Newcastle City Guides

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Newcastle City Guides We aim to provide entertaining and fully researched walks in Newcastle, Gateshead and Tyneside We are all well trained guides who volunteer our services free.

Thank you for your interest in our activities

Newcastle City Guides was set up in 1963 by Newcastle Libraries following a request from a local councillor. All money raised goes to maintaining and developing our programme on a year by year basis

We deliver a wide range of walking tours as above as well as site tours eg Grey’s Monument, the Guildhall and All Saints Church. Come on one of our walks

and you could discover;
- Quayside to view exciting developments on both sides of the Tyne
- Grainger Town the first purpose-built town centre in the country.
- Tyne Bridges - our matchless collection of bridges.
- Gateshead and its heritage and hidden history
- Themed walking tours – each season we deliver a variety of Heritage Walks e.g.discover Newcastle in the C18, see where it was trendy to be seen in the swinging 1960s, the men and women who influenced this area and beyond, or come on one of our graveyard tours – not gloomy at all! We continue to look at how we can bring the history and culture of the area to the public (locals and visitors)

We also provide private tours as well as working with schools, Universities and the Port of Tyne Authority. We provide information to members of the public, journalists, researchers and to NewcastleGateshead Initiative (NGI). We promote our activities via the NGI website and our Facebook site. In consequence of Covid-19, this year we have been adding photographs and information on a daily basis on our Facebook site. This will continue even when we are able to return to walking tours.

The Black Bull Inn, Pineapple Inn and Tyne Theatre (far left), Westgate Road, Newcastle, 1880. Photo courtesy of Newcast...
27/03/2025

The Black Bull Inn, Pineapple Inn and Tyne Theatre (far left), Westgate Road, Newcastle, 1880. Photo courtesy of Newcastle Libraries.

More photos from the top of Grey’s Monument, taken by City Guide Liz.
26/03/2025

More photos from the top of Grey’s Monument, taken by City Guide Liz.

Thanks to Michael Gibson for this post on the Newcastle Upon Tyne Buildingd & Architects FB Page.Thought this might be o...
26/03/2025

Thanks to Michael Gibson for this post on the Newcastle Upon Tyne Buildingd & Architects FB Page.

Thought this might be of interest; photo from 1890 of the Windmill pub Cowgate.

Medieval Tyne Bridge There may have been more than one bridge at Newcastle in the middle ages, but the first was probabl...
26/03/2025

Medieval Tyne Bridge

There may have been more than one bridge at Newcastle in the middle ages, but the first was probably built in the late 12th century. The bridge had to be rebuilt after a fire of 1248. This was a stone arched bridge with huge piers built on the site of the Roman bridge and was a joint enterprise between Newcastle and the Bishop of Durham and the Bishop's arms appeared on a tower at the Gateshead (in County Durham) end of the bridge. Towers with gates and a drawbridge and portcullis reflected the bridge's military significance and a chapel was a feature not unusual for the times. A prison was also incorporated and several shops and houses, particularly at the Gateshead end.

Newcastle eventually controlled six arches to the Bishop's four. Frequent repairs were needed over the centuries, the last in 1770 after an adverse report on its condition. But one year later, on the morning of Sunday 17th November 1771, the bridge collapsed after floods lasting three days of heavy rain. The middle arch collapsed to be followed by two more. Shops and houses fell or were rendered unsafe and six people lost their lives. More arches collapsed in the period to December 7 and this completed the destruction of the old bridge. An arch remains under the Swing Bridge roadway at the Newcastle side. A replica was built for the Exhibition of 1887 in Exhibition Park.

A repost of a really popular post from March last year.

The Abbeyfield Residential Care Home in The Grove , Gosforth, once known as Ellerby Lodge, was the family home to Samuel...
25/03/2025

The Abbeyfield Residential Care Home in The Grove , Gosforth, once known as Ellerby Lodge, was the family home to Samuel Smith ( Ringtons ), his wife Ada and their seven children. Samuel Smith paid £1,000 for the house to be built in 1924 and construction was completed in 1927.

Thanks to Michael Preston of the Newcastle Upon Tyne History in Photographs FB Page for this post.

Some photos taken from the top of Grey’s Monument by Newcastle City Guide, Steve, on a cold day. The views are really im...
25/03/2025

Some photos taken from the top of Grey’s Monument by Newcastle City Guide, Steve, on a cold day. The views are really impressive.

“Working on such a historic and important place for the region is a special feeling. The work we’re doing will protect t...
25/03/2025

“Working on such a historic and important place for the region is a special feeling. The work we’re doing will protect the Grainger Market and add much-needed updates so that this building can continue writing history.”

Northumbria University graduate and local lad Ross used to spend his lunchtimes exploring the Grainger Market with friends in between lectures. Fast-forward 10 years, he’s now Site Manager working at Robertson Construction who are helping us deliver our £9m regeneration programme of works.

Donning hard hats and hi vis vests, Ross took us on a behind-the-scenes tour of the works currently underway, explaining the logistics of keeping a busy market moving during construction phases and the benefits once work is finished.

“The Arcade will be something really special. Once complete, it’ll be a bright, open and airy multi-functional space capable of hosting live events. Two pavilions will face each other from either side of the Arcade and there’ll be seating areas where people can relax, snack on their lunch, or just enjoy the world ambling by.”

“The installation of sliding doors and heated flooring under the Arcade Pavilions will massively improve traders’ and visitors’ experience in the Market – especially when winter rolls in.”

Phase 1 is underway and moving at a canny rate of knots. Both toilet areas will be deconstructed, stripped, and cleared and soon enough, a shiny new toilet area will be open for everyone to use and enjoy.

“At the moment, our focus is on delivering a totally renovated and accessible toilet facilities. We’ve taken everything back to brick, dug the flooring up to give full access to wheelchair and pram users, plus it’ll allow us to install more spacious cubicles and sink areas. It’ll be quite the change from old facilities, and we think it’ll be a space people will love.”

An exciting and game-changing development for the Grainger Market and the people we welcome daily. We can’t wait to see it all come together.

Thanks to Grainger Market, Get into Newcastle:Visit Newcastle City Centre NE1
and Newcastle City Council for this post.

Thanks to Tyneside Past and Present FB Page for this 1920s photo of the merchants’ houses on Sandhill.
24/03/2025

Thanks to Tyneside Past and Present FB Page for this 1920s photo of the merchants’ houses on Sandhill.

Went to a talk and tour at the Discovery Museum last week, where we looked at some of their costume archive and learned...
24/03/2025

Went to a talk and tour at the Discovery Museum last week, where we looked at some of their costume archive and learned a bit about how they preserve items. Fascinating to see the detail in clothes and accessories close up, from Victorian to present day.

Modern day clothes look pretty ordinary by comparison!

Signal box, Newcastle Central Station, c.1930. Photo courtesy of Newcastle Libraries.
23/03/2025

Signal box, Newcastle Central Station, c.1930. Photo courtesy of Newcastle Libraries.

Site of the Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge, during the preparation works for Construction, 1974. Looking into Newcastle...
23/03/2025

Site of the Queen Elizabeth II Metro Bridge, during the preparation works for Construction, 1974. Looking into Newcastle.

This postcard shows the first church in Gateshead, St Mary's. It was below this church, nearer the river that the Great ...
23/03/2025

This postcard shows the first church in Gateshead, St Mary's. It was below this church, nearer the river that the Great Fire of October 1854 broke out and caused massive damage.

Palace of Engineering North East Coast Exhibition, Newcastle, 1929
23/03/2025

Palace of Engineering North East Coast Exhibition, Newcastle, 1929

Isaac Walton, Grainger Street, Newcastle, May 1970. Photo courtesy of Newcastle Libraries.
23/03/2025

Isaac Walton, Grainger Street, Newcastle, May 1970. Photo courtesy of Newcastle Libraries.

Queen at St James' Park, July 9, 1986- the first date of the British leg of their 26-date European ‘Magic’ tour.Queen ha...
23/03/2025

Queen at St James' Park, July 9, 1986- the first date of the British leg of their 26-date European ‘Magic’ tour.

Queen had made their North East debut at the Newcastle Mayfair in August 1973, they mainly appeared at Newcastle City Hall where they’d last appeared in 1979.

Tickets were £13 and the gates opened at 3pm. Status Quo warmed up the 38,000 crowd. Queen rocked Newcastle with fan favourites Under Pressure, I Want To Break Free, Love Of My Life, Radio Ga Ga and We Will Rock You, We Are The Champions and Bohemian Rhapsody. They also played old rock’n’roll favourites – Hello Mary Lou and Tutti Frutti.

Did you ever see Queen in Newcastle? Or what are your memories of the band?

Tyne Bridges and the Quayside, from the Newcastle side, Art Colour card by G. W. Blow (watercolour).
23/03/2025

Tyne Bridges and the Quayside, from the Newcastle side, Art Colour card by G. W. Blow (watercolour).

Side, Newcastle, taken from the Tyne Bridge by Peter Halling, 1971. The Lantern Tower of St.Nicholas' Cathedral is on th...
22/03/2025

Side, Newcastle, taken from the Tyne Bridge by Peter Halling, 1971. The Lantern Tower of St.Nicholas' Cathedral is on the right of the picture and the old Northumberland County Hall (now the Vermont Hotel) on the left.

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Videos

Wishing all our followers a Happy and Healthy 2025! Thank you all for your continuing support-it is much appreciated. Laser light show video from New Year’s Eve last year.

Our ‘Save our Town Moor’ walk from yesterday afternoon was visited by BBC reporter Ian Reeve and a cameraman. Lead Guide Maria was interviewed by Ian, as were two brothers who were booked on the walk. The cameraman shadowed my group for part of the walk and did some filming of us and the scenery. All very exciting and good publicity for Newcastle City Guides! The video clip below is from yesterday’s ’Look North’ and gives us and our organisation a little bit of fame, as well as giving some Town Moor history and including some archive footage. We promise not to let this go to our heads, and we’re delighted we could be part of the experience!

Thanks to Andrew Robson for recording this video about our new walk, ‘Fog on the Tyne’, which debuted on June 20th, and celebrates the centenary of the passing of an Act of Parliament, which allowed a new bridge to be built across the Tyne. Of course this has become our iconic Tyne Bridge! The walk is a circular one and takes in the other bridges too. Fascinating background to the bridge’s construction and mechanics and how it was used as a 1920s employment scheme. Tony Flynn, our guide who wrote this walk, features in this clip, along with some of the many people who went on the walk with him and with other guides. If you were on this walk why not comment on it below! If you haven’t been on any of our walks yet, why not go to Eventbrite and look us up? Our Heritage themed walks continue through to November and we also do daily Highlights Walks. https://orlo.uk/DQq31

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For the love of our local history

Welcome to our guided walking tours of Newcastle, Gateshead and surrounding districts. Come on one of our walks and you could discover; Quayside – view our exciting developments on both sides of the river Tyne Grainger Town – walk through the first purpose-built town centre in the country. Tyne bridges –see our matchless collection of bridges. Gateshead – heritage and hidden history Themed walking tours – discover Newcastle in the 18th century, perhaps, see where it was trendy to be seen in the swinging 60s or come on one of our graveyard tours – not gloomy at all! In addition we open Grey's Monument to enable our visitors to look out over Newcastle and Gateshead.