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Newcastle upon Tyne Information: 10 top things to know... more

  • 1. History of Newcastle

    The Romans built a bridge and fort on the site of Newcastle in around 122 AD and this became part of what is now Hadrian’s Wall. In 1080 a wooden fort called the “New Castle” was built and in the 13th and 14th centuries, the town walls were added. Trading began to develop in the area and by the end of the 14th century its port was used for shipping coal from across the re...Read moregion. From the late 17th century, trade in Newcastle also included items such as iron, glass and salt. A lot of Newcastle was rebuilt in the 1830s, and a lot of the city centre buildings today date from this time. Shipbuilding became a big industry in the 19th century. The area suffered after the Second World War, as industries like coal, shipbuilding and engineering went into decline. Read less

  • 2. Now in Newcastle

    From the 1990s to today, Newcastle has been undergoing regeneration. A mixed-use historic urban quarter has been created in the city centre, the Theatre Village and China Town area has been renovated and the West End of the city has regenerated, among other projects. This work is still continuing. A lot of the employment in the city is in the retail and service industries and t...Read morehe city has become a popular place for visitors for its shops, sightseeing and nightlife. Read less

  • 3. Events in Newcastle

    Gateshead International Stadium hosts many national and international events, including international athletics, rugby and many major rock and pop concerts. St James’ Park is home to Newcastle United FC and hosts many major football fixtures. There are many festivals on the annual calendar, including the TUSK music festival, the Ignition music festival, Made in Poland Festiva...Read morel, Northern Pride, Northern Chords, Evolution Weekender, Vamos! Festival, Juice Festival for young people and the SummerTyne Americana Festival. Read less

  • 4. Attractions in Newcastle

    The Life Science Centre has exhibitions and interactive displays as well as special events and science shows. Hadrian's Wall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and can be seen at Hexham, to the west of the city and at Segedunum Roman Fort, Baths and Museum in the Wallsend area of the city. Castle Keep is a Norman stone castle keep in the city centre and is a Grade I listed buildin...Read moreg. There are great views of the river and the seven bridges from the top of the keep. The Seven Stories Centre for Children’s Books has exhibitions, activities and special events. Children can do their own writing, illustrating, crafts and dressing up in the Seven Stories theatre. There is also a bookshop and café. The Victoria Tunnel runs underneath the city and was built in 1842 for transporting coal. It was used as an air raid shelter during the Second World War and is now open for guided tours. Read less

  • 5. Things To Do in Newcastle

    Football fans can have a guided tour of Newcastle United’s St James’ Park and learn all about the history of the club. The Namco Funscape is a centre containing an arcade, bar and pool area, 18 bowling lanes, a dodgem track and a soft play area. The Great North Museum: Hancock, has mummies from Ancient Egypt, a planetarium, a life-size T-Rex dinosaur skeleton and much more....Read more The Discovery Museum tells the history of Tyneside, from the region’s shipbuilding heritage to inventions that changed the world. It has interactive displays and special displays for children under five and under seven. The BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art is in Gateshead and has a programme of exhibitions and activities that is constantly changing. Read less

  • 6. Business in Newcastle

    Newcastle has developed an Alive After Five scheme, which sees shops staying open until 8pm on weeknights and 7pm on Saturdays. The aim is to provide people an opportunity to shop after they finish work. The main shopping centres in Newcastle upon Tyne are Eldon Square, one of the UK’s largest city centre shopping complexes, and the Metrocentre, in Gateshead.

  • 7. Transport in Newcastle

    The main train station is Newcastle Central Station and services run from here to many major UK cities. The A1(M) goes through Newcastle and Gateshead, linking the area to London, the south, Scotland and major routes across the country. The A69 links west to Carlisle, the Lake District and, via the M6, to the south and west of England. Newcastle International Airport has flight...Read mores to many international and UK destinations and is eight miles from the city centre. Sea links with Europe are available at the International Passenger Terminal at North Shields, which is eight miles east of the city centre. Read less

  • 8. Entertainment in Newcastle

    Theatres in Newcastle upon Tyne include the Theatre Royal, Northern Stage, The Journal Tyne Theatre, Live Theatre, The People’s Theatre, Newcastle Opera House, Newcastle Playhouse and Boulevard. Venues for live music include the Jazz Café, Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle City Hall, The Sage, the O2 Academy and many other smaller venues and bars. There are plenty of cinemas in N...Read moreewcastle, including the Tyneside Cinema, Side Cinema, Star and Shadow Cinema and the Odeon IMAX. Read less

  • 9. Famous Landmarks in Newcastle

    The Gateshead Angel of the North is Britain's largest sculpture, and was designed by Antony Gormley for Gateshead Council. It is made of steel and weighs 200 tons, is 20m high and has a 54m wing span. Gateshead Millennium Bridge is the world’s only tilting bridge. It is a bridge for pedestrians and cyclists and tilts up to form an arch for boats to pass under; this usually ha...Read moreppens at 12noon every day. Read less

  • 10. Interesting Facts about Newcastle

    People from Newcastle are referred to as Geordies. There are two theories about where this comes from. One is that is was taken from George (Geordie) Stephenson, the mining and railway engineer from the north east. Another is that it was a term of abuse used by the Scottish Jacobites in the 1745 Rebellion, because those defending the town of Newcastle against them were supporte...Read morers of King George (Geordie) II. Read less

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