Newcastle Castle

Over het museum

Newcastle Castle stands on a steep, naturally defensible site above the River Tyne where the Romans built the fort of Pons Aelius, part of the Hadrian's Wall frontier. After the Norman conquest and the Harrying of the North a castle was built here, and it gave the town its name. For centuries it served as a royal stronghold where armies gathered and prisoners were held.

The site has changed with each age. Parts of the keep were used as a prison for debtors in the 1820s, and the keep was restored in 1810 to 1812, which gave it its flat paved roof, and again under the architect John Dobson in 1848; the four square towers on top were added in the Victorian period. A railway line was later driven right through the grounds. The Black Gate, the old gatehouse, was lived in from the 17th century by shoemakers, blacksmiths, tavern-keepers and many families, and later became the home of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Today the two surviving medieval buildings, the Castle Keep and the Black Gate, are open to visitors. The castle is run by an independent charity, the Heart of the City Partnership, and it is neither an English Heritage nor a National Trust site.

Hoogtepunten

• Castle Keep with its Great Hall, chapel and gaol
• Roof of the keep with 360-degree views of the city and the Tyne
• Museum Room in the Black Gate
• Costumed walking tours of old Newcastle
• Entry ticket valid for a whole year

Vaste collectie

• Castle Keep – Four floors including the Great Hall, chapel and gaol, a museum display on the castle's history from the Roman fort to today, and the roof with views over the city.
• Museum Room, Black Gate – The third floor of the Black Gate tells the stories of the people who lived and worked there from the 17th century, and of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Opgericht

1080

Beheerder

Heart of the City Partnership

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

Every ticket is an annual pass valid for one year from the date of purchase, with full access to the daytime programme. Passes include a downloadable audio guide. Booking online is optional; tickets can be bought on the day. There are no tickets for the roof only. A walking-tour ticket includes castle entry for 48 hours. The castle is not an English Heritage or National Trust site.

Toegankelijkheid

• Deels rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift
• Aangepast toilet
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats: geen informatie
• Hulphonden welkom
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

The Black Gate has ramps and an external lift to its upper levels, including reception and the gift shop, and an accessible toilet on the first floor. The Castle Keep has several upper floors that wheelchair users cannot reach, with many steep stairs and uneven surfaces. Only assistance dogs are allowed in the keep. Buggies can be left in a designated area. An access guide is published online.

Kinderen & gezin

• Kinderwagenvriendelijk: niet aanwezig

Child tickets are available for ages 5 to 15 and a family ticket covers 2 adults and 3 children. The keep has steep stairs, and buggies are parked in a designated area.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

The castle is in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, a short walk down Grey Street and overlooking the Quayside.

Service & horeca

• Café
• Museumwinkel
• Garderobe: niet aanwezig

The visitor welcome area offers coffee, refreshments, seating and toilets, and there is a gift shop. There is no space to store luggage. The tourist information hub is accessible by lift.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

Het museum heeft hierover geen informatie gepubliceerd.

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