Online Encyclopedia

Search over 40,000 articles from the original, classic Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th Edition.

NEWCASTLE

Online Encyclopedia
Originally appearing in Volume V19, Page 474 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
Spread the word: del.icio.us del.icio.us it!

NEWCASTLE , a See also:

city and the See also:county-seat of See also:Lawrence county, See also:Pennsylvania, U.S.A., on the Shenango See also:river, at the mouth of Neshannock See also:Creek, about 5o m. N.N.W. of See also:Pittsburg. Pop. (1890) 11,600; (1900) 28,339, 5324 being See also:foreign-See also:born and 463 negroes; (191o) 36,280. It is served by the Pennsylvania, the See also:Erie, the See also:Baltimore & See also:Ohio, the See also:Buffalo, See also:Rochester & Pittsburgh, and the Pittsburgh & See also:Lake Erie See also:railways. Cascade See also:Park, in the neighbourhood, is a See also:pleasure resort. The surrounding See also:country, with which the city has an extensive See also:trade, is well adapted to See also:agriculture, and abounds in bituminous See also:coal, See also:iron ore, See also:limestone, See also:sandstone and See also:fire-See also:clay. In 1905 the city ranked fifth among the cities of the See also:state in the value of its factory product, and of its products (valued at $29,433,635, an increase of 47.1 %since woo) iron and See also:steel, and See also:tin and terne-plates were the most important. Newcastle was founded in 1802, became a See also:borough in 1869, and was first chartered as a city in 1875, its See also:charter being revised in 1887. NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME, a See also:market See also:town and municipal and See also:parliamentary borough of See also:Staffordshire, See also:England, 2 M. W. of Stoke-upon-See also:Trent by the See also:North Staffordshire railway. Pop.

(1901) 19,914. The See also:

parish See also:church of St See also:Giles was rebuilt in 1873-1876 by See also:Sir See also:Gilbert See also:Scott, with the exception of the See also:tower, which See also:dates from the 12th See also:century. The See also:free See also:grammar school, originally founded in 1602, possesses large endowments, increased by the amalgamation of various subsequent bequests for educational purposes, and now consists of high and See also:middle See also:schools for boys and See also:Orme's school for girls. There is also a school of See also:art included with a free library in handsome municipal buildings. The manufacture of hats was once the See also:staple trade, but it has declined. There are See also:cotton and See also:paper See also:mills; and tanning, See also:brewing, malting and the manufacture of See also:army clothing are carried on. In the neighbourhood there are large collieries, as at Silverdale and elsewhere. Partly included in the parliamentary borough is the populous parish of Wolstanton, of which the See also:fine church, well placed on high ground, has See also:good details of the 13th century, with a massive tower and See also:spire. The See also:mining town of See also:Audley lies 4. M. N.W., with a fine See also:early Decorated church. Newcastle-under-Lyme is governed by a See also:mayor, 6 aldermen and 18 councillors.

See also:

Area, 671 acres. Newcastle-under-Lyme (Neofchastell-sur-Lyme, Newcastle-under-Lyme) is not mentioned in Domesday, but it must early have become a See also:place of importance, for a charter, known only through a reference in a charter to See also:Preston, was given to the town by See also:Henry II. The town owes its name to a See also:castle built here in the 12th century to supersede an older fortress at See also:Chester-ton about 2 M. to the north, of which the ruins were to be seen in the 16th century, and to the fact that it was situated under the See also:forest of Lyme. Henry III. (1235) constituted it a free borough, granting a gild See also:merchant and other privileges; in 1251 he leased it at See also:fee-See also:farm to the burgesses; the governing charter in 1835 was that of 1590 enlarged by that of 1664, under which the See also:title of the See also:corporation was the " mayor, bailiffs and burgesses of Newcastle-under-Lyme." Newcastle, which was originally held by the See also:crown, was granted (1265) to See also:Simon de See also:Montfort, and subsequently to See also:Edmund Crouchback, through whom it passed to Henry IV. In See also:Leland's See also:time the castle had disappeared " See also:save one See also:great Toure "; in the 17th and 18th centuries the town was flourishing and had a manufacture of hats. The market was originally held on See also:Sunday; in the reign of See also:John it was changed to Saturday; by the charter of See also:Elizabeth it was fixed on See also:Monday. Markets are now held on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Grants of fairs were given by See also:Edward I., Edward III. and Henry VI. Up to the time of the passing of the Municipal Reform See also:Act the See also:farce of electing a See also:mock mayor was gone through annually after the See also:election of the real mayor. Newcastle sent two members to See also:parliament from 1355 to 1885, when it lost one representative. See See also:Victoria County See also:History, See also:Stafford; T.

Ingamells, See also:

Historical Records and See also:Directory of Newcastle-under-Lyme. NEWCASTLE-UPON-See also:TYNE, a city and county of a city, municipal, county and parliamentary borough, and See also:port of See also:Northumberland, England, 272 M. N. by W. of See also:London, on the North-Eastern railway. Pop. (1891) 186,300;- (1901) 215,328. It stands on the N. See also:bank of the Tyne, which is here high and steeply inclined above the river. The mouth of the river into the -North See also:Sea is 8 m. below Newcastle and its See also:banks are lined with docks and See also:industrial towns, while its narrow See also:waters are crowded with See also:traffic. Though Newcastle owes its origin to a See also:Roman station at a See also:bridge over the river, its See also:modern growth has largely destroyed traces of antiquity. Of the old walls which, according to Leland, "for strength and magnificence far surpassed all the'walls of the cities of England and of most of the towns of See also:Europe," and the See also:circuit of which was 2 M. 239 yds., there are slight remains, although the fortifications were allowed to go into disrepair after the See also:union of See also:Scotland and England. The castle, from which the town takes its name, stood on a slight See also:elevation rising abruptly from the river, and was erected by Henry II. between 1172 and 1177 on the site of an older structure built in 1o8o by See also:Robert, eldest son of the Conqueror. It was originally the strongest fortress in the north of England, and its keep is now one of the finest specimens of the See also:Norman stronghold remaining in the country.

While it was still incomplete, See also:

William the See also:Lion was led within its walls after his See also:capture at See also:Alnwick; and within its great See also:hall See also:Baliol, on the 26th of See also:December 1292, did See also:homage for the crown of Scotland to Edward I. The area of the castle within its See also:outer walls and See also:fosse was 3 acres. Fragments of these walls, with the See also:principal entrance or See also:Black See also:Gate (portions of which are, however, of later construction) and the Watergate or See also:southern See also:postern remain, but the inner See also:wall surrounding the keep has been entirely removed. The massive keep, with walls 14 ft. thick, is in a state of good preservation, as is also the See also:chapel, a beautiful specimen of See also:late Norman See also:style. The castle was See also:purchased by the corporation in 1809, and is under the See also:charge of the Newcastle Society of Antiquaries, which uses a portion of it as an antiquarian museum. Near the castle is St See also:Nicholas church, forming the See also:cathedral of the See also:diocese of New-castle, instituted in 1882. The diocese covers practically the whole of Northumberland, with a very small portion of Cumber-See also:land. The church, which is principally Decorated, consists of See also:nave, aisles, See also:chancel and transepts, the See also:total length of the interior from See also:east to See also:west being 245 ft., and the width at the transepts 128 ft. The principal feature of the church is the See also:lantern tower, a later addition and a very fine specimen of early Perpendicular. Among other interesting old churches is St See also:Andrew's church, erected in the 11th century, and retaining Norman characteristics, with a See also:low square tower and a peal of six bells. During the See also:siege by the Parliamentary army in 1644 it was greatly damaged. St John's church is a See also:building of the 14th century with an See also:ancient front.

Of the nine conventual buildings at one time existing in Newcastle or its immediate neighbourhood, a few fragments of the monastery of the Black Friars remain, and the chapel of the See also:

hospital of St See also:Mary at Jesmond forms a picturesque ruin. There are a number of See also:quaint Elizabethan houses in the steep See also:street called the See also:Side, and in the Sandhill at its See also:foot. Some of the modern streets of Newcastle are spacious and handsome. The most noteworthy are See also:Grey Street, in which a See also:complete See also:scheme of Grecian See also:architecture is followed, and Grainger Street. This thoroughfare is named after See also:Richard Grainger (1798-1861), a wealthy See also:local architect who devoted himself to the beautifying of his city with remarkable See also:energy. Of numerous modern churches may be noted that of St See also:George, Jesmond, a landmark for a great distance and finely decorated within, and the Roman See also:Catholic cathedral of the diocese of Hex-See also:ham and Newcastle. The most important public buildings are the corporation buildings, including a large public hall, and a See also:corn See also:exchange; the See also:guildhall, originally a hospital called the Maison de Dieu, and afterwards used as " the stately See also:court of merchant adventurers," re-erected in 1658; the See also:moot-hall (181o) for the meetings of assizes and sessions and the transaction of county business; the exchange (186o); the central newsroom and art See also:gallery (1838); the See also:Wood memorial hall (187o), used for the meetings of the North of England See also:Institute of See also:Engineers; and the See also:custom-See also:house. The Grey See also:monument in Grey Street, an Ionic See also:column surmounted by a statue of See also:Earl Grey, was erected in 1836 to commemorate the passing of the Reform See also:Bill; the See also:Stephenson monument near the railway station was erected in 1862; a See also:marble statue of See also:Queen Victoria in front of the Royal Victoria Infirmary was unveiled in 1906, and a See also:bronze statue of the queen in 1903 in the cathedral square. Among educational establishments the See also:chief are the colleges of See also:medicine and of See also:physical See also:science of the university of See also:Durham; the first granting degrees in medicine and See also:surgery; the second, with which the school of art is incorporated, degrees in science and literature. The See also:college of science, or See also:Armstrong College as it is called in See also:commemoration of the first See also:Lord Armstrong, was founded in 1871; the north-east wing was opened in 1888;further parts of the building in 1894, and the west wing by See also:King Edward in 1906. The royal free grammar school, founded in 1525, occupies modern buildings in Jesmond. There should be mentioned also See also:Allan's endowed schools, founded in 1705, and reorganized by the charity commissioners in 1877; and See also:Rutherford College and the Commercial Institute, providing technical and commercial See also:education.

The See also:

Laing Art Gallery was erected and presented to the city by See also:Alexander Laing, and opened in 1904. Among clubs and similar institutions are the See also:Literary and Philosophical Society, founded in 1793, the Society of Antiquaries, founded in 1813, with a museum in the castle; the Natural History Society and museum; the Tyneside See also:Geographical Society; the Tyneside Naturalists' See also:Club, established in 1846; the See also:Mechanics' Institution, 1824; the North of England Institute of Mining Engineers, 1852; the Fine Arts Society; the Farmers' Club; the See also:Northern Counties' Club; the Union Club; and the University Club. Several clubs for working men See also:form a See also:note-worthy social feature. There is a public library and newsroom. The Royal Victoria Infirmary on the Castle Leazes is a memorial of the See also:Diamond See also:Jubilee of Queen Victoria, and was opened in rgo6. The benevolent institutions also include the dispensary (1777), See also:fever house (1803), lying-in hospital (,76o), See also:eye infirmary (1822), See also:children's hospital, Trinity almshouses (1492), hospital of the See also:Holy Jesus (1682), hospital (1701) for keelmen, i.e. coal-bargemen; and institutions for the See also:blind, dumb and orphans. Newcastle is well supplied with public parks and recreation grounds. To the N. of the city is the Castle Leazes ornamental park of 35 acres, and beyond this the Town See also:Moor and racecourse, an extensive See also:common, the survival of the pasture land of the township. Eastward from Town Moor is Brandling Park, and westward See also:Nun's Moor. The picturesque grounds of Armstrong Park N.E. of the city extend to about 50 acres, the larger See also:half of which was presented by Sir W. G. Armstrong, who also presented the beautifully wooded grounds of Jesmond Dene.

See also:

Elswick Park in the See also:south-west of the city, extending to 84 acres, includes Elswick Hall. There are several others. Jesmond, N.E. of the city, is the chief residential suburb. It takes name from " Jesus See also:Mount," and was formerly a place of See also:pilgrimage, possessing a hospital dedicated to St Mary the Virgin. Both the Northumberland and Durham banks of the river are lined with manufacturing towns or suburbs. Of these the most important is See also:Gateshead (q.v.) immediately opposite New-castle; while those adjacent to Newcastle on the same bank are Benwell and Fenham (pop. in 1901, 18,316) on the west, and See also:Walker (13,336) on the east. The last-named two (formerly See also:urban districts), together with See also:part of See also:Kenton, were incorporated with Newcastle in 1904. Newcastle is connected with the south bank of the Tyne by four See also:bridges—two high-level bridges, an See also:hydraulic See also:swing bridge and a suspension bridge. The old high-level bridge carries the North-Eastern railway, with a road and footway beneath it. It was opened by Queen Victoria in 1849. The new high-level bridge, carrying the railway only, was opened by King Edward VII. in 1906; it consists of four steel spans on See also:granite piers. The hydraulic swing bridge, on the low level, was built to replace a See also:stone structure erected in 1781 on the site of a bridge dating from 1250, and destroyed by a See also:flood in 1771.

The Roman bridge, the Pons Aelii, is said to have spanned the river at the same point. The hydraulic bridge (1876) consists of one large centre See also:

pier, two midstream piers and two abutments; and its See also:foundations are iron cylinders resting on the solid See also:rock, 6o ft. below the See also:bed of the river. Two spans, which open simultaneously by See also:machines impelled by See also:steam, allow 103 ft. of waterway for vessels going up and down the river. About half a mile farther up the stream is the Redheugh bridge (1871). The central station of the North-Eastern railway is an extensive and handsome structure built on a See also:sharp See also:curve. An underground See also:line connects it with the See also:Blyth and Tyne station. The suburban line of the North-Eastern See also:company from the central station to Jesmond, Gosforth and See also:Benton was the first See also:standard line to carry passengers by electric See also:traction (1904). Newcastle owes its prosperity to its convenient situation on additional aldermen, while the charter of See also:James I. in 1604 a tidal river, and to the immense stores of coal in the See also:neighbour- See also:hood, which, besides being largely exported, stimulate a great variety of See also:industries which are dependent on their use. It began to export coal about the end of the 13th century, but the trade received a severe check by the act of Edward I. which made the burning of coal in London a See also:capital offence. In the reign of Edward III. See also:licence was granted to the inhabitants " to dig coals and stones in the common See also:soil of the town without the walls thereof in the place called the Castle See also:Field and the Forth." The See also:quay in front of the town, extending from the hydraulic bridge to the Ouseburn, forms a fine thoroughfare of about a mile in length; and by means of dredging a See also:depth of See also:water has been obtained at the See also:shore permitting vessels of large See also:tonnage to approach, although the berths of the ocean steamers are a little farther down the river. The quay is supplied with the most improved See also:mechanical appliances, and has See also:direct communication with the North-Eastern railway. There is a large See also:grain warehouse at the E. end of the quay.

Exports include coal, chemicals, See also:

pig-iron, iron-See also:work, steel, iron bars, plates and castings, machinery, fire-clay goods and See also:copper. The chief imports are fruits, See also:wheat, See also:maize, oats, See also:barley, iron and steel, See also:petroleum, See also:sulphur ore, See also:timber and wood hoops, iron ore and potatoes. Steamers carrying passengers serve the principal See also:English ports, See also:Cardiff, See also:Leith, &c.; also Baltic ports and New See also:York; while Newcastle is one of the chief ports for the extensive See also:Norwegian tourist traffic, the See also:ships of the combined Bergenske and Nordenfjeldske companies regularly serving See also:Stavanger, See also:Bergen, See also:Trondhjem and intermediate ports. To the industries of Newcastle indicated by the exports may be added See also:glass, See also:lead and shot, See also:brick and See also:tile, earthenware, See also:tool, rope and ships'-fitting manufactures, and most important of all, See also:shipbuilding. The celebrated Elswick See also:works, founded by Messrs Armstrong in 1847, and amalgamated with those of See also:Mitchell & Co., are among the most important in the See also:world. The construction of ships of all sorts, including the largest ironclads with all their See also:armour and guns, is carried on. Elswick is the name of the western part of the borough of Newcastle. The borough returns two members to parliament. It is the largest undivided parliamentary See also:constituency in the See also:United See also:Kingdom. The city is governed by a lord mayor (the title was conferred in 1906), 19 aldermen and 57 councillors. Area, 8453 acres. History.—Newcastle owes its origin to its position on the great Roman wall and on the See also:estuary of the river Tyne.

Its Roman occupation is proved by existing remains, most important among which are the foundations of a bridge, attributed to the See also:

emperor See also:Hadrian. Before the See also:Conquest little is known of the town except that it was called Monkchester, and that it was destroyed in the 9th century by the Danes. After the defeat of See also:Edgar 1Etheling and Earl See also:Waltheof on Gateshead See also:Fell, it was again destroyed by William the Conqueror, but Robert of See also:Normandy is said to have raised a castle there in 'o8o on his return from an expedition against See also:Malcolm, king of Scotland, and from that time the town was called Newcastle. Shortly afterwards it was fortified by Robert de See also:Mowbray in his See also:rebellion against William See also:Rufus, but it was taken by the king in 1095. In the reign of See also:Stephen it was seized by See also:David, king of Scotland, and after its restoration to the English in 1157 Henry II. rebuilt the castle and established a See also:mint. The walls surrounding the town are attributed to Edward I. During the '4th century Newcastle was three times defended successfully against the Scots, but in '64o it was occupied for a See also:year by the Scottish See also:Covenanters under See also:Leslie. It was then garrisoned by royalists, but again surrendered to the Scots in 1644 after a siege of about six See also:weeks, and See also:Charles I. was taken there in '646 when he had yielded himself to the Scottish army. The burgesses are said to have held the borough at a fee-farm See also:rent under a. See also:grant from William Rufus. The title of mayor was conferred by Henry III., while Henry IV. in 1400 made the town a county of itself with a See also:sheriff, and granted the burgesses See also:power to elect 6 aldermen. Queen Elizabeth incorporated the town in 1589 under the title of mayor and burgesses, and See also:Philip and Mary in 1556 granted 4 appointed 24 common councilmen. Newcastle has been represented in parliament by two members since 1295.

The coal trade, to which the town owes its prosperity, began in the 13th century, but, partly owing to the act of parliament passed in the reign of Edward I. forbidding the use of coal in London, did not become important until the 17th century. Glassmaking was a considerable trade in the 17th century, and in 1823 George Stephenson established iron works at Newcastle, where the first engines used on the See also:

Stockton and See also:Darlington, and See also:Manchester and See also:Liverpool lines were made. See Victoria County History, Northumberland; John See also:Brand, The History and Antiquities of the Town and County of the Town of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (1789); Chirographia, or a Survey of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (1818).

End of Article: NEWCASTLE

Additional information and Comments

There are no comments yet for this article.
» Add information or comments to this article.
Please link directly to this article:
Highlight the code below, right click, and select "copy." Then paste it into your website, email, or other HTML.
Site content, images, and layout Copyright © 2006 - Net Industries, worldwide.
Do not copy, download, transfer, or otherwise replicate the site content in whole or in part.

Links to articles and home page are always encouraged.

[back]
NEWBURYPORT
[next]
NEWCASTLE, DUKES OF