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Last modified:
November 13, 2004
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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”.
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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.
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The Blackbird Public House
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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
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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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