Originally founded by the Romans as a fort on Hadrian's Wall, the settlement was known as Pons Aelius or Hadrian's Bridge. When the Romans left, the town was renamed as Monkchester and became part of the great Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria.
Newcastle next comes to prominence during the time of William the Conqueror. The Northumbrians rebelled against William and as revenge he destroyed large parts of the north of England, killing thousands (the Harrying of the North). Having suppressed the uprising, William sent his son Robert Curthose north to defend the country against the Scots, and it was Robert who built the 'New Castle'.
Throughout the middle ages, the border war continued between England and Scotland, and Newcastle remained England's northern defensive fortress - though at one point the border moved so far south that it became part of Scotland for 18 years! Trade in Newcastle was also thriving at this point, the port being known for export of wool and coal. A royal act restricted shipments of coal from the area to Newcastle Quayside, giving a monopoly and helping the city prosper and develop.
The Stuart period was a turbulant one for the city. In 1636 a serious outbreak of plague wiped out 47% of the population. Four years later came a successful invasion by the Scots, who were persuaded to leave with a four million pound loan - a vast sum in today's money. Two years later the English Civil War broke out. Newcastle was royalist and parliament blockaded the Tyne, meaning that London went without coal for a winter. Then the Scots invaded again, besieging the city and occupying the area for two years. Eventually they held King Charles I captive in Newcastle.
During the industrial revolution, the city thrived and became a centre for heavy industry such as ship and locomotive building. Well known local inventor George Stephenson is known as the father of the railways, and is famous for building the locomotives for the first passenger railway (Stockton to Darlington) as well as the Rocket, which won the Rainhill Trials giving Stephenson the right to build the locomotives for the new Liverpool and Manchester Railway. Stephenson is also known for inventing the Geordie Lamp, a mining safety lamp which could be the origin of locals being known as Geordies. Local inventor Joseph Swan was also the first to demonstrate a working light bulb.
Modern Newcastle owes much of its appearance to the Victorian builder Richard Grainger and architect John Dobson. Grainger held a competition to produce a new plan for central Newcastle and the centre was redeveloped to include the neoclassical architecture in evidence today. In 1854 a great fire swept through narrow alleys destroying 800 homes. Once the devastation was over the area was replaced with modern streets and offices.
Newcastle was hit hard by the decline in heavy industry in the twentieth century and unemployment grew. But over the past 50 years the city has reinvented itself as a centre for the public and retail sectors and has become a vibrant social hub.
No description of Newcastle would be complete without a mention of the hugely popular local football club, Newcastle United. The origins of the club can be traced to a football club being formed at the Stanley Cricket Club in the suburb Byker in 1881. The present club was founded in 1892. The club has been a member of the premier league for all but three years of the competition's history. Supporters are known as the Toon Army, and can often be seen wearing the club's black and white colours throughout the city.
Newcastle next comes to prominence during the time of William the Conqueror. The Northumbrians rebelled against William and as revenge he destroyed large parts of the north of England, killing thousands (the Harrying of the North). Having suppressed the uprising, William sent his son Robert Curthose north to defend the country against the Scots, and it was Robert who built the 'New Castle'.
Throughout the middle ages, the border war continued between England and Scotland, and Newcastle remained England's northern defensive fortress - though at one point the border moved so far south that it became part of Scotland for 18 years! Trade in Newcastle was also thriving at this point, the port being known for export of wool and coal. A royal act restricted shipments of coal from the area to Newcastle Quayside, giving a monopoly and helping the city prosper and develop.
The Stuart period was a turbulant one for the city. In 1636 a serious outbreak of plague wiped out 47% of the population. Four years later came a successful invasion by the Scots, who were persuaded to leave with a four million pound loan - a vast sum in today's money. Two years later the English Civil War broke out. Newcastle was royalist and parliament blockaded the Tyne, meaning that London went without coal for a winter. Then the Scots invaded again, besieging the city and occupying the area for two years. Eventually they held King Charles I captive in Newcastle.
During the industrial revolution, the city thrived and became a centre for heavy industry such as ship and locomotive building. Well known local inventor George Stephenson is known as the father of the railways, and is famous for building the locomotives for the first passenger railway (Stockton to Darlington) as well as the Rocket, which won the Rainhill Trials giving Stephenson the right to build the locomotives for the new Liverpool and Manchester Railway. Stephenson is also known for inventing the Geordie Lamp, a mining safety lamp which could be the origin of locals being known as Geordies. Local inventor Joseph Swan was also the first to demonstrate a working light bulb.
Modern Newcastle owes much of its appearance to the Victorian builder Richard Grainger and architect John Dobson. Grainger held a competition to produce a new plan for central Newcastle and the centre was redeveloped to include the neoclassical architecture in evidence today. In 1854 a great fire swept through narrow alleys destroying 800 homes. Once the devastation was over the area was replaced with modern streets and offices.
Newcastle was hit hard by the decline in heavy industry in the twentieth century and unemployment grew. But over the past 50 years the city has reinvented itself as a centre for the public and retail sectors and has become a vibrant social hub.
No description of Newcastle would be complete without a mention of the hugely popular local football club, Newcastle United. The origins of the club can be traced to a football club being formed at the Stanley Cricket Club in the suburb Byker in 1881. The present club was founded in 1892. The club has been a member of the premier league for all but three years of the competition's history. Supporters are known as the Toon Army, and can often be seen wearing the club's black and white colours throughout the city.