Timeline of Newcastle upon Tyne

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The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne in Tyne and Wear, England.

11th Century

1070s

1072
- According to the Chronicles of the Monk of Tynemouth, King William, returning from Scotland, encamped a large army on the River Tyne near Newcastle, which had formerly been known as Monkchester^[1]
1080
- A 'new castle' was built of wood by Robert Curthose to defend the Tyne crossing at Newcastle^[2]

12th Century

1130s

1139
- Under the terms of the Treaty of Durham, Northumberland, with the exception of Newcastle and Bamburgh, was ceded to Scottish rule^[3]^[2]

1140s

1149
- Newcastle was conceded to the Scots by Henry of Anjou, in return for Scottish support^[4]

1170s

1172
- Construction of The Castle, Newcastle, a stone castle with rectangular keep was begun, with £166 4s expended in the first year, according to documents in the Record Office, London^[5]
1173
- In expectation of a siege by William the Lion of Scotland, £5 was spent laying in stores and provisions^[6]
- Expenditure on construction of the castle was £250 5s 4d^[5]
1174
- William the Lion of Scotland laid siege to Newcastle, but was unable to take it^[6]
- Expenditure on construction of the castle was £12 15s 10d^[5]
1175
- Expenditure on construction of the castle was £186 15s 4d^[5]
1176
- Expenditure on construction of the castle was £144 15s 4d, and it was finally completed^[5]

13th Century

1210s

1216
- 28 January: A charter granted by King John to Newcastle burgesses confirmed the liberties and free customs they had enjoyed in the time of his ancestors^[7]
- The first use of the title Mayor of Newcastle was recorded when Daniel, son of Nicholas, was called mayor^[8]

1240s

1244
- King Henry III came to Newcastle with a large army on his way to attack Alexander II of Scotland^[9]
1247
- Construction of the Black Gate at The Castle, Newcastle began, at an eventual cost of £514^[10]
1248
- After fire destroyed the wooden bridge over the River Tyne, and much of the borough, a new stone bridge was eventually constructed^[4]^[11]

1250s

1255
- Walter of Kirkham, Bishop of Durham granted an indulgence of 20 days to anyone who would contribute to the repair of the bridge over the Tyne^[12]
1257
- The Archbishop of York granted an indulgence of 30 days to anyone contributing to repair of the bridge over the Tyne^[12]

1260s

1262
- Carmelite friary founded in Newcastle^[13]
1265
- Work started on the building of a town wall for Newcastle^[14]
- King Henry III licensed the collection of a toll towards the cost of building the town wall^[15]
1267
- Friars of the Sack granted a site in Newcastle^[13]

1290s

1292
- Newcastle was second only to London in the export of leather^[16]
1297
- William Wallace laid waste to Northumberland from Hexham up to the walls of Newcastle^[17]

14th Century

1300s

1300
- The population of Newcastle was approximately 7,000-8,000^[14]
1305
- The right hand quarter of William Wallace was exhibited at the gateway on the Newcastle side of the bridge^[12]

1310s

1311
- King Edward II took refuge in Newcastle Castle from the Duke of Lancaster^[18]

1320s

1322
- A quarter of the body of the Andrew Harclay, 1st Earl of Carlisle was exhibited in Newcastle^[12]

1330s

1334
- King Edward III received the homage of Edward Balliol at the Dominican Friary in Newcastle^[18]^[19]

1340s

1341
- Troops of John de Warenne, 7th Earl of Surrey damaged Blackfriars priory and caused further damage more widely in the town^[20]
1349
- Successive outbreaks of plague led to the halving of the population^[14]
- Fire nearly destroyed the whole town^[11]

1370s

1377
- The population of Newcastle was estimated to be 3,500-4000 inhabitants^[14]

1380s

1380
- Newcastle town petitioned the Crown for financial relief as so much of the population had been lost to plague outbreaks^[21]
1383
- King Richard II visited Newcastle^[18]

15th Century

1400s

1400
- The population of Newcastle was estimated as 3,000 inhabitants^[14]
- King Henry IV visited Newcastle and granted county status to the town^[18]

1460s

1461
- King Edward IV visited Newcastle^[18]
1462-63
- John de Mowbray, 4th Duke of Norfolk overwintered in Newcastle supplying the armies of Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick^[20]
1465
- Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick came to Newcastle for negotiations with a Scottish delegation^[20]

1480s

1480
- Newcastle mercers, wool merchants and corn merchants guilds were merged as the Merchant Adventurers^[7]
1487
- King Henry VII resided for several weeks in Newcastle^[19]

16th Century

1560s

1563
- Newcastle population was approximately 7,000-8,000^[21]

1570s

1576
- Newcastle petitioned the Crown for possession of Gateshead on the grounds of the disorder across the river^[22]

17th Century

1600s

1600
- 22 March: A charter of Queen Elizabeth I incorporated the guild or fraternity of Hostmen, giving members a monopoly of the sale of coal and grindstones from the Tyne^[7]

1630s

1636
- Death toll in Newcastle from the plague was almost 6,000, an estimated 47% of the population^[21]

1660s

1663
- Newcastle population was approximately 13,000^[21]

1690s

1698
- July: Celia Fiennes visited Newcastle and described it as 'a noble town'^[23]

18th Century

1700s

1706
- Two thirds of the 1,862 coastal shipments from Newcastle were bound for London^[24]
1709
- Newcastle investors owned 11,500 tons of shipping, nearly 4% of national shipping capacity, only exceeded by London, Scarborough and Bristol^[25]

1710s

1719
- 'The Newcastle Courant' was established as the first newspaper in Newcastle^[23]

1720s

1727
- Daniel Defoe described Newcastle as 'not the pleasantest place in the world to live in', partly due to the 'smoke of the coals'^[26]

1750s

1751
- Newcastle investors owned 21,600 tons of shipping, nearly 5% of national shipping capacity^[25]

1770s

1771
- 17 November: The Great Flood of 1771 saw the collapse of part of the then Tyne Bridge^[27]^[28]

1780s

1789
- Construction of All Saints' Church was completed^[29]

1790s

1793
- Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle upon Tyne founded as a 'conversation club'^[30]^[31]

19th Century

1800s

1800
- Phineas Crowther, an engineer from Newcastle, invented a vertical winding engine subsequently in widespread use in colleries in the North-East of England^[32]

1810s

1815
- Chamber of commerce established in Newcastle upon Tyne.^[33]

1820s

1825
- Building for the Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle upon Tyne completed on Westgate Road, Newcastle^[30]

1840s

1841
- Population of Newcastle upon Tyne was 31,000^[34]

1850s

1857
- Petition presented to Newcastle Corporation for the creation of a park in Newcastle to be 'a free and open place of recreation for the people of the city'^[35]

1860s

1867
- Tyne Theatre and Opera House opened on Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne^[36]

1870s

1873
- 23 December: Leazes Park officially opens^[35]
1875
- Bandstand built in Leazes Park. Demolished in the 1960s^[35]

1880s

1882
- JJ Fenwick opened a department store in Newcastle^[37]

20th Century

1900s

1900
- Newcastle businessman, Alexander Laing, offers to Newcastle Corporation to fund construction of an art gallery^[38]
1902
- Electric trams introduced in Newcastle^[39]
1904
- Suburban train lines to the coast were electrified^[39]
- October: Laing Art Gallery is opened in New Bridge Street, Newcastle. First art gallery in Newcastle upon Tyne ^[38]^[40]

1910s

1911
- Population of Newcastle upon Tyne was 267,000^[34]
1917
- Tyne Theatre and Opera House closed^[36]
1919
- Tyne Theatre and Opera House reopened as The Stoll Picture Theatre^[36]

1920s

1924
- 7 August: Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead Corporations (Bridge) Act received Royal assent approving construction of the Tyne Bridge^[41]
1925
- August: Work started on construction of the Tyne Bridge^[42]
1928
- 25 February: Upper ends of the arch of the Tyne Bridge closed amid celebrations^[43]
- 10 October: Tyne Bridge officially opened by King George V^[42]^[43]

1930s

1932
- The Stoll Picture Theatre became the first cinema in Newcastle upon Tyne to show a Talkie^[36]

1950s

1951
- 28 April: In the 1951 FA Cup final, Newcastle United defeated Blackpool 2–0 at Wembley, with both goals scored by Jackie Milburn^[44]^[45]
1952
- 3 May: In the 1952 FA Cup final, Newcastle United defeated Arsenal 1–0 at Wembley,^[44] with the only goal scored by George Robledo^[46]
1955
- 7 May: In the 1955 FA Cup final, Newcastle United defeated Manchester City 3–1 at Wembley,^[44] with goals scored by Jackie Milburn, Bobby Mitchell and George Hannah^[47]

1960s

1961
- All Saint's Church deconsecrated and coverted to office space^[29]
1968
- 14 November: Newcastle Civic Centre opened by King Olav V of Norway^[27]

1970s

1974
- The Stoll Picture Theatre closed^[36]
1976
- Work began on construction of the Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge^[48]
1978
- 1 August: The two sections of the Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge were joined in the centre^[48]

1980s

1981
- 6 November: Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II^[48]
- 15 November: Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge and new section of Metro line from Haymarket, Newcastle upon Tyne to Heworth opened to the public^[48]

21st Century

2000s

2003
- Bandstand rebuilt in Leazes Park based on the historical designs^[35]
2009
- Flooding caused extensive damage to All Saints' Church^[29]

2010s

2011
- 24 May: Geordie Shore, reality television show first airs on MTV UK^[49]^[50]
2015
- All Saints' Church put on the English Heritage Heritage at Risk Register. Since then extensively restored^[29]

2020s

2025
- 16 March: In the 2025 EFL Cup final, Newcastle United defeated Liverpool 2–1 at Wembley, with goals scored by Dan Burn and Alexander Isak^[51]

See also

History of Newcastle upon Tyne

References

^ Bruce 1904, p. 37.
^ ^a ^b Middlebrook 1968, p. 19.
^ Newton & Pollard 2009, p. xvii-xviii.
^ ^a ^b Newton & Pollard 2009, p. xviii.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Bruce 1904, p. 45.
^ ^a ^b Bruce 1904, p. 46.
^ ^a ^b ^c Newton & Pollard 2009, p. xxix.
^ Middlebrook 1968, p. 30.
^ Bruce 1904, p. 48.
^ Bruce 1904, p. 47.
^ ^a ^b Bruce 1904, p. 59.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Bruce 1904, p. 60.
^ ^a ^b Newton & Pollard 2009, p. 32.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Newton & Pollard 2009, p. xix.
^ Newton & Pollard 2009, p. 42.
^ Newton & Pollard 2009, p. 43.
^ Middlebrook 1968, p. 2.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Newton & Pollard 2009, p. xxxi.
^ ^a ^b Bruce 1904, p. 49.
^ ^a ^b ^c Newton & Pollard 2009, p. xxxii.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Newton & Pollard 2009, p. xxv.
^ Newton & Pollard 2009, p. xxiv.
^ ^a ^b Newton & Pollard 2009, p. xxxvii.
^ Colls & Lancaster 2001, p. 3.
^ ^a ^b Colls & Lancaster 2001, p. 2.
^ Newton & Pollard 2009, p. xxi.
^ ^a ^b Sadler & Serdiville 2019, p. 188.
^ Needle, Emily (22 November 2015). "How the 'Great Flood' of Newcastle destroyed the old Tyne Bridge in 1771". Newcastle Chronicle. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Taylor 2022, p. 16.
^ ^a ^b Taylor 2022, p. 100.
^ Trinder 2015, p. 219.
^ Trinder 2015, p. 60.
^ Colls & Lancaster 2001, p. 30.
^ ^a ^b Colls & Lancaster 2001, p. 37.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Taylor 2022, p. 98.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Taylor 2022, p. 204.
^ Colls & Lancaster 2001, p. 38.
^ ^a ^b Taylor 2022, p. 96.
^ ^a ^b Colls & Lancaster 2001, p. 32.
^ "Laing Art Gallery". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
^ Manders & Potts 2004, p. 73-74.
^ ^a ^b Taylor 2022, p. 202.
^ ^a ^b Manders & Potts 2004, p. 75.
^ ^a ^b ^c Sadler & Serdiville 2019, p. 181.
^ "1951 FA Cup Final Special". Newcastle United history. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
^ "Newcastle United 1951-52 Season Review". Newcastle United history. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
^ "Newcastle United 1954-55 Season". Newcastle United history. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Manders & Potts 2004, p. 78.
^ Taylor 2022, p. 10.
^ Fletcher, Alex (27 April 2011). "'Geordie Shore' details revealed". Digital Spy. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
^ "Newcastle End 70-Year Trophy Drought With Defeat Of Liverpool In EFL Cup Final". ABP Live. Retrieved 1 July 2025.

Sources

Bruce, John Collingwood (1904). Lectures on Old Newcastle. Newcastle upon Tyne: Andrew Reid & Co Ltd.
Colls, Robert; Lancester, Bill (2001). Newcastle upon Tyne. A Modern History. Chichester: Phillimore & Co Ltd. ISBN 1-86077-167-X.
Manders, Frank; Potts, Richard (2004). Crossing the Tyne. Nwcastle upon Tyne: Tyne Bridge Publishing. ISBN 1857951212.
Middlebrook, Sydney (1968). Newcastle upon Tyne. Its Growth and Achievement. Wakefield: S.R. Publishers ltd.
Newton, Diana; Pollard, AJ (2009). Newcastle and Gateshead before 1700. Chichester: Phillimore & Co Ltd. ISBN 978-1-86077-579-6.
Sadler, John; Serdiville, Rosie (2019). The Little Book of Newcastle. Stroud, Gloucestershire: The History Press. ISBN 978-0-7509-9003-5.
Taylor, David (2022). 111 Places in Newcastle That You Shouldn't Miss (2nd ed.). Germany: Emons Verlag GmbH. ISBN 978-3-7408-1043-6.
Trinder, Barrie (2015). Britain's Industrial Revolution: The Making of a Manufacturing People, 1700-1870. Lancaster: Carnegie Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85936-219-8.