Gallowgate

HER Number

6507

District

Newcastle

Site Name

Gallowgate

Place

Newcastle

Map Sheet

NZ26SW

Class

Transport

Site Type: Broad

Road Transport Site

Site Type: Specific

Road

General Period

MEDIEVAL

Specific Period

Medieval 1066 to 1540

Form of Evidence

Structure

Description

The earliest reference to Gallowgate seems to be 1378. Criminals were taken along Gallowgate to the gallows on the Town Moor (HER 6509) near Fenham Barracks, where between 1650 and 1829 44 people were executed. A separate gallows for Northumberland criminals stood outside the West Gate in the 18th century and early 19th century.

Easting

424580

Northing

564460

Grid Reference

NZ424580564460

Sources

D. Lovie, 1997, The Buildings of Grainger Town; J. Brand, 1789, History of Newcastle upon Tyne; J. Raine et al, 1835-1929, Northumberland and Durham Deeds, Surtees Society 38, p 146; B. Harbottle and P. Clack 1976, Newcastle upon Tyne: Archaeology and Development, in D.W. Harding (ed), 1976, Archaeology in the North; H. Bourne, 1736, The History of Newcastle upon Tyne, p 147