Castle Stairs

HER Number:
6572

District:
Newcastle

Site Name:
Castle Stairs

Place:
Newcastle

Map Sheet:
NZ26SE

Class:
Transport

Site Type: Broad:
Pedestrian Transport Site

Site Type: Specific:
Steps

General Period:
MEDIEVAL

Specific Period:
Medieval 1066 to 1540

Form of Evidence:
Structure

Description:
Linked The Close (HER 6569) with the upper part of the medieval town and Castle Garth. Since these stairs lead down from the south postern of the castle they must have been an early route, but the first documentary references to "the common steps leading up to the high castle" is 1520. There was a speculative development of tenement dwellings on the east side of Castle Stairs in around 1745, by William Mills. By 1758, Mills had also acquired a block of buildings called Clogger's Row adjoining the eastern side of the Keep. Buildings were also built west of Castle Stairs, in the late 17th century, spilling over the curtain wall. They were extended and adapted in 18th century (see HER 6542).

Easting:
425120

Northing:
563820

Grid Reference:
NZ425120563820

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
B. Harbottle and P. Clack, 1976, Newcastle upon Tyne: Archaeology and Development, in D.W. Harding (ed), 1976, Archaeology in the North; Archaeologia Aeliana, Series 2, Vol XXIII (1902), p249; Jack and John Leslie, 2001, Bygone West Quayside and the Chares