Take a walk down any of Newcastle’s streets and you’ll discover a city resplendent in cultural and historical treasure. From the Georgian riches of Grainger Town and the Edwardian Grainger market, to Blackfriars’ 13th-century medieval friary and the city’s Roman walls, the city is blessed with wondrous architecture and an illustrious history.
All of which makes it a perfect place for the Heritage Open Days scheme, a national programme of celebrations which opens doors to venues and buildings which are usually off-limits to the public. Free to attend, and taking place from 9th-18th September, there are a multitude of events and activities to get involved in. Here, we dive into all the experiences you can enjoy in the city as part of the event…
Image: Alderman Fenwick’s house
Architectural gems
One of the rarest surviving examples of an original Merchant’s house, take a tour of Alderman Fenwick’s House on Pilgrim Street, where you’ll discover rooms which have hosted the likes of Winston Churchill and Charles Dickens (14th-15th Sept).
Also worth a peek is the city’s oldest arts building, the surprisingly ornate and highly interesting 55 Westgate Road, which also stands on the line of Hadrian’s Wall. Find out about the fascinating mansion house in a special talk (17th Sept).
Another with a significant history which goes as far back as Roman times, the spaces around Newcastle Arts Centre’s complex are at the heart of the city’s cultural past. With a regeneration plan in place for the area, this tour will be a real treat (10th Sept).
The Trinity House on Broad Chare is a real hidden gem, with parts of the buildings having withstood civil war, plague and great fires. The unique tours will display examples of the city’s contribution to maritime history (10th Sept).
The seat of power for over 250 years, the Guildhall on the Quayside isn’t usually open to the public, so this walking tour offers a very special chance to find out about where many a felon met his fate (12th Sept).
Image: Grainger Market
No doubt you’ll have wandered around the Grainger Market many times without considering its historical importance, but the Edwardian covered market plays a significant part in the city’s mercantile history, from the Marks & Spencer Penny Bazaar opened in 1895 to becoming the culinary hot spot it is today. You might even learn about some of the ghosts which haunt the alleys… (9th-17th Sept, except Sunday 11th).
Industrial icons
Join a tour of 36 Lime Street and discover more about the John Dobson-designed former flax mill while also checking out some of the artists which now call it home (Wednesday 14th). Also in the Ouseburn Valley, the Victoria Tunnel is a subterranean waggonway which took coal from Spital Tongues to the river, weaving under the city’s streets. Join a taster tour which explores this important part of Newcastle’s industrial past (15th Sept).
Image: 36 Lime Street by Sue Woolhouse and Dave Lawson
There’s also an opportunity to take a peek behind closed doors at The Common Room on Westgate Road, which has been home to the Mining Institute for the last 150 years. Their special tour includes the Arbitration Room, a historic space which is not usually available for public view, and an opportunity to find out more about some of the region’s greatest pioneering minds like Robert Stephenson, Lord Armstrong and Nicholas Wood (10th & 17th Sept).
Innovators and inventors
The Lit & Phil’s Behind The Books tour promises to shine a light on some of their illustrious members and the most unusual artifacts among their 200,000 books (10th, 13th & 17th Sept). A further tour which centres on the innovators who contributed to the society’s science and technology breakthroughs during the 19th Century will also provide fascinating insight (10th Sept). The Philip Robinson Library celebrates its 40th anniversary at Newcastle University and invites visitors to discover special archives and rare treasures including letters by Joseph Swan and photos of the first lightbulb at Cragside (14th Sept).
Image: Tyne Theatre stage machinery by Alan Butland
It’s perhaps little known that Tyne Theatre & Opera House was an innovator of its time, join their tour to find out about the astounding inventions at the Grade-I listed Victorian theatre, including its amazing stage machinery (13th-15th Sept).
Ancient and modern
Nestled behind the modern facade of The Gate, the 13th Century former Dominican Friary of Blackfriars uncovers an exquisite moment in the city’s heritage. Join their 45-minute tour to find out about the medieval spaces, including domestic buildings, the banquet hall, church foundations, former refectory and guild hall meeting rooms – all of which now make up the award-winning restaurant’s grounds and buildings (9th & 16th Sept).
Image: Dominican friary
Some of the city’s more recent history will come under scrutiny at Newcastle Central Library, where their Potted History project celebrates the city’s West End amid display models of people and places from the area’s history (9th Sept).
Religion and iconic views
The city has an eclectic and interesting ecclesiastical past, with a variety of architectural wonders among its places of worship. Saint Ann’s Church is an iconic part of the Quayside skyline, with its Renaissance style complete with entrance columns and porticos emulating Roman buildings (10th-11th Sept); the beautiful St. John The Baptist Church on Grainger Street is a medieval building dating from 1130 and has several interesting features including a Jacobean pulpit and medieval stained glass, it also has connections to some of the city’s most revered historical figures including Richard Grainger and Charles Avison; Newcastle’s iconic St Nicholas Cathedral is perhaps the most famous of them all, and their tours will explore the history of the building, its interesting icons as well as exhibitions and tours of their Lantern Tower which offer a bird’s eye view of the city (9th-11th Sept); while All Saints Church is the only elliptical church in England and is an excellent example of neoclassical architecture (15th-16th Sept).
Image: All Saints Church
Also on a religious note, the imminent arrival of the Lindisfarne Gospels to Laing Art Gallery is preceded by a talk hosted by Blue Badge Guide Amanda Hepburn at Newcastle City Library, where she explains the journey of the Gospels from its creation to its triumphant return. Also at the City Library, The Northern Minstrels is a talk hosted by local author Dave Harker which delves into the city’s musical heritage.
See it all by bus!
What better way to view a city than from a heritage bus? The Heritage Tour of Newcastle will stop off at several historic sites throughout the city and will be accompanied by a commentary (9th, 10th & 18th Sept).
Heritage Open Days promise an unrivalled opportunity to dive into Newcastle’s wonderful heritage this September, with incredible buildings, talk, tours, and more. What will you discover?
