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Gateway to the Border Reivers Country

Newcastle upon Tyne & Gateshead

Newcastle was given it's present name by Robert the son of William the Conqueror who built a wood fort in 1080 on reaching the Tyne after his farther had invaded Britain in 1066.

Originally an important military outpost of the Roman Empire located on Hadrian's Wall called Pons Aelius, having previously been called Monkchester by the Anglo Saxons.

It was rebuilt of stone almost a hundred years later in 1177 and later became a County in the fifteenth century when it became a trading centre, although it didn't become a City officially until 1882 after it became the centre of the Industrial Revolution.

Grey Street, Newcastle - I.Lindsay

When the centre of the City had already rebuilt by the architects Dobson, Clayton and Grainger whose names remain on the streets through the majestic buildings they erected.

Earl Grey stands 135 feet high at the head of a street named after him  overlooking the famous five now seven Tyne bridges.

 

The most famous of which was built by the same Teesside Bridge Engineers that erected the Sydney Harbour Bridge completed in 1932.

 Contrary to popular local myth the Tyne Bridge although similar and completed first and opened by King George V 1928, was designed last and not a prototype down under, which was in fact fabricated on Teesside and transported around the world for assembly.

The latest Millennium Tyne Bridge was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2002 during her Jubilee Tour of Britain.

 Being a pedestrian Bridge between the Newcastle Quayside and the Baltic Arts Centre and Opera House on the Gateshead side making it the Social and Cultural centre of the revitalised twin Cities


Quiet Rural Ponteland

There is no available evidence to connect the village of Ponteland with the Roman occupation, but it is possible that from the fancied resemblance of the name may be identified with the Pons Aelii of the Romans.

Historian Charlie Steel found documents dating back from around 600-700 years ago showing Ponteland being spelt as Ponca, Pont i Eland, Pontiland and even Pont Island which leaves the origins of the name Ponteland some-what uncertain.
In the book of North Country Lore and Legend published in November 1890, Ponteland Village as it was then known is colourfully described as “A picturesque and pleasantly located village located on the River Pont from which it derives its name”.
Ponteland is seven miles north west of Newcastle near the International Airport on old North Road and merits being visited for its quiet rural aspect, some of the earliest history can be seen in the four‑feet‑thick walls of the Parish Church of St. Mary, which dates back to the year 1150.
Opposite the west end of the church is a 14th century pele tower that stands on the site of a small castle, first built in 1155 by Bertram of Mitford it was plundered by the Scots during a raid in August 1388. The tower then lay in ruins for 200 years before it was restore and extended as a Manor House in 1588 for a family called Errington who stayed till 1788.
The buildings still stands and eventually became the Blackbird pub, unfortunately there are no records available as to when it became a hostelry or how it was named the Blackbird. A severe fire during 1991 gutted the Blackbird when it was restored to its original picturesque charm.

The Blackbird Public House

Ponteland during the 1800’s was a rural village, yet it had the advantage of being located astride the main road to Scotland which was built from Newcastle to the Scottish border in accordance with the Ponteland Turnpike Act of 1830.
Once built, this road was maintained by a system of tolls on all passing traffic and livestock, collected at the Toll House situated at the west end of the original bridge crossing the river until tolls ceased in 1878
The original bridge crossing the river was replaced in 1926 by building from one side at a time virtually the same line as the original near the Diamond Inn a well known hostelry built during the 1820’s next to the orig­inal old bridge over of the River Pont.
Since the 1800’s Ponteland has grown from a small rural village with a popula­tion of around 400 to a busy and affluent suburb of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, which retains much of it’s old charm and character and is worthy of exploration.
 

 


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Last modified: November 13, 2007

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