Newcastle town wall, curtain north-west of West Gate
Newcastle town wall, curtain north-west of West Gate
HER Number
1529
District
Newcastle
Site Name
Newcastle town wall, curtain north-west of West Gate
Place
Newcastle
Map Sheet
NZ26SW
Class
Defence
Site Type: Broad
Town Defences
Site Type: Specific
Town Wall
General Period
MEDIEVAL
Specific Period
Medieval 1066 to 1540
Form of Evidence
Ruined Building
Description
Between West Gate and Durham Tower there was originally a stretch of wall 101 yards long with, according to Holmes, 2 turrets. Of this piece of curtain more than half survives. The outer face stands 14-15 courses above the single chamfered base course, but the inner face next to the tower only 8.5 courses because of the artificially high ground level. It does not therefore stand as high as the parapet walk. Oliver (1830) shows buildings against the whole of the outer face, over the filled-in ditch, and the hint of a door through the curtain. The site was finally cleared in 1958, and was then landscaped and the wall extensively patched. The site of the ditch is now a garden between the wall and Bath Lane. The intra-mural road remains open at the rear of the wall. SCHEDULED ANCIENT MONUMENT
Easting
424430
Northing
564050
Grid Reference
NZ424430564050
Sources
<< HER 1529 >> J. Brand, 1789, History of Newcastle, I, 11
S. Holmes, 1896, The Town Walls of Newcastle upon Tyne, Archaeologia Aeliana, 2, XVIII, 13
T.M. Richardson, 1880, Memorials of Old Newcastle-upon-Tyne, pl. xxxvii
Evening Chronicle, Illustration, 1958,13-Nov-58
S. Holmes, 1896, The Town Walls of Newcastle upon Tyne, Archaeologia Aeliana, 2, XVIII, 13
T.M. Richardson, 1880, Memorials of Old Newcastle-upon-Tyne, pl. xxxvii
Evening Chronicle, Illustration, 1958,13-Nov-58