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Castle Keep, Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle Upon Tyne was originally the site of a fort on Hadrian's Wall. On the site of the Castle Keep itself was a Roman fortification called Pons Aelius. This fort was designed to protect the Tyne river crossing, and part of it has been excavated, and can be viewed at sites close to the Castle Keep. A Roman bridge was probably in the same location as the present Swing Bridge. The name of Newcastle came into being with the arrival of Robert Cuthose, the eldest son of William the Conqueror. He rebuilt the old Pons Aelius, calling it his New Castle, a name which attached itself to the town that grew up around the fortifications.

The original earth and timber fort built by Robert was replaced between 1172 and 1177, during the reign of Henry II, and most of the stonework of the present Castle Keep dates from this time. The walls are so massive that chambers are incorporated within their thickness. In outward appearance the castle has changed little since it was built, apart from the addition of stone battlements, and blackening of originally honey-coloured stone by smoke from a nearby railway. The castles of Henry II actually represent something of a change in the government of England. Until the reign of Henry II castles were often the property of powerful individuals, although theoretically all castles were at the disposal of the king. Henry set out to make sure that castles were actually at the disposal of the king. He destroyed the castles of barons who opposed him, and swapped barons around between castles, so that no individual became too closely associated with an individual castle. Some writers, W.L. Warren for example, suggest this reflects the beginning of a different kind of government in England, less reliant on individuals, more reliant on an administrative system. There might be something in this, in which case Newcastle Castle Keep commemorates an important time of change for England.

Opening Times: Open every day, 10am - 5pm Monday to Saturday and 12 noon to 5pm Sunday. Last entry is 4.15pm.

Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

Address: Castle Keep, Castle Garth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1XP

Directions: The Castle Keep is in the centre of Newcastle, just off the A167, just north of the river Tyne. Click here for an interactive map centred on the Castle Keep.

Access: All areas above ground level are not accessible to the disabled, but there is a virtual tour with audio commentary which allows visitors to view every part of the building without having to move from the ground floor. Virtual tours are by appointment only.

Contact:

telephone: 0191 2327938