This street derives its name from the New Gate constructed with the town walls in the mid C13, although the street existed before ("vicus fori" - first reference before 1235 when there were booths) and was already used for market trading. Le Marketgate (1342), Merket-Gate (1367), Marketgate (1374), Market Street (1394 and 1403). Parts of the street had, by 1414, acquired the names of the goods which were sold in them. The upper half of the street, from St Andrew's to Nun's Lane, was called the Horsemarket (late C13-C15), Netemarket (in 1430) and Noltmarket (in 1521). The sale of food and manufactured goods was concentrated in the lower half of Market Street. From Nun's Lane to Pudding Chare, barley was sold in the Beremarket later Bigg Market (see HER 6497). To the south, the west side of the street from Pudding Chare to St Nicholas was the Mealmarket later Groat Market (see HER 6500). The east side from High Bridge was Cloth Market later Flesh Market (see HER 6496). Gray (1649) mentions that there was a cattle market in Newgate four times a year. The New Gate was partly removed by 1808 and totally gone by 1823 as the town began to expand beyond the town walls towards Barras Bridge, a small extra-mural village to the north. The market trade in Newcastle continued to develop in Newgate Street and Bigg Market, until the whole open space from the New Gate to the Cathedral was a mass of specialist markets. At the natural open space created by the junction of Low Friar Street and Newgate Street was the site of a medieval market cross, known later as the White Cross. Here markets would be called and proclamations made. It was also a place of public correction as a pillory stood here - and was used - in 1758. The lower part of Newgate Street, below Darn Crook, was known as Huxter's-Booths, because it was here that the Huxter's lived - those who supplied the religious houses with provisions. In 1736 some of these houses still stood near the White Cross. The market street ran between the New Gate and St. Nicholas church. The lower end between the church and the modern Nuns Lane (Cloth Market, Groat Market and Bigg Market) was the market for food and manufactured goods. Between Nuns Lane and New Gate was the livestock market. Horsmarket in 1449 (Oliver, Early Deeds, p 299). Neatmarket in 1430 (Calendar of Close Rolls 1429-36, pp 1-2). Noltmarket in 1521 (Northumberland and Durham Deeds 1929, pp 1-2). Excavations during the redevelopment of Eldon Square 2007-2009 (in the north part of Newgate St adjacent to St Andrew's Church) revealed radiocarbon dating evidence from mid 10th-early 12th century providing proof of pre-Norman settlement north of the Castle Garth. Environmental analysis also suggests evidence of domestic and light industrial activity during this period. Cobbled surfaces and a medieval midden were also revealed opposite and to the east of St Andrew's. Dated C13th.

Previously known as Shod Friar Chare and Low Friar Chare. One of the minor medieval streets linking the three main medieval routes through the town, linking Westgate with the market street (Newgate Street). The eastern boundary of the Blackfriars precinct since the C13. Its name comes from this association, although there are no medieval references, so this is probably a modern name. Named as "Low Friar Chair" on Hutton's map of 1770. Matched by High Friar Street on the other side of Newgate Street, which is named after the Franciscan Friary which stood on the western side of Pilgrim Street. Formerly called Shod-Friar Chare, after the Black (or Shod) Dominican Friars, so-named because these monks wore shoes rather than going barefoot. Probably originated as a lane between burgages. There were two timber houses on Low Friar Street, subsequently replaced by three, and these predated the neighbouring Dominican Friary. Dated C13th.

This street is likely to have existed for hundreds of years as it is shown on the 1610 map of John Speed. In 1723 it is shown running from Westgate Street (now Road) up to meet the ends of Low Friar Street at the north end and Rotten Row at the south. It was then called Fennell Street. In 1808 it was called Charlotte Street as it ran into Charlotte Square. The word "fenkel" is a northern dialect term for the herb fennel. Fennel or fenchale also means corner, or stream or open gutter.

Built to provide a link between Thornton Street and Westgate Road to the north and the huge edge-of-town suburb built between West Gate and Summerhill in the early 1830s to a design by John Dobson. Originally part of Marlborough Crescent, it had changed its name to Waterloo Street by the 1850s.

An important lane in the medieval town as it ran along the inside of the town walls (see HER 1568). In times of war it enabled soldiers (and information) to be moved speedily between sections of the wall and in peace time it enabled local access and movement between the gates in the town walls. The lane gets its name from a town wall tower which stood nearby. Map evidence shows that there was nothing built on the south side of Pink Lane until the improvements associated with building Clayton Street. The first block on the south side of pink Lane was built between 1838-41. A shop window was later added to No. 1. In 1891 James Cackett changed the shopfront of No. 5. Named after Pink Tower. Dated C14th.

This was built in 1835 to connect Collingwood Street with Scotswood Road, where a cattle market had opened in 1830 and where an extension to the new Carlisle Railway had been projected. In 1847-8 it was widened in preparation for the Central Station, involving the demolition of the Hospital Schools, a length of town wall including the Stank and West Spital Towers and quantities of old properties. The Nevilles were one of the three most powerful medieval families in the north, rivals to the Percys of Northumberland. Westmorland Place, the inn or town house of the Nevilles stood where Neville Hall and Bolbec Hall now stand - the barony of Bolbec was included in the Neville possessions. The Neville Tower used to stand on the town walls to the south-east of Central Station.

This the westernmost market street. Known as Mealmarket from 1397, and Groat Market from 18th century. Melemarketgate (1392 and 1397), Melemarket (1406 and 1430), Melemerketgate (1414), Melmercate (1475), Meyllmerket (1522), Meyle Markett (1573). There was a messuage in Meal Market in 1414 called Lytsterhall and another called la Poldhall or Pollidhall in 1392-3 (house cut off from its land). Middle Street (Medegate 1292, medius vicus 1447 and Milne Borne 1578) ran between the buildings on Cloth Market and Groat Market. Middle Street was subdivided into three - Skinnergate (1310) at the top, Spurriergate (1447) in the middle and Saddlegate (1447) at the bottom. In the mid C16, Midle Street was known as Glovergate. The eastern side of Groat Market was destroyed for the new Town Hall and Exchange in 1855 and in the early 1960s a large section on the western side was cleared for Thomson House. Groats, like bigg (barley) were a staple cereal; they were oats with the husks removed or the grains crushed and were used for both humans and animals. In 18th century Newcastle was one of the prominent musical centres in the country. Charles Avison, composer and musical critic (1709-1770) organised recitals and subscription concerts in the Assembly Rooms (built 1736) in the Groat Market. Thus the Groat Market was the centre of the region's musical culture as well as a busy market. The Assembly Rooms burned down in 1848.

The origin of this attractive street name is uncertain. "Chare" is a term for a narrow winding lane in use in northern towns, especially in Newcastle. The word probably derives from the Old English "cerr" meaning "turn" or "bend". There are a number of interpretations for the use of the word "Pudding". It could be a reference to black pudding, sold in the Flesh Market, or to the hidden stream of High or Pow Dene, or to the intestine-like quality of the winding lane. It is possibly more likely that it evolved to describe the muddy surface of a lane. Pudding Chare is of some age as grants and leases for properties in this street exist from the C13 and C14.First documentary reference to Pudyngchare is in 1333. le Puddingcher (1348-50), le Puddynchare (1372), Pudding Chare (1414, 1479 and 1493), Puddyngchare (1447), Puddynchar (1463), Puddingchaire (1572). Bourne reports that in 1736 there were three houses in this lane which paid an annual rent to the Chantry of the Holy Trinity in St John's Church. Probably originated as a lane between burgages. Dated C13-14th.

Up until 1785 only one narrow lane linked Newcastle's market street (Bigg Market/Newgate Street) with Pilgrim Street. The main reason was the steep dene of the Lort Burn lay between them and a bridge - the High Bridge - was the only way to link them. Both sides of the lane were built up from early times, but there seem to have been few significant buildings, other than in 1766 when the Presbyterians raised High Bridge Chapel and in 1794 when the Cordwainers Company built their stone-fronted hall on the north side. Both have now gone. The dip in the road outside Nos. 31-37 is where the High Bridge used to span the Lort Burn. In 1902 the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne reported on a rubbing made by a Mr John Ventress of a stone from an old house of the corner of High Bridge. It was 6ft 11 inches long and 2ft 1 inches broad. A goat's head, looking to the left, in the centre of a shield, with the letters R and S either side and the date 1596 above. Below was an axehead. The stone had apparently come from the old Black Bull hostelry. Mr Ventress said that it was over a fireplace built up against a very old stone building. There is a house engraved on Corbridge's plan of Newcastle with the name Richard Swinburne above it. The rubbing was donated to the Society by an Alexander Pringle of Cramer Dykes, Gateshead in 1902.

All medieval towns had specialised market areas. This street was named after an ancient market which sold bigg (barley), oats and other cereals. This is the middle section of a whole complex of specialised street markets that once ran from St Andrews Church in Newgate Street to just south of St Nicholas Cathedral. There are references to temporary market booths from the mid C13. It was called Beremarket (Beremarketgate in 1396, le beyre Markett in 1576) at first (in 1388) and from 1525 Bigg Market (Bygemarkett, and then Bigge Markethe in 1567). Note - Bere is English, Bigg is Scandinavian. The southern part was the poultry market (Pullen-Market). Unfortunately the development of Grainger Street and Clayton Street destroyed the unity of these markets. The street has attractive 18th century and19th century buildings on the east side and possibly some older buildings on the west at the head of Groat Market. We do not know who lay out the present triangular area known as the Bigg/Groat/Cloth Markets, but the deliberateness is evident in its simple geometric shape and in the regularity of the residential and crafts plots that still radiate from it, particularly along the east side of Cloth Market. The survival of so many of these burgage plots in an industrial City such as Newcastle is truly remarkable. In 1933 while some old stables at the back of the Half Moon Inn were being demolished, a domestic aumbrey (cupboard) was exposed in a fragment of ancient walling along with a fragment of window tracery. The cupboard measured 2 ft and 3" wide by 3ft high. Probably dates to 1300-1500 AD and was part of a house of some importance. Dated C13th.