lamps, Stephenson 's Rocket, Lord Armstrong 's artillery, Be-Ro flour, Joseph Swan 's electric light bulbs, and Charles Parsons ' invention of the steam turbine, which led to the revolution of marine propulsion and the production of cheap electricity. In 1882, Newcastle became the seat of an Anglican diocese, with St. Nicholas ' Church becoming its cathedral. 20th and 21st centuries Newcastle 's public transport system was modernised in 1901 when Newcastle Corporation Tramways electric trams were introduced to the city 's streets, though these were replaced gradually by trolley buses from 1935, with the tram service finally coming to an end in 1950. The city acquired its first art gallery, the Laing Art Gallery in 1904, so named after its founder Alexander Laing, a Scottish wine and spirit merchant who wanted to give something back to the city in which he had made his fortune. Another art gallery, the Hatton Gallery ( now part of Newcastle University ), opened in 1925. With the advent of the motor car, Newcastle 's road network was improved in the early part of the 20th century, beginning with the opening of the Redheugh road bridge in 1901 and the Tyne Bridge in 1928. Efforts to preserve the city 's historic past were evident as long ago as 1934, when the Museum of Science and Industry opened, as did the John G Joicey Museum in the same year. Council housing began to replace inner city slums in the 1920s, and the process continued into the 1970s, along with substantial private house building and acquisitions. Unemployment hit record heights in Newcastle during the Great Depression of the 1930s. The city 's last coal pit closed in 1956, though a temporary open cast mine was opened in 2013. The temporary open cast mine shifted 40,000 tonnes of coal, using modern techniques to reduce noise, on a part of the City undergoing redevelopment. The slow demise of the shipyards on the banks of the River Tyne happened in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. View northwards from the Castle Keep, towards Berwick - on - Tweed in 1954 Panorama from Newcastle castle keep across the River Tyne to Gateshead in 1954 During the Second World War the city and surrounding area were a target for air raids as heavy industry was involved in the production of ships and armaments. The raids caused 141 deaths and 587 injuries. A former French consul in Newcastle called Jacques Serre assisted the German war effort by describing important targets in the region to Admiral Raeder who was the head of the German Navy. The public sector in Newcastle began to expand in the 1960s. The federal structure of the University of Durham was dissolved. That university 's colleges in Newcastle, which had been known as King 's College, became the University of Newcastle upon Tyne ( now known as Newcastle University ), which was founded in 1963, followed by a Newcastle Polytechnic in 1969 ; the latter received university status in 1992 and became the Northumbria University. Further efforts to preserve the city 's historic past continued in the later 20th century, with the opening of Newcastle Military Vehicle Museum in 1983 and Stephenson Railway Museum in 1986. The Military Vehicle museum closed in 2006. New developments at the turn of the 21st century included the Life Science Centre in 2000 and Millennium Bridge in 2001. Based at St James ' Park since 1886, Newcastle United FC became Football League members in 1893. They have won four top division titles ( the first in 1905 and the most recent in 1927 ), six FA Cups ( the first in 1910 and the most recent in 1955 ) and the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1969. They broke the world transfer record in 1996 by paying £ 15 million for Blackburn Rovers and England striker Alan Shearer, one of the most prolific goalscorers of that era. In 2017 Newcastle was the venue for the 2017 Freedom City festival. The 2017 Freedom City festival commemorated the 50 years since Dr Martin Luther King 's visit to Newcastle, where King received his honorary degree from Newcastle University. In 2018 Newcastle hosts the Great Exhibition of the North, the largest event in England in 2018. The exhibition began on June 22 with an opening ceremony on the river Tyne. The exhibition describes the story of the north of England through its innovators, artists, designers and businesses. Geography Newcastle is situated in the North East of England, in the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear and the historical and traditional county of Northumberland. The city is located on the northwestern bank of the River Tyne. It is 46 miles ( 74 km ) from the Scottish border, south of Southdean. The ground beneath the city is formed from Carboniferous strata of the Middle Pennine Coal Measures Group -- a suite of sandstones, mudstones and coal seams which generally dip moderately eastwards. To the west of the city are the Upper Pennine Coal Measures and further west again the sandstones and mudstones of the Stainmore Formation, the local equivalent of the Millstone Grit. Side, a street in Newcastle near the Tyne Bridge In large parts, Newcastle still retains a medieval street layout. Narrow alleys or ' chares ', most of which can only be traversed by foot, still exist in abundance, particularly around the riverside. Stairs from the riverside to higher parts of the city centre and the extant Castle Keep, originally recorded in the 14th century, remain intact in places. Close, Sandhill and Quayside contain modern buildings as well as structures dating from the 15th -- 18th centuries, including Bessie Surtees House, the Cooperage and Lloyds Quayside Bars, Derwentwater House and House of Tides, a restaurant situated at a Grade I - listed 16th century merchant 's house at 28 -- 30 Close. The city has an extensive neoclassical centre referred to as Tyneside Classical largely developed in the 1830s by Richard Grainger and John Dobson, and recently extensively restored. Broadcaster and writer Stuart Maconie described Newcastle as England 's best - looking city and the German - born British scholar of architecture, Nikolaus Pevsner, describes Grey Street as one of the finest streets in England. The street curves down from Grey 's Monument towards the valley of the River Tyne and was voted England 's finest street in 2005 in a survey of BBC Radio 4 listeners. In the Google Street View awards of 2010, Grey Street came 3rd in the British picturesque category. Osborne Road came 4th in the foodie street category. A portion of Grainger Town was demolished in the 1960s to make way for the Eldon Square Shopping Centre, including all but one side of the original Eldon Square itself. Immediately to the northwest of the city centre is Leazes Park, established in 1873 after a petition by 3,000 working men of the city for `` ready access to some open ground for the purpose of health and recreation ''. Just outside one corner of this is St James ' Park, the stadium home of Newcastle United F.C. which dominates the view of the city from all directions. Another green space in Newcastle is the Town Moor, lying immediately north of the city centre. It is larger than London 's famous Hyde Park and Hampstead Heath put together and the freemen of the city have the right to graze cattle on it. The right extends to the pitch of St. James ' Park, Newcastle United Football Club 's ground ; this is not exercised, although the Freemen do collect rent for the loss of privilege. Honorary freemen include Bob Geldof, King Harald V of Norway, Bobby Robson, Alan Shearer, the late Nelson Mandela and the Royal Shakespeare Company. The Hoppings funfair, said to be the largest travelling funfair in Europe, is held here annually in June. View of Newcastle City Centre from Gateshead. In the southeastern corner is Exhibition Park, which contains the only remaining pavilion from the North East Coast Exhibition of 1929. From 1970s until 2006 this housed the Newcastle Military Vehicle Museum ; which closed in 2006. The pavilion is now being used as a microbrewery and concert venue for Wylam Brewery. Ouseburn The wooded gorge of the Ouseburn in the east of the city is known as Jesmond Dene and forms another popular recreation area, linked by Armstrong Park and Heaton Park to the Ouseburn Valley, where the river finally reaches the River Tyne. The spring time dawn chorus at 55 degrees latitude has been described as one of the best in the world. The dawn chorus of the Jesmond Dene green space, has been professionally recorded and has been used in various workplace and hospital rehabilitation facilities. Architecture of suburbs Significant Newcastle housing developments include Ralph Erskine 's the Byker Wall designed in the 1960s, and now Grade II * listed. It is on UNESCO 's list of outstanding 20th - century buildings. Chinatown Newcastle 's thriving Chinatown lies in the north - west of Grainger Town, centred on Stowell Street. A new Chinese arch, or paifang, providing a landmark entrance, was handed over to the city with a ceremony in 2005. The UK 's first biotechnology village, the Centre for Life is located in the city centre close to the Central railway station. The village is the first step in the City Council 's plans to transform Newcastle into a science city. Newcastle was voted as the Best City in the North in April 2007 by a readers ' online poll organised by The Daily Telegraph newspaper -- being placed ahead of Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds. 360 ° panoramic shot taken from the top of the Keep Quayside and bridges on the Tyne The Quayside The Tyne Gorge, between Newcastle on the north bank and Gateshead -- a separate town and borough -- on the south bank, is known for a series of dramatic bridges, including the Tyne Bridge of 1928 which was built by Dorman Long of Middlesbrough, Robert Stephenson 's High Level Bridge of 1849, the first road / rail bridge in the world, and the Swing Bridge of 1876. Large - scale regeneration has replaced former shipping premises with imposing new office developments ; an innovative tilting bridge, the Gateshead Millennium Bridge was commissioned by Gateshead Council and has integrated the older Newcastle Quayside more closely with major cultural developments in Gateshead, including the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, the venue for the Turner Prize 2011 and the Norman Foster - designed The Sage Gateshead music centre. The Newcastle and Gateshead Quaysides are now a thriving, cosmopolitan area with bars, restaurants and public spaces. As a tourist promotion, Newcastle and Gateshead have linked together under the banner `` NewcastleGateshead '', to spearhead the regeneration of the North - East. The River Tyne had the temporary Bambuco Bridge in 2008 for ten days ; it was not made for walking, road or cycling, but was just a sculpture. Newcastle Quayside Seen here in 2008 on the Quayside are the Tyne Salmon Cubes ; a celebration of the River Tyne Salmon Grainger Town Main article : Grainger Town Grainger Street about 1906 The historic heart of Newcastle is the Grainger Town area. Established on classical streets built by Richard Grainger, a builder and developer, between 1835 and 1842, some of Newcastle upon Tyne 's finest buildings and streets lie within this area of the city centre including Grainger Market, Theatre Royal, Grey Street, Grainger Street and Clayton Street. These buildings are predominantly four stories high, with vertical dormers, domes, turrets and spikes. Richard Grainger was said to ' have found Newcastle of bricks and timber and left it in stone '. Of Grainger Town 's 450 buildings, 244 are listed, of which 29 are grade I and 49 are grade II *. Grey 's Monument closeup Grey 's Monument, which commemorates Prime Minister Earl Grey and his Reform Act of 1832, stands above Monument Metro Station and was designed and built by Edward Hodges Baily and Benjamin Green. Hodges, who also built Nelson 's Column, designed and built the statue, and the monument plinth was designed and built by Benjamin Green. The Grainger Market replaced an earlier market originally built in 1808 called the Butcher Market. The Grainger Market itself, was opened in 1835 and was Newcastle 's first indoor market. At the time of its opening in 1835 it was said to be one of the largest and most beautiful markets in Europe. The opening was celebrated with a grand dinner attended by 2000 guests, and the Laing Art Gallery has a painting of this event. With the exception of the timber roof which was destroyed by a fire in 1901 and replaced by latticed - steel arches the Market is largely in its original condition. The Grainger Market architecture, like most in Grainger Town, which are either grade I or II listed, was listed grade I in 1954 by English Heritage. The development of the city in the 1960s saw the demolition of part of Grainger Town as a prelude to the modernist rebuilding initiatives of T. Dan Smith, the leader of Newcastle City Council. A corruption scandal was uncovered involving Smith and John Poulson, a property developer from Pontefract, West Yorkshire, and both were imprisoned. Echoes of the scandal were revisited in the late 1990s in the BBC TV mini-series, Our Friends in the North. Climate Situated in the rain shadow of the North Pennines, Newcastle is amongst the driest cities in the UK. Temperature extremes recorded at Newcastle Weather Centre include 32.5 ° C ( 90.5 ° F ) during August 1990 down to − 12.6 ° C ( 9.3 ° F ) during January 1982. Newcastle can have cool to cold winters, though usually warmer than the rural areas around it, and the winters are often compensated for by warm summers, with very long daylight hours in the summer months, longer than all other major English Cities. Newcastle upon Tyne shares the same latitude as Copenhagen, Denmark and southern Sweden. The nearest weather station to provide sunshine statistics is at Durham, about 14 miles ( 23 km ) south of Newcastle City Centre. Durham 's inland, less urbanised setting results in night - time temperature data about 1 degree cooler than Newcastle proper throughout the year. hide Climate data for Newcastle ( Met Office Durham ) Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Average high ° C ( ° F ) 6.6 ( 43.9 ) 7.2 ( 45 ) 9.5 ( 49.1 ) 11.9 ( 53.4 ) 15.0 ( 59 ) 17.6 ( 63.7 ) 20.1 ( 68.2 ) 19.8 ( 67.6 ) 17.2 ( 63 ) 13.3 ( 55.9 ) 9.4 ( 48.9 ) 6.7 ( 44.1 ) 12.9 ( 55.2 ) Average low ° C ( ° F ) 0.9 ( 33.6 ) 0.9 ( 33.6 ) 2.3 ( 36.1 ) 3.7 ( 38.7 ) 6.1 ( 43 ) 9.0 ( 48.2 ) 11.1 ( 52 ) 11.0 ( 51.8 ) 9.0 ( 48.2 ) 6.3 ( 43.3 ) 3.4 ( 38.1 ) 1.1 ( 34 ) 5.4 ( 41.7 ) Average precipitation mm ( inches ) 52.3 ( 2.059 ) 41.8 ( 1.646 ) 44.6 ( 1.756 ) 52.7 ( 2.075 ) 44.2 ( 1.74 ) 55.4 ( 2.181 ) 54.0 ( 2.126 ) 60.8 ( 2.394 ) 55.4 ( 2.181 ) 60.9 ( 2.398 ) 72.0 ( 2.835 ) 57.0 ( 2.244 ) 651.1 ( 25.634 ) Average rainy days ( ≥ 1.0 mm ) 11.4 9.3 9.7 9.5 9.2 9.7 9.0 9.6 9.3 11.3 12.3 11.7 122 Mean monthly sunshine hours 58.6 80.3 115.5 150.3 181.7 164.8 172.3 167.3 134.5 102.8 66.4 51.2 1,445.4 Source : Met Office Green belt Main article : North East Green Belt The city is within the centre of the wider Tyne & Wear Green Belt, with its portion in much of its rural area. It is a part of the local development plan which is in conjunction with Gateshead borough, and was created in the 1960s. Its stated aims are to : Prevent the merging of settlements, particularly... Newcastle with Ponteland, or Cramlington ; the main built - up area with nearby villages ; and villages with each other, Safeguard the countryside from encroachment, Check unrestricted urban sprawl, and Assist in urban regeneration in the city - region by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land. In the Newcastle city boundaries it surrounds the communities of Brunswick Green, Dinnington, Callerton, Hazlerigg Village, Throckley, Walbottle, and Woolsington. Landscape features and facilities such as Ryton Island, Tyne Riverside Country Park, the city 's golf courses, Newcastle Racecourse, and Newcastle Airport are also within the green belt area. Economy See also : List of companies based in Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle played a major role during the 19th - century Industrial Revolution, and was a leading centre for coal mining, ship building, engineering, munitions and manufacturing. Heavy industries in Newcastle declined in the second half of the 20th century ; with office, service and retail employment now becoming the city 's staples. The city was recognised for its commitment to environmental issues, with a programme planned for Newcastle to become `` the first Carbon Neutral town '' however those plans have slipped considerably and they now hope to be carbon neutral by 2050 Newcastle is the commercial, educational and, in partnership with nearby Gateshead, the cultural focus for North East England. As part of Tyneside, Newcastle 's economy contributes around £ 13 billion to the UK GVA. The Central Business District is in the centre of the city, bounded by Haymarket, Newcastle station and the Quayside areas. Retail Looking north along Northumberland Street in 2009 In 2010, Newcastle was positioned ninth in the retail centre expenditure league of the UK. There are several major shopping areas in Newcastle City Centre. The largest of these is the Eldon Square Shopping Centre, one of the largest city centre shopping complexes in the UK. It incorporates a Debenhams store as well as one of the largest John Lewis stores in the UK. This John Lewis branch was formerly known as Bainbridges. Newcastle store Bainbridge 's, opened in 1838, is often cited as the world 's first department store. Emerson Bainbridge ( 1817 -- 1892 ), a pioneer and the founder of Bainbridges, sold goods via department, a new for merchant custom for that time. The Bainbridge 's official ledgers reported revenue by department, giving birth to the name department store. Eldon Square is currently undergoing a full redevelopment. A new bus station, replacing the old underground bus station, was officially opened in March 2007. The wing of the centre, including the undercover Green Market, near Grainger Street was demolished in 2007 so that the area could be redeveloped. This was completed in February 2010 with the opening of a Debenhams department store as well as other major stores including Apple, Hollister and Guess. The main shopping street in the city is Northumberland Street. In a 2004 report, it was ranked as the most expensive shopping street in the UK for rent, outside London. It is home to two major department stores including the first and largest Fenwick department store, which houses some of the most luxurious designer labels, and one of the largest Marks and Spencer stores outside London. Both stores have entrances into Eldon Square Shopping Centre. Other shopping destinations in Newcastle include Grainger Street and the area around Grey 's Monument, the relatively modern Eldon Garden and Monument Mall complexes, the Newgate Centre, Central Arcade and the traditional Grainger Market. Outside the city centre, the largest suburban shopping areas are Gosforth and Byker. The largest Tesco store in the United Kingdom is located in Kingston Park on the edge of Newcastle. Close to Newcastle, the largest indoor shopping centre in Europe, the MetroCentre, is located in Gateshead. Dwelling types The Tyneside flat was the dominant housing form constructed at the time when the industrial centres on Tyneside were growing most rapidly. They can still be found in areas such as South Heaton in Newcastle but once dominated the streetscape on both sides of the Tyne. Tyneside flats were built as terraces, one of each pair of doors led to an upstairs flat while the other led into the ground - floor flat, each of two or three rooms. A new development in the Ouseburn valley has recreated them ; Architects Cany Ash and Robert Sakula were attracted by the possibilities of high density without building high and getting rid of common areas. In terms of housing stock, the authority is one of few authorities to see the proportion of detached homes rise in the 2010 Census ( to 7.8 % ), in this instance this was coupled with a similar rise in flats and waterside apartments to 25.6 %, and the proportion of converted or shared houses in 2011 renders this dwelling type within the highest of the five colour - coded brackets at 5.9 %, and on a par with Oxford and Reading, greater than Manchester and Liverpool and below a handful of historic densely occupied, arguably overinflated markets in the local authorities : Harrogate, Cheltenham, Bath, inner London, Hastings, Brighton and Royal Tunbridge Wells. Demography Population West Road Shopping Area in Newcastle 's West End has a large multi-ethnic community. Stanhope Street in Arthur 's Hill area is home to the North East 's largest Asian community. Gosforth High Street in the north of the city. According to the ONS in 2015 the city of Newcastle had a population of 293,000. The metropolitan boroughs of North Tyneside ( population circa 202,000 ), South Tyneside ( population circa 149,000 ) and Gateshead ( population circa 201,000 ) are, along with Newcastle, all part of the Tyneside conurbation ( population circa 880,000 ). The metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear, which consists of the four aforementioned boroughs as well as Sunderland ( population circa 277,000 ), had a population of around 1,122,000 and the Tyne and Wear City Region which also includes North Durham, South East Northumberland and the Tyne Valley has a population of 1,650,000. Newcastle is also home to a large student population with Newcastle University and Northumbria University Newcastle, based in the City Centre. Areas of suburban Newcastle with major student populations include Jesmond, Gosforth and Heaton. According to the same statistics, the average age of people living in Newcastle is 37.8 ( the national average being 38.6 ). There is a strong presence of Border Reiver surnames, such as Armstrong, Charlton, Elliot, Johnstone, Kerr, Hall, Nixon, Little and Robson. There are also small but significant Chinese, Jewish and Eastern European ( Polish, Czech Roma ) populations. The International Organization for Migration states there are estimated to be between 500 and 2,000 Bolivians in Newcastle, one of the largest populations in any city in the UK. Like most cities, Newcastle has diverse cross sections and classes. The city is largely Christian at 70.6 % ; Muslims form 6.2 %, and over 16 % have no religion. In 2011, 189,381 people lived in the unparished area of Newcastle upon Tyne but 280,177 people lived in the actual city and metropolitan borough. The unparished area excludes Newburn, Gosforth and the wards of Castle, Woolsington and Parklands and is made up of 17 wards from Walkergate in the east to Benwell and Scotswood in the west. Ethnicity According to 2011 figures, the city 's ethnic make - up is as follows : White British : 81.3 % Asian : 7.7 % White Other : 3 % Black : 2.2 % Chinese : 2.0 % Mixed - race : 1.6 % Other : 1.5 % White people are 84.3 % of the population ( 81.3 % White British, 3.0 % White other ), Asain people 9.7 % of the population ( 3.4 % Pakistani, 2.0 % Bangladeshi, 2.0 % Indian, 2.0 % Chinese, 0.3 % other ), 2.2 % Black British ( 1.9 % Black African, 0.2 % Black Caribbean, 0.1 % Black other ), Mixed Race at 1.6 % ( 1.0 % Asian and White, 0.4 % White and Caribbean, 0.2 White and Black ) and other ethnicities composing of 1.5 % of the population. The regional nickname for people from Newcastle and the surrounding area is Geordie. The Latin term Novocastrian, which can equally be applied to residents of any place called Newcastle, is also used for ex-pupils of the city 's Royal Grammar School. Year and current total population Year Population 1801 33,322 33322 1851 80,184 80184 1901 246,905 246905 1911 293,944 293944 1921 309,820 309820 1931 326,576 326576 1941 333,286 333286 1951 340,155 340155 1961 323,844 323844 1971 308,317 308317 1981 272,923 272923 1991 277,723 277723 259,573 259573 2011 292,200 292200 Dialect Main article : Geordie The dialect of Newcastle is known as Geordie, and contains a large amount of vocabulary and distinctive words and pronunciations not used in other parts of the United Kingdom. The Geordie dialect has much of its origins in the language spoken by the Anglo - Saxon populations who migrated to and conquered much of England after the end of Roman Imperial rule. This language was the forerunner of Modern English ; but while the dialects of other English regions have been heavily altered by the influences of other foreign languages -- particularly Latin and Norman French -- the Geordie dialect retains many elements of the old language. An example of this is the pronunciation of certain words : `` dead '', `` cow '', `` house '' and `` strong '' are pronounced `` deed '', `` coo '', `` hoos '' and `` strang '' -- which is how they were pronounced in the Anglo - Saxon language. Other Geordie words with Anglo - Saxon origins include : `` larn '' ( from the Anglo - Saxon `` laeran '', meaning `` teach '' ), `` burn '' ( `` stream '' ) and `` gan '' ( `` go '' ). `` Bairn '' and `` hyem '', meaning `` child '' and `` home '', respectively, are examples of Geordie words with origins in Scandinavia ; barn and hjem are the corresponding modern Norwegian and Danish words. Some words used in the Geordie dialect are used elsewhere in the Northern United Kingdom. The words `` bonny '' ( meaning `` pretty '' ), `` howay '' ( `` come on '' ), `` stot '' ( `` bounce '' ) and `` hadaway '' ( `` go away '' or `` you 're kidding '' ), all appear to be used in Scots ; `` aye '' ( `` yes '' ) and `` nowt '' ( IPA : / / naʊt /, rhymes with out, `` nothing '' ) are used elsewhere in Northern England. Many words, however, appear to be used exclusively in Newcastle and the surrounding area, such as `` canny '' ( a versatile word meaning `` good '', `` nice '' or `` very '' ), `` hacky '' ( `` dirty '' ), `` netty '' ( `` toilet '' ), `` hoy '' ( `` throw '', from the Dutch gooien, via West Frisian ), `` hockle '' ( `` spit '' ). Health In 2011 the health of people in Newcastle upon Tyne was generally worse than the England average : Deprivation is higher than average and 16,670 children live in poverty. Life expectancy for both men and women is lower than the England average. Life expectancy is 14.3 years lower for men and 11.1 years lower for women in some of the most deprived areas of Newcastle upon Tyne than in certain least deprived areas From 2001 to 2011, as with all UK cities all - cause mortality rates have fallen, life expectancy has increased. Early death rates from cancer and from heart disease and stroke have fallen but remain worse than the English average. About 21.9 % of Year 6 children are classified as obese. In 2014 / 5 35.9 % of 10 to 11 - year - olds were classified as overweight or obese, in comparison to a national average of 33.2 %. 54.9 % of pupils meet the recommendation of at least three hours each week on school sport. Levels of teenage pregnancy are worse than the England average. In 2011 GCSE attainment amongst school children was worse than the England average. Estimated levels of adult ' healthy eating ' and smoking are worse than the England average. Rates of smoking related deaths and hospital stays for alcohol - related harm are higher than average. Newcastle remains one of the few major cities in England to supply fluoridated water, this scheme is directed by Northumbria Water plc. Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has one of the lowest mortality rates in the country and is ranked seventh in the country for confidence in doctors. Newcastle has two large teaching hospitals : the Royal Victoria Infirmary and the Freeman Hospital, which is also a pioneering centre for transplant surgery. In a report, published in early February 2007 by the Ear Institute at the University College London, and Widex, a Danish hearing aid manufacturer, Newcastle was named as the noisiest city in the whole of the UK, with an average level of 80.4 decibels. The report claimed that these noise levels would have a negative long - term impact on the health of the city 's residents. The report was rightly criticised, however, for attaching too much weight to readings at arbitrarily selected locations, which in Newcastle 's case included a motorway underpass without pedestrian access. As well as numerous parks, open spaces, and extensive riverside areas, puzzlingly the report also overlooked the 1000 acre Town Moor at the heart of the city. Larger than London 's Hyde Park and Hampstead Heath combined, and even larger than New York 's Central Park the town moor dates back to the 12th century, with the land tenure and its use being regulated by an Act of Parliament. Culture Nightlife The Gate complex is a popular nightlife destination in the city with a cinema, numerous restaurants and bars. Newcastle was in the top ten of the country 's top night spots, and The Rough Guide to Britain placed Newcastle upon Tyne 's nightlife as Great Britain 's no. 1 tourist attraction. In the Tripadvisor Travellers ' Choice Destination Awards for European Nightlife destinations, four of the UK 's nightspots finished in the top 10 ; Newcastle was awarded 3rd Place behind London, and Berlin. Newcastle also came in seventh for the World category. There are concentrations of pubs, bars and nightclubs around the Bigg Market and the Quayside area of the city centre. There are many bars on the Bigg Market, and other popular areas for nightlife are Collingwood Street, popularly referred to as the ' Diamond Strip ' due to its concentration of high - end bars, Neville Street, the Newcastle station area and Osborne Road in the Jesmond area of the city. In recent years `` The Gate '' has opened in the city centre, a new indoor complex consisting of bars, clubs, restaurants and a 12 - screen Empire multiplex cinema. Newcastle 's gay scene -- ' The Pink Triangle ' -- is centred on the Times Square area near the Centre for Life and has a range of bars, cafés and clubs. The city has a wide variety of restaurants such as Italian, Indian, Persian, Japanese, Greek, Mexican, Spanish, American, Polish, Malaysian, French, Mongolian, Moroccan, Thai, Vietnamese and Lebanese. Newcastle is one of 7 cities in the UK that has a Chinese village with many Chinese restaurants on Stowell Street. There has also been a growth in premium restaurants in recent years with top chefs. Theatre Theatre Royal, Grey Street The city has a proud history of theatre. Stephen Kemble of the famous Kemble family successfully managed the original Theatre Royal, Newcastle for fifteen years ( 1791 -- 1806 ). He brought members of his famous acting family such as Sarah Siddons and John Kemble out of London to Newcastle. Stephen Kemble guided the theatre through many celebrated seasons. The original Theatre Royal in Newcastle was opened on 21 January 1788 and was located on Mosley Street. It was demolished to make way for Grey Street, where its replacement was built. The city still contains many theatres. The largest, the Theatre Royal on Grey Street, first opened in 1837, designed by John and Benjamin Green. It has hosted a season of performances from the Royal Shakespeare Company for over 25 years, as well as touring productions of West End musicals. The Mill Volvo Tyne Theatre hosts smaller touring productions, whilst other venues feature local talent. Northern Stage, formally known as the Newcastle Playhouse and Gulbenkian Studio, hosts various local, national and international productions in addition to those produced by the Northern Stage company. Other theatres in the city include the Live Theatre, the People 's Theatre Alphabetti Theatre and the Jubilee Theatre. NewcastleGateshead was voted in 2006 as the arts capital of the UK in a survey conducted by the Artsworld TV channel. Literature and libraries Avison Library 2013 Newcastle has a strong reputation as a poetry centre. The Morden Tower, run by poet Tom Pickard, is a major venue for poetry readings in the North East, being the place where Basil Bunting gave the first reading of Briggflatts in 1965. The Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle upon Tyne ( popularly known as the ' Lit & Phil ' ) is the largest independent library outside London, housing more than 150,000 books. Its music library contains 8,000 CDs and 10,000 LPs. The current Lit and Phil premises were built in 1825 and the building was designed by John and Benjamin Green. Operating since 1793 and founded as a ' conversation club, ' its lecture theatre was the first public building to be lit by electric light, during a lecture by Joseph Swan on 20 October 1880. The old City library designed by Basil Spence, was demolished in 2006 and replaced. The new building opened on 21 June 2009 and was named after 18th century composer Charles Avison ; the building was opened by Dr Herbert Loebl. The Seven Stories is a museum dedicated to children 's books. Opened in 2005, it is based in the Ouseburn Valley. Festivals and Fairs The arch to Chinatown, opposite St. James ' Park In January or February, Newcastle 's Chinatown is at the centre of a carnival of colour and noise as the city celebrates the Chinese New Year. In early March there is the NewcastleGateshead Comedy Festival. This event makes a return to the region since the last event in 2006. It is hoped it will now continue as an annual event. The Newcastle Science Festival, now called Newcastle ScienceFest, returns annually in early March. The Newcastle Beer Festival, organised by CAMRA, takes place in April. Evolution Festival, a music festival that attracted tens of thousands of attendees, took place in May from 2002 until 2013 and was described as `` the biggest festival Tyneside has ever staged ''. The This Is Tomorrow festival now takes place over the spring bank holiday and is in the same location. The biennial AV Festival of international electronic art, featuring exhibitions, concerts, conferences and film screenings, is held in March. The North East Art Expo, a festival of art and design from the regions professional artists, is held in late May. EAT ! NewcastleGateshead, a festival of food and drink, runs for 2 weeks each year in mid June. The Hoppings, reputedly the largest travelling fair in Europe, takes place on Newcastle Town Moor every June. The event has its origins in the Temperance Movement during the early 1880s, and coincides with the annual race week at High Gosforth Park. Newcastle Community Green Festival, which claims to be the UK 's biggest free community environmental festival, also takes place every June, in Leazes Park. The Northern Rock Cyclone, a cycling festival, takes place within, or starting from, Newcastle in June. The Northern Pride Festival and Parade is held in Leazes Park and in the city 's Gay Community in mid July. The Ouseburn Festival, a family oriented weekend festival near the city centre, incorporating a `` Family Fun Day '' and `` Carnival Day '', is held in late July. Newcastle Mela, held on the late August Bank Holiday weekend, is an annual two - day multicultural event that blends drama, music and food from Punjabi, Pakistani, Bengali and Hindu cultures. NewcastleGateshead also holds an annual International Arts Fair. The 2009 event will be in the Norman Foster designed Sage Gateshead Music and Arts Centre in September. In October, there is the Design Event festival -- an annual festival providing the public with an opportunity to see work by regional, national and international designers. The SAMA Festival, an East Asian cultural festival is also held in early October. Music Sting, principal songwriter, lead singer and bassist for English rock band The Police See also : List of bands and musicians from Newcastle Upon Tyne Newcastle 's vernacular music was a mixture of Northumbrian folk music and nineteenth - century songs with dialect lyrics, by writers such as George `` Geordie '' Ridley, whose songs include one which became an unofficial Tyneside national anthem, Blaydon Races. The 1960s saw the internationally successful rock group The Animals, emerge from Newcastle night spots such as Club A-Go - Go on Percy Street. Other well - known acts with connections to the city include Sting, Bryan Ferry, Dire Straits and more recently Maxïmo Park. There is also a thriving underground music scene that encompasses a variety of styles, including drum and bass, doom metal and post-rock. Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler. His song `` Local Hero '' is played at St. James Park before the start of every Newcastle United home game. Lindisfarne are a folk - rock group with a strong Tyneside connection. Their most famous song, `` Fog on the Tyne '' ( 1971 ), was covered by Geordie ex-footballer Paul Gascoigne in 1990. Venom, reckoned by many to be the originators of black metal and extremely influential to the extreme metal scene as a whole, formed in Newcastle in 1979. Folk metal band Skyclad, often regarded as the first folk metal band, also formed in Newcastle after the break - up of Martin Walkyier thrash metal band, Sabbat. Andy Taylor, former lead guitarist of Duran Duran was born here in 1961. Brian Johnson was a member of local rock band Geordie before becoming the lead vocalist of AC / DC. Newcastle is the home of Kitchenware Records ( c. 1982 ), previously home to acclaimed bands such as Prefab Sprout, Martin Stephenson and the Daintees and The Fatima Mansions, the management of The Lighthouse Family and home to recent successes Editors and Sirens. The 1990s boom in progressive house music saw the city 's Global Underground record label publish mix CDs by the likes of Sasha, Paul Oakenfold, James Lavelle, and Danny Howells recording mix compilations. The label is still going strong today with offices in London and New York, and new releases from Deep Dish and Adam Freeland. Newcastle 's leading classical music ensemble is the Royal Northern Sinfonia, which was founded in 1958 and performed regularly at Newcastle City Hall until 2004. Nowadays it is based at The Sage, Gateshead. ICMuS, Newcastle University 's music department, has been a driving force for music in the region, producing innovative work, organising concerts and festivals, instigating the first degree programme in folk music in the British Isles, and engaging creatively with communities in the region. Concert venues Metro Radio Arena The largest venue used for music concerts is St James Park, home of Newcastle United, which has also previously been used for Rugby League games and the Olympic Games. The second largest music venue in Newcastle is the 11,000 - seat Metro Radio Arena, which opened in 1995 and hosts major pop and rock concerts. Newcastle City Hall is one of the oldest venues in the region and `` attracts big names who are often legends of the past ''. Both of the city 's universities have venues that mainly host indie and alternative bands. On 14 October 2005 the 2,000 capacity O2 Academy Newcastle opened in the city centre. It had previously been a music venue in the 1960s, hosting concerts by The Beatles and The Who. The new venue was headlined by The Futureheads on the opening night and known as the Carling Academy for a number of years. Since opening the venue has hosted performances by major bands and solo musicians including Adele, Arctic Monkeys, Katy Perry, The Libertines, Blondie and Amy Winehouse. The Riverside music venue on Melbourne Street, open from 1985 until 1999, famously hosted Nirvana 's first European show in 1989. The venue also welcomed Oasis, David Bowie and The Stone Roses and was named Best Regional Venue by NME in 1993. Riverside has also been the subject of a book, Riverside : Newcastle 's Legendary Alternative Music Venue. In 2016 open - air concerts will take place at Times Square for the first time, including performances from Maxïmo Park, Ocean Colour Scene and Catfish and the Bottlemen. The small music venue Think Tank ? was a nominee for Best Small Venue in NME in 2015. The Cluny in Ouseburn Valley is `` one of the most important venues for breaking bands in the region ''. Trillians Rock Bar is well - noted for its rock and metal shows, and The Head of Steam is a 90 - capacity basement venue described as `` one of Newcastle 's staple venues ''. Cinema Tyneside Cinema, designed and built by Dixon Scott, great uncle of Ridley and Tony Scott Apart from the city centre chain - cinema, the Empire multiplex, the city has its own independent cinema, the Tyneside Cinema. The Tyneside Cinema, on Pilgrim Street, originally opened as the ' Bijou News - Reel Cinema ' in 1937, and was designed and built by Dixon Scott, great - uncle of film directors Ridley Scott and Tony Scott. The Pilgrim Street building was refurbished between November 2006 and May 2008 ; during the refurbishment works, the cinema relocated to the Old Town Hall, Gateshead. In May 2008 the Tyneside Cinema reopened in the restored and refurbished original building. The site currently houses three cinemas, including the restored Classic -- the United Kingdom 's last surviving news cinema still in full - time operation -- alongside two new screens, and dedicated education and teaching suites. Museums and galleries There are several museums and galleries in Newcastle, including the Centre for Life with its Science Village ; the Discovery Museum a museum highlighting life on Tyneside, including Tyneside 's shipbuilding heritage, and inventions which changed the world ; the Great North Museum ; in 2009 the Newcastle on Tyne Museum of Antiquities merged with the Great North Museum ( Hancock Museum ) ; Seven Stories a museum dedicated to children 's books, the Side Gallery historical and contemporary photography from around the world and Northern England and the Newburn Hall Motor Museum. The Laing Art Gallery, like other art galleries and museums around the world, has collections digitised on the Google Cultural Institute, an initiative that makes important cultural material accessible online. In film See also : Category : Films set in Newcastle upon Tyne The earliest known movie featuring some exterior scenes filmed in the city is On the Night of the Fire ( 1939 ), though by and large the action is studio - bound. Later came The Clouded Yellow ( 1951 ) and Payroll ( 1961 ), both of which feature more extensive scenes filmed in the city. The gangster thriller Get Carter ( 1971 ) was shot on location in and around Newcastle and offers an opportunity to see what Newcastle looked like in the early 1970s. The city was also backdrop to another gangster film, the film noir Stormy Monday ( 1988 ), directed by Mike Figgis and starring Tommy Lee Jones, Melanie Griffith, Sting and Sean Bean. The city has been the setting for films based around football ; films such as Purely Belter ( 2000 ), The One and Only ( 2002 ) and Goal ! have all been focused around Tyneside. The comedy School for Seduction ( 2004 ), starring Kelly Brook was also filmed in Newcastle. The Bollywood film Hum Tum Aur Ghost ( 2010 ) was shot on location in Newcastle 's city centre and features key scenes in and around Grainger Town. The film Public Sex ( 2009 ) was shot in and around Newcastle, and features several scenes under and around the Tyne Bridge. Crime drama Harrigan ( 2013 ) was filmed in the city as well as Gateshead and Teesside. See also : Category : Television shows set in Newcastle upon Tyne Sport Inside St. James ' Park -- home of Newcastle United Football Club -- looking towards the city centre. The city has a strong sporting tradition. Football club Newcastle United has been based at St James ' Park since the club was established in 1892, although any traces of the original structure are now long gone as the stadium now holds more than 52,000 seated spectators, being England 's seventh largest football stadium. The city also has non-League football clubs, Newcastle Benfield, West Allotment Celtic and Team Northumbria. The Newcastle Falcons are the only rugby union team in north - east England to have played in the Aviva Premiership. They play at Kingston Park Stadium in the northern suburb of Kingston Park. 1996 Pilkington Shield winners Medicals RFC are also based in Newcastle. Newcastle Thunder ( formerly Gateshead Thunder ) are a professional rugby league club based in the city who now also play at Kingston Park Stadium. They currently play in the Kingstone Press League 1. Since 2015, the Super League Magic Weekend has been played annually in the city at St James ' Park. There is a women 's football team, Newcastle United Women 's Football Club, founded in 1989. Newcastle United W.F.C. currently has 40 ladies aged between 16 -- 29 years signed or associated with the club, and plays in the FA Women 's Premier League ( North ). Newcastle has a horse racing course at Gosforth Park. The city is also home to the Newcastle Eagles basketball team who play their home games at the new Sport Central complex at Northumbria University. The Eagles are the most successful team in the history of the British Basketball League ( BBL ). The city 's speedway team Newcastle Diamonds are based at Brough Park in Byker, a venue that is also home to greyhound racing. Newcastle also hosts the start of the annual Great North Run, the world 's largest half - marathon in which participants race over the Tyne Bridge into Gateshead and then towards the finish line 13.1 miles ( 21.1 km ) away on the coast at South Shields. Another famous athletic event is the 5.9 - mile ( 9.5 km ) Blaydon Race ( a road race from Newcastle to Blaydon ), which has taken place on 9 June annually since 1981, to commemorate the celebrated Blaydon Races horse racing. The 2012 London Olympic committee selected Newcastle as one of the UK host venue cities, with the stadium St James ' Park hosting 9 matches in both the men 's and women 's football. The Newcastle Warriors were a professional ice hockey team that played the 1995 -- 96 season in the British Hockey League. The Newcastle Vipers were also a professional ice hockey team in the British National League from 2002 and then the Elite Ice Hockey League between 2005 and 2011 ( when the team folded ). Newcastle upon Tyne was one of the 11 host cities for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. St James ' Park hosted three matches ; South Africa v Scotland ( 3 October 2015 ) New Zealand v Tonga ( 9 October 2015 ) Samoa v Scotland ( 10 October 2015 ) Government Main article : Newcastle City Council Newcastle Civic Centre, and the Northumberland Fusiliers Memorial Newcastle is governed using the leader and cabinet system, and the executive is Labour, as they have 55 councillors against the Liberal Democrats ' 20. No other parties hold seats on the city 's council, but there are 3 independent councillors. For the purposes of City Council elections, Newcastle is divided into 26 electoral wards. Following the boundary changes in 2016, the wards are as follows : Arthur 's Hill Benwell and Scotswood Blakelaw Byker Callerton and Throckley Castle Chapel Dene and South Gosforth Denton and Westerhope Elswick Fawdon and West Gosforth Gosforth Heaton Kenton Kingston Park South and Newbiggin Hall Lemington Manor Park Monument North Jesmond Ouseburn Parklands South Jesmond Walker Walkergate West Fenham Wingrove The Members of parliament are Catherine McKinnell, Nick Brown and Chi Onwurah. Transport See also : Transport in Tyne and Wear Airport Main article : Newcastle Airport Planes parked at Newcastle Airport Newcastle Airport is located approximately 6 miles ( 9.7 km ) from the city centre on the northern outskirts of the city near Ponteland and is the larger of the two main airports serving the North East. It is connected to the city via the Tyne & Wear Metro system and a journey into Newcastle city centre takes approximately 20 minutes. The airport handles over five million passengers per year, and is the tenth largest, and the fastest growing regional airport in the UK, expecting to reach 10 million passengers by 2016, and 15 million by 2030. As of 2007, over 90 destinations are available worldwide. Rail Main article : Newcastle railway station Inside Newcastle station Newcastle railway station, also known as Newcastle Central station, is a principal stop on the East Coast Main Line and Cross Country Route. Newcastle station is one of the busiest stations in Britain. In 2014, work was completed on the stations historic entrance. Glazing was placed over the historic arches and the Victorian architecture was enhanced ; transforming the 19th century public portico. The station is one of only six Grade One listed railway stations in the UK. Opened in 1850 by Queen Victoria, it was the first covered railway station in the world and was much copied across the UK. It has a neoclassical façade, originally designed by the architect John Dobson, and was constructed in collaboration with Robert Stephenson. The station sightlines towards the Castle Keep, whilst showcasing the curvature of the station 's arched roof. The first services were operated by the North Eastern Railway company. The city 's other mainline station, Manors, is to the east of the city centre. Train operator London North Eastern Railway provides a half - hourly frequency of trains to London King 's Cross, with a journey time of about three hours, and north to Scotland with all trains calling at Edinburgh Waverley and a small number of trains extended to Glasgow Central, Aberdeen and Inverness. CrossCountry trains serve destinations in Yorkshire, the Midlands and the South West. TransPennine Express operates services to Manchester Airport and Liverpool Lime Street. Northern provides local and regional services. Metro Haymarket Metro station in Newcastle city centre Main article : Tyne & Wear Metro The city is served by the Tyne & Wear Metro, a system of suburban and underground railways covering much of Tyne & Wear. It was opened in five phases between 1980 and 1984, and was Britain 's first urban light rail transit system ; two extensions were opened in 1991 and 2002. It was developed from a combination of existing and newly built tracks and stations, with deep - level tunnels constructed through Newcastle city centre. A bridge was built across the Tyne, between Newcastle and Gateshead, and opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1981. The network, operated directly by Nexus, carries over 37 million passengers a year, extending as far as Newcastle Airport, Tynemouth, South Shields and South Hylton in Sunderland. In 2004, the company Marconi designed and constructed the mobile radio system to the underground Metro system. The Metro system was the first in the UK to have mobile phone antennae installed in the tunnels. The Metro consists of two lines. The Green line starts at Newcastle Airport, goes through the city centre and into Sunderland, terminating at South Hylton. The yellow line starts at St James, runs north of the river alongside Byker towards Whitley Bay, before returning to the city, on to Gateshead Interchange and terminates at South Shields. The system is currently undergoing a period of refurbishment and modernisation, entitled ' Metro : All Change. ' The programme has replaced all ticket machines and introduced ticket gates at the busiest stations -- part of the transition to smart ticketing. All Metro trains are being completely refurbished and most stations are undergoing improvement works ( or in some cases complete reconstruction, for example North Shields ). In addition ; tracks, signalling and overhead wires are also being overhauled. Longer term plans include the procurement of an entirely new fleet of trains and further extensions to the system. Proposed routes include to Newcastle 's west end, to the Cobalt business park in North Tyneside, to the Metrocentre in Gateshead and to additional locations in Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland. Several of the proposed routes would require trams as opposed to the current light rail trains. Road Major roads in the area include the A1 ( Gateshead Newcastle Western Bypass ), stretching north to Edinburgh and south to London ; the A19 heading south past Sunderland and Middlesbrough to York and Doncaster ; the A69 heading west to Carlisle ; the A696, which becomes the A68 heads past Newcastle Airport and up through central Northumberland and central Scottish Borders, the A167, the old `` Great North Road '', heading south to Gateshead, Chester - le - Street, Durham and Darlington ; and the A1058 `` Coast Road '', which runs from Jesmond to the east coast between Tynemouth and Cullercoats. Many of these designations are recent -- upon completion of the Western Bypass, and its designation as the new line of the A1, the roads between this and the A1 's former alignment through the Tyne Tunnel were renumbered, with many city centre roads changing from a 6 - prefix to their present 1 - prefix numbers. In November 2011 the capacity of the Tyne Tunnel was increased when a project to build a second road tunnel and refurbish the first tunnel was completed. Bus Haymarket bus station, one of the city 's two main bus stations. There are three main bus companies providing services in the city ; Arriva North East, Go North East and Stagecoach North East. There are two major bus stations in the city : Haymarket bus station and Eldon Square bus station. Arriva mainly operates from Haymarket bus station providing the majority of services to the north of Newcastle, Northumberland and North Tyneside. Go - Ahead operates from Eldon Square bus station, providing the majority of services south of the river in Gateshead, South Tyneside, Sunderland, and County Durham. Stagecoach is the primary operator in the city proper, with cross-city services mainly between both the West and East ends via the city centre with some services extending out to the MetroCentre, Killingworth, Wallsend and Ponteland. Bus services in Newcastle upon Tyne and the surrounding boroughs part of the Tyne & Wear area are coordinated by Nexus, the Tyne & Wear Passenger Transport Executive. Other major departure points are Pilgrim Street for buses running south of the Tyne via Gateshead, and Blackett Street / Monument for services to the East or West of the city. Many bus services also pass Newcastle railway station, a major interchange for rail and metro services. QuayLink is a bus service operated to the Quayside from Newcastle and Gateshead. Newcastle coach station, near the railway station, handles long distance bus services operated by National Express. Cycle Newcastle is accessible by several mostly traffic - free cycle routes that lead to the edges of the city centre, where cyclists can continue into the city by road, using no car lanes. The traffic - free C2C cycle route runs along the north bank of the River Tyne, enabling cyclists to travel off - road to North Shields and Tynemouth in the east, and westwards towards Hexham. Suburban cycle routes exist, which use converted trackbeds of former industrial wagonways and industrial railways. A network on Tyneside 's suburban Victorian waggonways is being developed. A network of signed on - road cycle routes is being established, including some designated on - road cycle lanes that will lead from the city centre to the suburbs of Gosforth, Heaton and Wallsend. Newcastle has a growing culture of bicycle usage. Newcastle is also home to a cycling campaign, called the ' Newcastle Cycling Campaign. ' The ideal of the organisation is to model other European cities like Amsterdam and Copenhagen. The aims of the organisation, within the constitution are : To raise the profile of cycling, especially utility cycling around the city ; to educate decision makers over the benefits of cycling ; to promote equality. Following guidelines set in the National Cycling strategy, Newcastle first developed its cycling strategy in 1998. As of 2012, the local council social aims and objectives for cycling include : highlighting the usage of cycling to cut city congestion ; educating that cycling promotes healthy living... The authority also has infrastructure aims and objectives which include : developing on road cycle networks on quieter streets ; making safer routes on busier streets ; innovating and implementing contraflows on one way streets ; developing the existing off - road cycle route networks and improve signage ; joining up routes that are partially or completely isolated ; Increase the number of cycle parking facilities ; working with employers to integrate cycling into workplace travel plans ; link the local networks to national networks. Water From Newcastle International Ferry Terminal, at North Shields, Danish DFDS Seaways runs a service to IJmuiden ( near Amsterdam ). The DFDS ferry service to Gothenburg, Sweden, ceased at the end of October 2006 and their service to Bergen and Stavanger, Norway was terminated late 2008. The company cited high fuel prices and new competition from low - cost air services as the cause. Since summer 2007, Thomson cruise lines have included Newcastle as a departure port on its Norwegian and Fjords cruise. Millennium Bridge Education See also : List of schools in Newcastle Upon Tyne Newcastle has 74 primary schools and 20 secondary school around the city as a whole. There are 13 LEA - funded and 7 independent schools in Newcastle. There are a number of successful state schools, including Walker Technology College, Gosforth High School, Heaton Manor School, St Cuthbert 's High School, St. Mary 's Catholic Comprehensive School, Kenton School, George Stephenson High School, Sacred Heart, Excelsior Academy, Walbottle Campus, Discovery School and Benfield School. The largest co-ed independent school is the Royal Grammar School. The largest girls ' independent school is Newcastle High School for Girls. Both schools are located on the same street in Jesmond. Newcastle School for Boys is the only independent boys ' only school in the city and is situated in Gosforth. Other independent schools include Dame Allan 's School and Emmanuel College, Gateshead. Newcastle College is the largest general further education college in the North East and is a Beacon Status college ; there are two smaller colleges in the Newcastle area. Tertiary Newcastle has one of the country 's largest universities for research. The city has two universities -- Newcastle University and Northumbria University. Newcastle University has its origins in the School of Medicine and Surgery, established in 1834 and became independent from Durham University on 1 August 1963 to form the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. Newcastle University is now one of the UK 's leading international universities. It won the coveted Sunday Times University of the Year award in 2000. Northumbria University has its origins in the Newcastle Polytechnic, established in 1969 and became the University of Northumbria at Newcastle in 1992 as part of the UK - wide process in which polytechnics became new universities. Northumbria University was voted ' Best New University ' by The Times Good University Guide 2005 and also won a much coveted company award of the `` Most IT enabled organisation '' ( in the UK ), by the IT industry magazine Computing. Religious sites St. Nicholas ' Cathedral, as seen from the Castle See also : Diocese of Newcastle, Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle, and North East Jewry Newcastle has three cathedrals, the Anglican St. Nicholas, with its elegant lantern tower of 1474, the Roman Catholic St. Mary 's designed by Augustus Welby Pugin and the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Fenham. All three cathedrals began their lives as parish churches. St Mary 's became a cathedral in 1850 and St Nicholas ' in 1882. Another prominent church in the city centre is the Church of St Thomas the Martyr which is the only parish church in the Church of England without a parish and which is not a peculiar. One of the largest evangelical Anglican churches in the UK is Jesmond Parish Church, situated a little to the north of the city centre. Newcastle is home to the only Bahá'í Centre in North East England ; the centre has served the local Bahá'í community for over 25 years and is located close to the Civic Centre in Jesmond. Newcastle was a prominent centre of the Plymouth Brethren movement up to the 1950s, and some small congregations still function. Among these are at the Hall, Denmark Street and Gospel Hall, St Lawrence. The Parish Church of St Andrew is traditionally recognised as ' the oldest church in this town '. The present building was begun in the 12th Century and the last addition to it, apart from the vestries, was the main porch in 1726. It is quite possible that there was an earlier church here dating from Saxon times. This older church would have been one of several churches along the River Tyne dedicated to St Andrew, including the Priory church at Hexham. The building contains more old stonework than any other church in Newcastle. It is surrounded by the last of the ancient churchyards to retain its original character. Many key names associated with Newcastle 's history worshipped and were buried here. The church tower received a battering during the Siege of Newcastle by the Scots who finally breached the Town Wall and forced surrender. Three of the cannonballs remain on site as testament to the siege. Media See also : List of television shows set in Newcastle upon Tyne Local newspapers that are printed in Newcastle include Trinity Mirror 's Evening Chronicle and The Journal, the Sunday Sun as well as the Metro freesheet. The Crack is a monthly style and listings magazine similar to London 's Time Out. The adult comic Viz originated in Jesmond and includes many references to Newcastle, and The Mag is a fanzine for Newcastle United supporters. Two converted warehouses provided the base for Tyne Tees on City Road until 2005 ITV Tyne Tees was based at City Road for over 40 years after its launch in January 1959. In 2005 it moved to a new facility on The Watermark business park next to the MetroCentre in Gateshead. The entrance to studio 5 at the City Road complex gave its name to the 1980s music television programme, The Tube. BBC North East and Cumbria is located to the north of the city on Barrack Road, Spital Tongues, in a building known, as the result of its colouring, as the Pink Palace. It is from here that the Corporation broadcasts the Look North television regional news programme and local radio station BBC Newcastle. Independent Local Radio stations include Metro Radio and sister station Metro 2 Radio, which are both based in a building on the Swan House roundabout on the north side of the Tyne Bridge. Capital North East broadcasts across Newcastle from its studios in nearby Wallsend. Heart North East and Smooth North East both broadcast from Team Valley in Gateshead. NE1fm launched on 8 June 2007, the first full - time community radio station in the area. Newcastle Student Radio is run by students from both of the city 's universities, broadcasting from Newcastle University 's students ' union building during term time. Radio Tyneside has been the voluntary hospital radio service for most hospitals across Newcastle and Gateshead since 1951, broadcasting on Hospedia and online. The city also has a Radio Lollipop station based at the Great North Children 's Hospital in the Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary. Newcastle is one of the first in the UK to have its city centre covered by wireless internet access. It was developed and installed at the end of 2006 and went active in March 2007. Notable people Main article : List of residents of Newcastle upon Tyne Charles Avison, the leading British composer of concertos in the 18th century, was born in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1709 and died there in 1770. Basil Hume, Archbishop of Westminster, was born in the city in 1923. Vice Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron Collingwood, was born in the city. Ironmaster, metallurgist, and member of parliament Isaac Lowthian Bell was born in the city in 1816. Other notable people born in or associated with Newcastle include : engineer and industrialist Lord Armstrong, engineer and father of the modern steam railways George Stephenson, his son, also an engineer, Robert Stephenson, engineer and inventor of the steam turbine Sir Charles Parsons, inventor of the incandescent light bulb Sir Joseph Swan, modernist poet Basil Bunting, and Lord Chief Justice Peter Taylor. Portuguese writer Eça de Queiroz was a diplomat in Newcastle from late 1874 until April 1879 -- his most productive literary period. Former Prime Minister of Thailand Abhisit Vejjajiva, was born in the city. Composer Agustín Fernández has been based in the city since 1995, teaching at Newcastle University and occasionally collaborating with Royal Northern Sinfonia. Musicians Eric Burdon, Sting, Mark Knopfler, Jeffrey Dunn, Brian Johnson, Alan Hull, Cheryl and Neil Tennant lived in Newcastle. Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch were both former pupils of Rutherford Grammar School, actors Charlie Hunnam and James Scott, entertainers Ant & Dec and international footballers Michael Carrick and Alan Shearer were born in Newcastle. Multiple circumnavigator David Scott Cowper, Nobel Prize winning physicist Peter Higgs, and Neville were born in the city. John Dunn, inventor of keyed Northumbrian smallpipes, the most characteristic musical instrument in the region, lived and worked in the city. Kathryn Tickell OBE, the celebrated Northumbrian piper and composer, has longstanding associations with Newcastle as a resident, frequent performer at Sage Gateshead and teacher at Newcastle University. Marc Smith ( palaeographer ) ( born 1963 ), French palaeographer, was born in Newcastle upon Tyne. One half of Britain 's Got Talent impressionist double act The Mimic Men Cal Halbert lives in Newcastle after relocating from his hometown of Shrewsbury. Freddy Shepherd was chairman of NUFC for ten years, and died at home in Jesmond. Alan Shearer, former footballer an iconic Newcastle United player and the Premier League 's all - time top goalscorer and England Captain. Rowan Atkinson, actor best known for Mr. Bean, Studied at Newcastle University. Cheryl, pop singer, former member of Girls Aloud and former X Factor judge, previously known as Cheryl Tweedy, Cheryl Cole and Cheryl Fernandez - Versini. Musician and lead singer of rock band the Police, Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, better known by his stage name Sting, grew up in the Newcastle area. A large majority of the Geordie Shore cast were born and reside in Newcastle. They include Marty McKenna, Chloe Ferry, Zahida Allen, Charlotte Crosby, Vicky Pattison, Holly Hagan, Marnie Simpson, Gaz Beadle, Sarah Goodhart, Nathan Henry, Scotty T and Sophie Kasaei. International relations Twin towns -- sister cities See also : List of twin towns and sister cities in the United Kingdom Newcastle upon Tyne is twinned with : Atlanta, United States ( 1977 ) Bergen ( 1968 ) Gelsenkirchen, Germany ( 1948 ) Groningen, Netherlands Haifa, Israel Nancy, France ( 1954 ) Newcastle, Australia Singkawang, Indonesia Elbasan, Albania Other friendship agreements Newcastle also has a `` friendship agreement '' with Little Rock, United States. and, since 2003, a `` special cooperation agreement '' with Malmö, Sweden. Foreign Consulates The following countries have consular representation in Newcastle : Denmark, Finland, Romania, Belgium, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Norway, and Sweden. See also North East England portal Duke of Newcastle Great fire of Newcastle and Gateshead List of tallest buildings and structures in Newcastle upon Tyne OPENCities St Stephen 's Church, Low Elswick References Notes Jump up ^ `` Lord Mayor ''. Newcastle City Council. Retrieved 12 April 2018. ^ Jump up to : Pointer, Graham. `` The UK 's major urban areas '' ( PDF ). statistics.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2007. ^ Jump up to : `` Global city GDP 2014 ''. Brookings Institution. Archived from the original on 4 June 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2014. Jump up ^ Wells, John C. ( 2008 ). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary ( 3rd ed. ). Longman. pp. 539, 848 and 865. ISBN 9781405881180. Jump up ^ `` Grid Reference Finder ''. Jump up ^ `` Core Cities ''. corecities.com. Core Cities. Retrieved 8 April 2007. Jump up ^ `` Eurocities ''. eurocities.org. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 19 August 2007. Jump up ^ `` Newcastle - Gateshead ''. eurocities.eu. eurocities. Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 17 September 2015. Jump up ^ `` History of Newcastle upon Tyne '' ( PDF ). Local Studies Factsheet No. 6. Newcastle City Council. 2009. p. 2. Retrieved 7 June 2014. ^ Jump up to : Lewis, Samuel ( 1848 ). Newcastle - upon - Tyne ', in A Topographical Dictionary of England. british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 July 2016. separated from Northumberland... made a county of itself, by Henry IV... ^ Jump up to : Mackenzie, Eneas ( 1827 ). `` ' The Corporation : Grants and charters ', in Historical Account of Newcastle - Upon - Tyne ''. british-history.ac.uk. Mackenzie and Dent, Newcastle - upon - Tyne, 1827. Retrieved 1 May 2017. Jump up ^ `` Legal background and Organisation and Governance Structure '' ( PDF ). The Newcastle Charter. Newcastle City Council. 2011. pp. 10 -- 11. Retrieved 7 June 2014. Jump up ^ Roman Britain Pons Aelius -- ' The Aelian Bridge ' Jump up ^ GoogleBooks George Patrick Welch, Britannia, the Roman Conquest and Occupation of Britain, Wesleyan University Press, 1963, pp 165, 167, 277 Jump up ^ `` Great North Run ''. BBC Sport. 28 September 2007. Retrieved 1 October 2007. Jump up ^ `` Arbeia Roman Fort ''. Retrieved 25 March 2018. Jump up ^ The Megalithic Portal and Megalith Map. `` C. Michael Hogan ( 2007 ) Hadrian 's Wall, ed. A. Burnham, The Megalithic Portal ''. Megalithic.co.uk. Retrieved 4 August 2010. Jump up ^ Stephen Johnson ( 2004 ) Hadrian 's Wall, Sterling Publishing Company, Inc, 128 pages, ISBN 0 - 7134 - 8840 - 9 Jump up ^ Mackenzie, Eneas ( 1827 ). `` Historical Account of Newcastle - upon - Tyne ''. british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 24 November 2008. ^ Jump up to : Dodds, Graham. `` Origins of ( the ) New Castle upon Tyne ''. Newcastle University. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2015. Jump up ^ `` The war and bloodshed of our historic Baronial families ''. Morpeth Herald. 19 May 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2018. Jump up ^ Newbottle -- Newcastle - upon - Tyne British History Online -- Retrieved 18 August 2009 Jump up ^ Mackenzie, Eneas ( 1827 ). `` Historical Account of Newcastle - Upon - Tyne ''. british-history.ac.uk. Mackenzie and Dent, Newcastle - upon - Tyne. 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Newcastle University. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2014. Jump up ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. ( 1911 ). `` Plague ''. Encyclopædia Britannica. 21 ( 11th ed. ). Cambridge University Press. p. 695. Jump up ^ Bower, Ian ( 22 October 2014 ). `` Ebola and Plague in Newcastle in 1636 ''. twmuseums.org.uk. Retrieved 24 November 2014. Jump up ^ History.com Staff ( 2009 ). `` English civil wars ''. A + E Networks. Retrieved 20 June 2015. Jump up ^ `` Civil War ''. The Northern Echo. 10 March 2009. Retrieved 17 April 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` We take a closer look at the vibrant city of Newcastle '' ( PDF ). Retrieved 26 July 2010. By the 18th century Newcastle was the country 's fourth largest print centre after London, Oxford and Cambridge. Newcastle 's Literary and Philosophical Society, founded in 1793 and now known as simply the Lit and Phil, predated the London Library by half a century. Jump up ^ `` Glass ( N ) -- Encyclopedia of Antiques ''. Oldandsold.com. 2 December 1994. Retrieved 4 August 2010. Jump up ^ `` The Building of Newcastle Barracks ( later known as Fenham Barracks ) ''. Retrieved 29 March 2014. Jump up ^ `` Last surviving building from Great Fire ''. Quayside Lives. Retrieved 25 March 2018. Jump up ^ `` The History of Newcastle upon Tyne ''. information-britain.co.uk. Retrieved 23 January 2014. Shipbuilding and heavy engineering developed fast and Newcastle became the powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution in Britain. Jump up ^ `` A history of urbanisation in Britain ''. BBC. Archived from the original on 6 January 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Mailing pottery ''. twmuseums.org.uk. Archived from the original on 11 April 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2015. Jump up ^ `` Tunnel History ''. ouseburntrust.org.uk. Archived from the original on 28 August 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Sir Joseph Wilson Swan ''. home.frognet.net. Archived from the original on 10 May 2011. 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Retrieved 25 March 2018. Jump up ^ `` A Shipbuilding Target -- Newcastle And Tyneside in World War Two ''. Jump up ^ Marshall, Ray ( 16 November 2011 ). `` WWII betrayal of French Consul in Newcastle ''. nechronicle. Jump up ^ `` History of the University ''. Jump up ^ https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/northumbria-university Jump up ^ `` Newcastle 's Military Vehicle Museum for sale ''. nechronicle. 3 November 2011. Jump up ^ `` A History of Newcastle ''. Localhistories.org. Retrieved 4 March 2012. Jump up ^ `` The Early Years of Newcastle United : 1881 -- 1939 ''. Newcastle United F.C. Archived from the original on 8 July 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2012. Jump up ^ `` Newcastle United : Club Records ''. Newcastle United F.C. Retrieved 4 March 2012. Jump up ^ `` Archive -- Shearer joins Newcastle in 1996 ''. BBC News. 1 April 2009. Jump up ^ Whetstone, David ( 4 October 2017 ). `` Newcastle 's iconic Tyne Bridge is to host the spectacular Freedom on the Tyne finale ''. Chronicle. Newcastle : chroniclelive.co.uk. Retrieved 11 July 2018. Jump up ^ Whetstone, David ( 13 November 2017 ). `` Statue of Dr Martin Luther King has been unveiled in Newcastle by his great friend ''. Chronicle. Newcastle : chroniclelive.co.uk. Retrieved 11 July 2018. Jump up ^ freedomCity2017 Staff. `` Freedom City 2017 ''. freedomcity2017.com. Newcastle University. Retrieved 11 July 2018. Jump up ^ Holland, Daniel ( 31 May 2018 ). `` Spectacular Tyne water fountain for Great Exhibition of the North will become a reality ''. Chronicle. Newcastle : chroniclelive.co.uk. Retrieved 11 July 2018. Jump up ^ Staff. `` Great Exhibition of the North ''. Chronicle. Newcastle : chroniclelive.co.uk. Retrieved 11 July 2018. Jump up ^ Bedrock Geology UK North, 1 : 625,000 scale geological map published by British Geological Survey Jump up ^ `` GRAINGER TOWN, Tyneside Classical ''. Retrieved 26 July 2010. hundreds of fine Georgian and stylish Victorian buildings which have led to its architecture being referred to as `` Tyneside Classical ''. Jump up ^ Maconie, Stuart ( 8 February 2008 ). `` Stuart Maconie reveals... why it 's great up North. '' Daily Mirror. UK. Archived from the original on 6 October 2008. Retrieved 4 July 2008. Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle remain, bolder brighter and more beautiful than ever. You ca n't move in Manchester for boutique hotels, Leeds has got a Harvey Nichols and Newcastle is now the best - looking city in England. Jump up ^ Maconie, Stuart ( February 2007 ). Pies and Prejudice. Ebury Press. ISBN 978 - 0 - 09 - 191022 - 8. Jump up ^ `` GRAINGER TOWN... Grey Street, Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner ''. Retrieved 26 July 2010. Grey Street was described as ' one of the finest streets in England ' by Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner ( 1902 -- 1983 ) the German - born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture. Jump up ^ `` Around Tyne. Grey Street ''. BBC. 13 December 2007. Retrieved 9 July 2008. Grey Street in Newcastle was voted the best street in Britain by Radio 4 listeners. Jump up ^ `` GOOD CASE STUDY -- GREY STREET, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE ''. BBC radio 4. Archived from the original on 7 August 2008. Retrieved 9 July 2008. Said by many to be amongst the greatest streets in ' England if not Europe ', this gently curving and rising street has been ' sensitively restored and improved in the last decade '. ^ Jump up to : `` Google Street View awards 2010 ''. The Guardian. London. 8 March 2010. Retrieved 8 March 2010. Jump up ^ `` Current and past exhibitions -- University Library -- Newcastle University ''. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` Insight : Taking a closer look at the Town Moor ''. Northumbria University. Retrieved 17 September 2008. land which covers an area larger than London 's Hyde Park and Hampstead Heath ^ Jump up to : `` Newcastle Breaks ''. latebreaks.com. Archived from the original on 15 January 2009. Retrieved 17 September 2008. Town Moor, which is larger and wider than Hampstead Heath and Hyde Park Jump up ^ `` Honorary Freedom -- Citations -- Bob Geldof ''. newcastle.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 1 October 2009. Retrieved 17 September 2010. Jump up ^ `` Honorary Freedom -- Citations -- King Harald V of Norway ''. newcastle.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 1 October 2009. Retrieved 17 September 2010. to mark the 40th anniversary of the official opening of the Civic Centre by his father HM King Olaf V and to recognise and celebrate the close links between Newcastle and Norway over many years Jump up ^ `` Honorary Freedom -- Citations -- Sir Bobby Robson ''. newcastle.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 1 October 2009. Retrieved 17 September 2010. in recognition of his long and outstanding career across Europe, his role as an ambassador for the North East and Newcastle, and his contribution to the culture and life of the City Jump up ^ `` Honorary Freedom -- Citations -- Alan Shearer ''. newcastle.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 1 October 2009. Retrieved 17 September 2010. Jump up ^ `` Honorary Freedom -- Citations -- Nelson Mandela ''. newcastle.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 1 October 2009. Retrieved 17 September 2010. Jump up ^ `` Honorary Freedom -- Citations -- Royal Shakespeare Company ''. newcastle.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 1 October 2009. Retrieved 17 September 2010. Jump up ^ Lanagan, Paul ( 15 May 2010 ). The Hoppings Fair on Newcastle Town Moor. Books of the North. p. 128. ISBN 0 - 9555059 - 0 - 9... Thought to be the largest travelling fairground in Europe, it takes place in the last full week of June... Jump up ^ Coreena Ford ( 20 April 2016 ). `` Check out workers finishing off Wylam Brewery 's transformation of the Palace of Arts ''. Chronicle Live. Retrieved 26 February 2017. ^ Jump up to : Watson, Chris ( 7 April 2008 ). `` Dawn chorus ''. BBC News. Retrieved 10 April 2015. Jump up ^ `` Byker Wall ''. Jump up ^ Jeffery, Sarah ( 26 January 2015 ). `` Chinese New Year 2015 Newcastle : Guide to shops and restaurants in Chinatown ''. nechronicle. Jump up ^ `` Newcastle Science City ''. Newcastle Science City.com. Retrieved 8 April 2007. Jump up ^ Greenwood, Lynne ( 12 April 2007 ). `` And the winner is... Newcastle ''. The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 10 December 2007. Jump up ^ `` Newcastle upon Tyne ''. Encyclopædia Britannica. Jump up ^ `` Turner Prize to leave London for BALTIC ''. mandh-online.com. 17 September 2010. Archived from the original on 19 September 2010. Retrieved 17 September 2010. The Turner Prize will not be held at a Tate venue for the first time in 25 years in 2011 when it heads to the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art Jump up ^ Hunt, Amy ( 11 December 2007 ). `` Art mixing with nature in the wild ''. Evening Chronicle. Archived from the original on 7 July 2008. Retrieved 1 September 2008. The Tyne is England 's best salmon - fishing river, and this is something the North East should be really proud of, but it is so much more than a fishery. Jump up ^ `` History of the Grainger Market ''. Newcastle.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 25 August 2010. Retrieved 3 March 2011. Richard Grainger, builder and developer, planned and constructed some of Newcastle 's finest buildings and streets during 1830s including Grainger Market, Theatre Royal, Grey Street, Grainger and Clayton Street. Jump up ^ `` History of the Grainger Market ''. newcastle.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 25 August 2010. Retrieved 3 March 2011. Richard Grainger was said to ' have found Newcastle of bricks and timber and left it in stone. ' Jump up ^ `` GRAINGER TOWN, Greys Monument, Edward Hodges Baily ''. Retrieved 26 July 2010. His statue by sculptor Edward Hodges Baily ( also responsible for Nelson 's Column ) tops a column, Grey 's Monument, of 41 metres ( 135 feet ). It has remained a favourite meeting place since it was unveiled in 1838. Jump up ^ `` Newcastle Upon Tyne : The Architecture... ; Greys Monument Centrepiece ''. Retrieved 26 July 2010. The centrepiece is Grey 's Monument, designed in 1838 by Benjamin Green ^ Jump up to : `` Grainger Market ''. britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. Retrieved 28 August 2013. ^ Jump up to : `` History of the Grainger Market ''. Newcastle.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 25 August 2010. Retrieved 3 March 2011. Jump up ^ Flannery, Peter. Retrospective -- An interview with the creators of the series. Included as a bonus feature on the Our Friends in the North DVD release. ( BMG DVD 74321 941149 ). Jump up ^ `` 1990 temperature ''. TuTiempo. Jump up ^ `` 1982 temperature ''. TuTiempo. Jump up ^ `` Durham 1981 -- 2010 averages ''. Station, District and regional averages 1981 -- 2010. Met Office. Archived from the original on 31 October 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2012. Jump up ^ `` Planning for the Future Core Strategy and Urban Core Plan for Gateshead and Newcastle upon Tyne 2010 - 2030 - Adopted March 2015 '' ( PDF ). www.newcastle.gov.uk. 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Retrieved 15 October 2013. ^ Jump up to : Anne Pimlott Baker, ' Bainbridge, Emerson Muschamp ( 1817 -- 1892 ) ', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 ; online edn, January 2010 accessed 29 April 2011 ^ Jump up to : Moreno, Shonquis ( November 2010 ). `` An Introduction to Retail Design ''. dwell.com. Retrieved 15 October 2013. Jump up ^ `` MP opens £ 11m bus station upgrade ''. BBC News. 15 March 2007. Retrieved 24 November 2007. Jump up ^ `` Last day for city centre market ''. BBC News. 26 January 2007. Retrieved 24 November 2007. Jump up ^ `` Newcastle 's Eldon Square opens £ 170m extension ''. Retail Week. Jump up ^ `` Fifth Avenue tops shops rich list ''. BBC News. 26 October 2004. Retrieved 19 December 2006. Jump up ^ Dangerfield, Andy ( 16 January 2007 ). `` The continued rise of Tesco non-food ''. BBC News. Retrieved 19 January 2008. Jump up ^ `` Heaton ( HMOs & Tyneside flats ) ''. Newcastle residential areas. Retrieved 10 January 2016. 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Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 15 March 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017. Bolivians who have recently arrived in the UK are concentrated in London, with a small number going to Newcastle. Long - term residents are more widely dispersed across the country. Some live in London and neighbouring areas... number live in Newcastle and Edinburgh ( see figure 1 ). Jump up ^ Forum UNESCO University and Heritage 10th International Seminar `` Cultural Landscapes in the 21st Century '' Archived 17 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine., Social Housing as Cultural Landscape : A Case Study of Byker, Newcastle upon Tyne pp3, John Pendlebury, Tim Townshend and Rose Gilroy, Newcastle University ( April 2005 -- revised June 2006 ). Retrieved 24 November 2008. Jump up ^ `` Old Ordnance Survey Maps of Newcastle upon Tyne ''. 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Jump up ^ `` Tripadvisor Unveils Travellers ' Best Destinations - Party Hard in London and Newcastle ''. London, U.K. : Tripadvisor.co.uk. 4 May 2010. tourists a good time too with Newcastle coming third, followed by Dublin in fourth position and Edinburgh in seventh. Jump up ^ `` Tripadvisor Unveils Travellers ' Best Destinations -- The World Nightspots ''. Tripadvisor. 4 May 2010. Retrieved 12 August 2010. New Orleans has been identified as having the best nightlife in the world... London comes in at number five in the world and Newcastle number seven. Jump up ^ `` The Gate ''. Retrieved 19 December 2006. Jump up ^ `` About ''. newcastlegay.co.uk right. Retrieved 3 January 2007. Jump up ^ `` Gay Village / Pink Triangle ''. pubsnewcastle.co.uk. Retrieved 19 December 2006. Jump up ^ `` Restaurants in Newcastle & North East restaurants, eating out, places to eat in Newcastle & North East restaurant guide UK ''. Sugarvine.com. Retrieved 4 August 2010. 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Jump up ^ `` North East voted ' arts capital ' ''. BBC News. 29 December 2006. Retrieved 18 August 2007. Jump up ^ `` Morden Tower Home Page ''. Mordentower.org. Retrieved 4 August 2010. ^ Jump up to : Glover, Andrew ( 8 February 2011 ). `` Alexander Armstrong in appeal to save Lit and Phil ''. The Journal. ncjMedia, Trinity Mirror. Archived from the original on 15 February 2011. Retrieved 8 February 2011. The Lit and Phil is the largest independent library outside London, housing more than 150,000 books. Its music library contains 8,000 CDs and 10,000 LPs. The society was founded early in 1793 as a ' conversation club ', with an annual subscription of one guinea. The current building was built in 1825. Jump up ^ `` Lit and Phil -- Welcome ''. litandphil.org.uk. 2011. Archived from the original on 2 May 2010. Retrieved 8 February 2011. The Literary & Philosophical Society ( Lit & Phil ) is the largest independent library outside London, housing over 150,000 books. ^ Jump up to : `` Sir Basil Spence -- Building Notes ''. canmore.rcahms.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 November 2013. ^ Jump up to : `` City Library ''. Newcastle.gov.uk. 11 June 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2013. On Sunday 21 June 2009 the building was formally dedicated by Dr Herbert Loebl ^ Jump up to : Brown, Jonathon ( 23 February 2011 ). `` Delight as ' lost ' Enid Blyton book is discovered ''. The Independent. UK. Retrieved 23 February 2011. ^ Jump up to : Lawson, Ruth ( 20 August 2010 ). `` Jacqueline Wilson Helps Birthday Celebrations ''. The Evening Chronicle. Jump up ^ `` About The Festival ''. newcastlegatesheadcomedyfestival.com. Archived from the original on 8 March 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2008. Jump up ^ `` Newcastle Science Festival -- Home ''. Newcastlesciencefest.com. Retrieved 4 August 2010. Jump up ^ `` Beer Festival ''. cannybevvy.co.uk. 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Jump up ^ `` Global underground is 10 ''. Archived from the original on 15 May 2008. Retrieved 20 August 2008. Global Underground has become more than an internationally renowned dance music label. It 's become a way of life. This is an impressive legacy -- especially for an independent label based in Newcastle - Upon - Tyne in the North of England. ^ Jump up to : `` Newcastle 's music scene : where bands thrive ''. The Independent. 14 April 2006. Retrieved 11 July 2016. Jump up ^ Barr, Gordon ( 15 November 2005 ). `` It 's ten years of rockin ' the Toon ''. Evening Chronicle. Retrieved 11 July 2016. Jump up ^ Wonfor, Sam ( 16 August 2015 ). `` The O2 Academy in Newcastle prepares to celebrate its 10th birthday in style in October ''. Evening Chronicle. Retrieved 10 July 2016. Jump up ^ Duke, Simon ( 14 October 2015 ). `` O2 Academy Newcastle is 10 : A look at the big names who 've entertained ''. Evening Chronicle. Retrieved 11 July 2016. 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Since opening in 1977, the gallery 's been committed to documentary in the tradition of the concerned photographer -- our own production / commissions in the North of England and the historical and contemporary work from around the world... Jump up ^ `` The Newburn Hall Motoring Museum ''. information-britain.co.uk. Retrieved 23 February 2011. Jump up ^ Whetstone, David ( 16 December 2013 ). `` Newcastle 's Laing Art Gallery opens online to viewers around the world ''. The Journal. North East England. Retrieved 17 December 2013. The gallery has joined the White House, the Palace of Versaille and other museums and galleries around the world Jump up ^ `` Laing Art Gallery ''. Art Collections. Google. Retrieved 17 December 2013. Jump up ^ `` Forget Get Carter, On the Night of the Fire was first so - called film noir based in Newcastle ''. nechronicle. 16 April 2013. Jump up ^ `` Tinseltoon : Get Carter ''. Newcastle : BBC. Retrieved 4 July 2010. Jump up ^ `` Stormy Monday ''. Sting. 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Jump up ^ Henderson, Tony ( 20 December 2013 ). `` Memories appeal for Tyneside waggonways project ''. thejournal.co.uk. Retrieved 21 February 2014. ^ Jump up to : `` Delivering Cycling Improvements in Newcastle A ten - year strategy 2011 -- 22 -- Vision, aims and objectives '' ( PDF ). newcycling.org. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 23 February 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2014. ^ Jump up to : `` Welcome to Newcastle Cycling Campaign ''. newcycling.org. Retrieved 4 September 2013. ^ Jump up to : `` Annual Report 2012 / 13 '' ( PDF ). newcycling.org. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 23 February 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2013. Jump up ^ `` Delivering Cycling Improvements in Newcastle A ten - year strategy 2011 -- 22 -- Background '' ( PDF ). newcycling.org. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 23 February 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2014. Jump up ^ `` Ferry to Holland ''. DFDS Seaways. Retrieved 14 August 2017. Jump up ^ `` DFDS scraps Newcastle - Gothenburg line ''. The Local. 7 September 2006. Archived from the original on 28 August 2007. Retrieved 21 September 2007. Jump up ^ `` History ''. Newcastle University. Archived from the original on 12 September 2007. Retrieved 22 September 2007. Jump up ^ McCall, Alastair ( 17 September 2000 ). `` King of the Castle ''. Sunday Times. Archived from the original ( Reprint on Newcastle University 's website ) on 18 September 2007. Retrieved 22 September 2007. Jump up ^ `` 2006 Winners ''. Computing Awards. Archived from the original on 21 October 2007. Retrieved 22 September 2007. Jump up ^ `` Northumbria University wins top IT Award ''. Northumbria University. 26 October 2006. Archived from the original on 30 April 2007. Retrieved 22 September 2007. Jump up ^ `` Coptic Orthodox Faith Contacts -- North East Religious Learning Resources Centre ''. Resourcescentreonline.co.uk. Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2010. 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Jump up ^ `` NINE YOUTH FROM LITTLE ROCK DEPART FOR VISIT TO NEWCASTLE - UPON - TYNE, UNITED KINGDOM '' ( Press release ). City of Little Rock. 9 July 2007. Retrieved 4 February 2008. Jump up ^ `` Vänorter '' ( in Swedish ). Malmö stad. Retrieved 6 November 2013. Jump up ^ `` Danish Consulates and Vice-Consulates in the UK - Newcastle Upon Tyne ''. storbritannien.um.dk. storbritannien. Retrieved 19 February 2018. Jump up ^ `` Consulate of Belgium in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom ''. belgium.visahq.co.uk. Retrieved 21 May 2012. Jump up ^ `` Honorary Consul in Newcastle - Upon - Tyne ''. ambafrance-uk.org. Archived from the original on 17 May 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2012. Jump up ^ `` Regional PAC chairman, Jo Chexal, honoured ''. soroptimist-ukpac.org. 12 May 2009. Archived from the original on 13 April 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2012. Jump up ^ `` Iceland Consulate, United Kingdom ''. iceland.visahq.co.uk. Retrieved 21 May 2012. Jump up ^ `` Honorary Consulate of Italy in Newcastle ''. embassy - finder. Retrieved 21 May 2012. Jump up ^ `` Bestowing the Order of Merit on the Honorary Norwegian Vice-Consul in Newcastle Upon Tyne ''. Norway.org.uk. 18 May 2012. Retrieved 21 May 2012. Jump up ^ `` Sweden Consulate, United Kingdom ''. sweden.visahq.co.uk. Retrieved 21 May 2012. Bibliography Tyneside : A History of Newcastle and Gateshead from Earliest Times, Alistair Moffat and George Rosie, Mainstream Publishing ( 10 November 2005 ), ISBN 1 - 84596 - 013 - 0 Tyneside Neighbourhoods : Deprivation, Social Life and Social Behaviour in One British City, Daniel Nettle, Open Book Publishers, ( 2016 ), ISBN 9781783741885 History of Northumberland and Newcastle - upon - Tyne, Leslie W. Hepple, Phillimore & Co Ltd ( 1976 ), ISBN 0 - 85033 - 245 - 1 External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Newcastle upon Tyne. Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Newcastle_upon_Tyne. City of Newcastle upon Tyne ( Visitor and Tourist Website ) City of Newcastle upon Tyne website ( Newcastle City Council ) Official NewcastleGateshead Tourism Site BBC Tyne BBC Local website Newcastle residential areas ( urban geography site ) Members of the Hanseatic League by quarter Chief cities shown in smallcaps. Free Imperial Cities of the Holy Roman Empire shown in italics. Wendish Lübeck Anklam Demmin Greifswald Hamburg Kolberg ( Kołobrzeg ) Lüneburg Rostock Rügenwalde ( Darłowo ) Stettin ( Szczecin ) Stolp ( Słupsk ) Stockholm Stralsund Visby Wismar Saxon Brunswick Magdeburg Berlin Bremen Erfurt Frankfurt an der Oder Goslar Mühlhausen Nordhausen Baltic Danzig ( Gdańsk ) Breslau ( Wrocław ) Dorpat ( Tartu ) Elbing ( Elbląg ) Königsberg ( Kaliningrad ) Cracow ( Kraków ) Reval ( Tallinn ) Riga ( Rīga ) Thorn ( Toruń ) Westphalian Cologne Dortmund Deventer Groningen Kampen Münster Osnabrück Soest Kontore Principal Bryggen ( Bergen ) Hanzekantoor Bruges Antwerp Steelyard ( London ) Peterhof ( Novgorod ) Subsidiary Bishop 's Lynn Falsterbo Ipswich Kaunas Malmö Polotsk Pskov Other cities Bristol Boston Damme Leith Herford Hull Newcastle Stargard Yarmouth York Zutphen Zwolle Cologne and Dortmund were both capital of the Westphalian Quarter at different times. Antwerp gained importance once Bruges became inaccessible due to the silting of the Zwin channel. Ceremonial county of Tyne and Wear North East England Portal Metropolitan districts City of Newcastle upon Tyne City of Sunderland Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead Metropolitan Borough of North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough of South Tyneside Major settlements Birtley Blaydon - on - Tyne Gateshead Hebburn Hetton - le - Hole Houghton - le - Spring Jarrow Killingworth Newcastle upon Tyne North Shields Ryton South Shields Sunderland Tynemouth Wallsend Washington Whickham Whitley Bay See also : List of civil parishes in Tyne and Wear Topics Museums Parliamentary constituencies People Places Population of major settlements SSSIs Places in Tyne and Wear Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead Gateshead Bensham Birtley Blaydon Carr Hill Chopwell Deckham Dunston Felling Kibblesworth Lamesley Low Fell Pelaw Rowlands Gill Ryton Sheriff Hill Team Valley Whickham Windy Nook City of Newcastle upon Tyne Gosforth Newcastle upon Tyne Arthurs Hill Battlefield Benwell Black Callerton Blakelaw Blucher Brunswick Byker Chapel House City Centre Cochrane Park Cowgate Coxlodge Dene Denton Denton Burn Dinnington East Denton Elswick Fairways Fawdon Fenham Great Park Haymarket Hazlerigg Heaton High Heaton Jesmond Kenton Kingston Park Lemington Manors Newburn North Kenton Ouseburn Parklands Sandyford Scotswood Shieldfield Slatyford South Gosforth Spital Tongues Throckley Walbottle Walker Walkergate Walkerville West Denton West Jesmond Westerhope Westgate Wingrove Woolsington Metropolitan Borough of North Tyneside North Shields Wallsend Whitley Bay Backworth Beaumont Park Benton Burradon Cullercoats Earsdon Forest Hall Howdon Killingworth Longbenton Monkseaton Murton New York Preston Seaton Burn Shiremoor St Mary 's Island Tynemouth Wellfield Whitley Lodge Wideopen Willington Quay Metropolitan Borough of South Tyneside Hebburn Jarrow South Shields The Boldons Cleadon Harton Marsden Monkton Whitburn City of Sunderland Hetton - le - Hole Houghton - le - Spring Sunderland Washington Ashbrooke Barnes Bishopwearmouth Burdon Carley Hill Castletown Claxheugh Cox Green Downhill Doxford Park Easington Lane East Rainton Elstob Farm Farringdon Fatfield Fence Houses Ford Estate Fulwell Gilley Law Grangetown Grindon Harraton Hastings Hill Hendon Herrington High Moorsley Hill View Hollycarrside Humbledon Hylton Castle Leechmere Marley Pots Millfield Monkwearmouth Newbottle North Haven North Hylton Pallion Pennywell Penshaw Plains Farm Rickleton Redhouse Roker Ryhope Seaburn Seaburn Dene Shiney Row Silksworth South Bents South Hylton Southwick Springwell Springwell Village Sunniside Town End Farm Thorney Close Tunstall Warden Law Witherwack Districts of North East England County Durham County Durham Darlington Hartlepool Stockton - on - Tees Northumberland Northumberland Tyne and Wear Gateshead Newcastle upon Tyne North Tyneside South Tyneside Sunderland Teesside, North Yorkshire Middlesbrough Redcar and Cleveland Stockton - on - Tees Core Cities Group England Birmingham Bristol Leeds Liverpool Manchester Newcastle upon Tyne Nottingham Sheffield Scotland Glasgow Wales Cardiff Cities of the United Kingdom England Bath Birmingham Bradford Brighton and Hove Bristol Cambridge Canterbury Carlisle Chelmsford Chester Chichester Coventry Derby Durham Ely Exeter Gloucester Hereford Kingston upon Hull Lancaster Leeds Leicester Lichfield Lincoln Liverpool London Manchester Newcastle upon Tyne Norwich Nottingham Oxford Peterborough Plymouth Portsmouth Preston Ripon St Albans Salford Salisbury Sheffield Southampton Stoke - on - Trent Sunderland Truro Wakefield Wells Westminster Winchester Wolverhampton Worcester York Scotland Aberdeen Dundee Edinburgh Glasgow Inverness Perth Stirling Wales Bangor Cardiff Newport St Asaph St Davids Swansea Northern Ireland Armagh Belfast Derry Lisburn Newry Metropolitan districts of England Districts Barnsley Birmingham Bolton Bradford Bury Calderdale Coventry Doncaster Dudley Gateshead Kirklees Knowsley Leeds Liverpool Manchester Newcastle upon Tyne North Tyneside Oldham Rochdale Rotherham Salford Sandwell Sefton Sheffield Solihull South Tyneside St Helens Stockport Sunderland Tameside Trafford Wakefield Walsall Wigan Wirral Wolverhampton Councils Barnsley Birmingham Bolton Bradford Bury Calderdale Coventry Doncaster Dudley Gateshead Kirklees Knowsley Leeds Liverpool Manchester Newcastle upon Tyne North Tyneside Oldham Rochdale Rotherham Salford Sandwell Sefton Sheffield Solihull South Tyneside St Helens Stockport Sunderland Tameside Trafford Wakefield Walsall Wigan Wirral Wolverhampton Local elections Barnsley Birmingham Bolton Bradford Bury Calderdale Coventry Doncaster Dudley Gateshead Kirklees Knowsley Leeds Liverpool Manchester Newcastle upon Tyne North Tyneside Oldham Rochdale Rotherham Salford Sandwell Sefton Sheffield Solihull South Tyneside St Helens Stockport Sunderland Tameside Trafford Wakefield Walsall Wigan Wirral Wolverhampton Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Newcastle_upon_Tyne&oldid=856774809 '' Categories : Newcastle upon Tyne Cities in North East England History of Newcastle upon Tyne Local government districts of North East England Metropolitan boroughs Populated places established in the 2nd century Port cities and towns in North East England Port cities and towns of the North Sea Ports and harbours of Tyne and Wear Staple ports Towns in Tyne and Wear Trading posts of the Hanseatic League Whaling in the United Kingdom Hidden categories : Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica with Wikisource reference All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from February 2018 Articles with permanently dead external links Articles with dead external links from May 2016 Webarchive template wayback links Articles with dead external links from April 2017 CS1 Swedish - 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Question: is newcastle upon tyne in scotland or england
Answer: England