One of twenty narrow lanes or "chares" on the Quayside. Most of these chares were so narrow that two people could not walk abreast. Broad Chare was wider than most - wide enough for a cart. Broad Chare is recorded as le Bradechare (1346), Brad Cher (1366), Brodechere (1378), Bradchare (1430), le Bradchare (1451), le Brodchear (1520), Brode Chaire (1558). Off Broad Chare was Stonye Hyll (1562).In C16 the Broad Chare area must have been the site of several wealthy dwellings. A conveyance of 1562 includes a burgage in Broad Chare which abutted a house called Horse Mylne on the north, a mansion house called The Mansion Place belonging to Robert Hallyman on the south, Le Brode Chayre on the west and the courtyard of The Mansion Place on the east. In 1564 John Baxter of Hebburn, son and heir of Matthew Baxter, merchant, conveyed his "great mansyon house or tenement in the Brode Chare". In C17 William Burton rented a mill in Broad Chare. Excavations in 1986 recorded a wall of coursed sandstone between the Pandon Burn and the middle of Broad Chare. It probably represented the side of the Chare before it was widened. Pottery was of mid to lare C13. Despite being the broadest chare its present width only dates to the 20th century when the next chare (Spicer Lane) and the buildings between, were merged. Dated C14th.

Bourne records that on the west side of the castle there was a street called Bailiff Gate. The street ran from Tuthill Street (now Clavering Place) to the castle. It got its name apparently from the felons of Northumberland being brought along the street by the County Bailiffs. They were led into the town through the White Friar Gate, down Bailiff Gate and into the Castle via the postern gate. Bourne goes on to recall that in the year 1649 there was a survey of Bailiff Gate (but this was annulled by a document of 25th April 1650). The southern side of Bailiff Gate was destroyed to make way for the railway - see Holmes' drawing of 1882. Baylygate (1354), le Baillyegate (1373), le Baille gatte (1392), Baillygatte (1392), Baylygate (1465) and Bayly Highgate (1498). Short land plots that respect the medieval street of Baylygate can be seen on Oliver's map of 1830. These may reflect medieval units of land tenure. Harbottle and Clack suggest that Baylygate represented an attempt at a formal layout contemporary with the Castle, which never developed. They compared it with Alnwick, where lodgings for retainers and tenants of the barony were located on the Bailiffgate, which led westwards from the principal gate to Alnwick Castle. Newcastle's Baylygate may similarly have been a settlement closely related to the military and administrative functions of the Castle. Bailiffgate may have ended where Cunstable-galgarthe began. This was the piece of land granted to the Friars of the Sack in 1266 by Henry III. Brand suggested that this might be Stable Garth. Graves and Heslop suggest that the houses of the barons who owed castle-guard might have been located on Baylygate rather than in the Castle. Grey and Bourne suggest that the barony created two properties, one within the castle, one outside. Dated C14th.

Four iron cannon balls found whilst excavating for foundations of new premises on Thornton Street in 1883. one was 10 inches in diameter, the others 8 7/8 inches, 6 inches and 6 inches. Near the spot they found a shilling of the Elizabethan period and a well, paved road and timber water pipes 10 feet in length. The cannon balls were donated to the Society of Antiquaries by the Co-op Wholesale Soc. Ltd.

Bourne reports that out of the Close Gate, there is a way to the Forth, a place of pleasure and recreation. He suggests (although admits there is no evidence) that the Forth was formerly the site of a fort belonging to the castle. Mackenzie recalls that the Mayor, aldermen and sheriff of Newcastle went in procession from the town to the Forth every Easter and Whitsuntide, with all the burgesses, preceded by the mace, sword and cap of maintenance. Games of handball and dancing were enjoyed by the populace on the Forth thereafter. The Forth (or Frith in 1357 - means wood) lay outside the town walls abutting a lane called Goose Green Close on its south side. It included 11 acres of ground, surveyed by Order of Parliament in 1649. The town paid 4l to the King a year for it. In the reign of Henry III (1216-72) a licence was granted to the townspeople of Newcastle, to dig coals and stones on the Forth. These (or Castle Leases) may have been the earliest Newcastle coals. The Forth Walks (as shown on Hutton 1770) was a small part of The Forth, turned into a bowling green with a broad gravel walk and double row of trees around it. Bourne calls it "a mighty pretty place" with a "shady walk of trees" to the town wall to the east. To the west were views of Elswick village. Gray says that it was given to the townsmen of Newcastle by Edward III (1327-77). [conflicts with the earlier Henry III date]. In 1789 David Stephenson designed a circus or amphitheatre in the Forth. It had a timber roof span of 64 feet. It later became a riding school. Charleton calls it "Parker's Great Amphitheatre". On Corbridge’s plan of 1723 and Thompson’s plan of 1746 The Forth is shown as a square enclosure bounded by a double line of trees and linked by a tree-lined walkway to the Close Gate. Both maps also show a large house on the north side of the enclosure. This also appears in plan form on Hutton’s plan of 1770. The enclosure, apparently without a structure and lacking the walkway to the Close Gate, also appears on Speed’s plan of 1611. Dated C13th.

An iron cannon ball 17.75 inches in diameter. Found in 1707 during repairs of Morden Tower. Donated to the Society of Antiquaries by Plumbers, Glaziers and Pewterers Company of Newcastle. Mackenzie describes it as a "gilded ball…probably shot from the cannon of the Scottish army during the great siege of the town in 1644 and having lodged in the wall". The ball no longer bears any sign of gilding.

Inscribed stones formerly at Lambert's Leap, Sandyford Lane. Donated to the Society of Antiquaries by Mayor and Citizens of Newcastle per Mr W.G. Laws {1}. Set into a brick wall behind the bus stop outside Benton House, Sandyford Road/Portland Road are replacements/copies of the dressed stones bearing the legend "Lambert's Leap". The stones are from an old stone bridge which once straddled the Sandyford Burn. In September 1759 Cuthbert Lambert, customs officer and son of a famous Newcastle physician, was riding his horse along Sandyford Lane. The horse took fright and jumped over the parapet of the bridge, assuming it to be a fence. Lambert survived the fall of 30 feet but clinging to the branch of an ash tree, but the horse was killed. People flocked to the scene of "Lambert's Leap" and his miraculous survival and the legend was carved into the coping stones of the bridge. Twelve years later another rider, a servant of Sir John Hussey Delaval, suffered the same ordeal and survived. His seriously injured horse had to be shot. In 1827 a Newcastle surgeon named John Nicholson died but the horse survived. The original inscribed coping stone was dislodged and fell into the ravine [is this the one in the Museum of Antiquities?] and needed replacing [presumably the one set into the brick wall]. At some point after 1887 the ravine was infilled and the bridge demolished. The legend was popular into the twentieth century - a nearby public house on Sandyford Road, between Simpson Street and Race Street, was named Lambert's Leap. This closed in 1971.

An ancient jetton dated 1527. Donated to the Society of Antiquaries by Rev. M. R. Hunter on January 7th 1840. Found when dredging the River Tyne. Dated C16th.

Two bronze yetlings (Northern term for a globular bronze vessel with three feet, used for cooking). Each is 9.25 inches high. Dredged out the River Tyne about 30 years ago [date of document is 1909].

Spoon. Decorated with a key in between the letters I and I, and a chain extending from the ring of the key to form a circle (maker's mark). The letters S, I and M enclosed in a rectangular sinking with escalloped sides, are probably the owners initials. Of English manufacture at the time of James I and VI. Almost 7 inches long. Dredged out of the River Tyne in 1872.

Some handmills for grinding corn found deep in the River Tyne bed.