Structure Name: Newcastle Castle: The Black Gate

Description:
 

The Black Gate is a good example of thirteenth century fortifications allowing for flanking fire. It is roughly oval in plan, composed of a gate way between two semicircular rib-vaulted guardrooms. The gateway consists of an outer portcullis (the slots for which can still be seen), a middle gate and a vaulted inner part. Originally in front of the gate would have been a drawbridge. On top of the original two lower floors of the Black Gate stands a seventeenth century brick house with mullioned and transomed windows. The Black Gate today stands to a height of approximately nineteen metres.
 

Extant: Yes

Legal Status: Listed Building Grade I, Scheduled Ancient Monument

Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE

Eastings: 425015m (view map)

Northings: 563925m (view map)

Position Accuracy: 10m

Positional Confidence: Absolute Certainty

Street Address
 

Castle Garth
 

Post Code: NE1 1RQ

Structure Types Identified: APARTMENT, BARBICAN, CASTLE, GATEHOUSE, LIBRARY, MUSEUM, PUBLIC HOUSE

Historical Background
 

During the seventeenth century the gatehouse was occupied by Patrick Black, a London Merchant, and his wife Barbara, from whom it is believed the structure derived its present name, the Black Gate.
 

Chronology:

• 1247 - 1250   Barbican and gate (today known as the Black Gate) added to the castle defences.
      Entities Involved:
            King Henry III: Commissioned work.
• 17TH CENTURY AD   A number of houses were built along the defended passageway along with a public house, whose landlord, John Picklles, carved his name and the date 1636 high up on the southwest wall.
• 1618   A two storey brick house was erected on top of the Black Gate by Alexander Stephenson.
      Entities Involved:
            Stephenson, Alexander: Lessee and commissioner of work.
            King James I: Granted lease.
• EARLY 19TH CENTURY   By the early 19th century the Black Gate had become a slum tenement, at one point housing more than sixty people.
• 1855   Public pressure prevented the Black Gate from being demolished when surrounding buildings were cleared in advance of the building of the approach road to the High Level Bridge.
• 1883 - 1885   Black Gate leased to the Society of Antiquaries who carried out extensive restoration work. The Society continue to use it to the present day as a meeting place and library.
      Entities Involved:
            Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne: Lessees of the Black Gate and commissioners of the restoration work.

Notes
 

See http://www.newcastle-antiquaries.org.uk/index.php?pageId=110 [last accessed 13/02/04].

See http://archaeology.ncl.ac.uk/postgraduate/studentpages/Jkemp/BlackGate/blackgate.htm [last accessed 13/02/04].

See http://museums.ncl.ac.uk/keep/ [last accessed 13/02/04].
 

References:

• Images of England
• Images of England
• Pevsner, N., Richmond, I., Grundy, J., McCombie, G., Ryder, P. and Welfare, H. (2001) The Buildings of England: Northumberland. London, Penguin Books, p.436, p.438
• Tyne and Wear SMR

The information displayed in this page has been derived from authoritative sources, including any referenced above. Although substantial efforts were made to verify this information, the SINE project cannot guarantee its correctness or completeness.

view images of this structure
view location on a map

suggestions / comments welcome
  go to the top