Newcastle City Guides

Newcastle City Guides We aim to provide entertaining and fully researched walks in Newcastle, Gateshead and Tyneside We are all well trained guides who volunteer our services free.

Thank you for your interest in our activities

Newcastle City Guides was set up in 1963 by Newcastle Libraries following a request from a local councillor. All money raised goes to maintaining and developing our programme on a year by year basis

We deliver a wide range of walking tours as above as well as site tours eg Grey’s Monument, the Guildhall and All Saints Church. Come on one of our walks and you could discover;
- Quayside to view exciting developments on both sides of the Tyne
- Grainger Town the first purpose-built town centre in the country.
- Tyne Bridges - our matchless collection of bridges.
- Gateshead and its heritage and hidden history
- Themed walking tours – each season we deliver a variety of Heritage Walks e.g.discover Newcastle in the C18, see where it was trendy to be seen in the swinging 1960s, the men and women who influenced this area and beyond, or come on one of our graveyard tours – not gloomy at all! We continue to look at how we can bring the history and culture of the area to the public (locals and visitors)

We also provide private tours as well as working with schools, Universities and the Port of Tyne Authority. We provide information to members of the public, journalists, researchers and to NewcastleGateshead Initiative (NGI). We promote our activities via the NGI website and our Facebook site. In consequence of Covid-19, this year we have been adding photographs and information on a daily basis on our Facebook site. This will continue even when we are able to return to walking tours.

Join us on our Seaton Sluice Industrial Port and Social History Walk-meet for a 2pm start on Wednesday 23rd September at...
14/09/2026

Join us on our Seaton Sluice Industrial Port and Social History Walk-meet for a 2pm start on Wednesday 23rd September at Fountain Head Car Park, Seaton Sluice, NE26 4HT and finish at St.Paul’s Church (500m away).

Seaton Sluice was once “the busiest small port in the kingdom”. Discover this scene of considerable industrial expertise and its social history in a picturesque setting.
£7 for adults
£5 for concessions (over 60s)
Season ticket holders free, but please bring your ticket to show us.
Walk ups welcome on the day.

Book your place now on the link below.

Tickets are now available for Seaton Sluice - Industrial, Port, and Social History WA at Meet at Fountain Head Car Park, Seaton Sluice on Wednesday 23rd September 2026. Click the link for further information and to secure your tickets now!

Thanks to Malcolm Burn for this post on the Jesmond Old Cemetery FB Page.Joseph Aynsley Davidson Shipley (1822 - 1909) i...
14/09/2026

Thanks to Malcolm Burn for this post on the Jesmond Old Cemetery FB Page.

Joseph Aynsley Davidson Shipley (1822 - 1909) is buried in the consecrated section and his grave is marked with this impressive red granite slab.

Joseph was a well known Solicitor, being a partner in Hoyle, Shipley and Hoyle - the firm had offices in Westgate Road and Grainger Street in Newcastle Upon Tyne. His main interest was in art and he had a collection of over 2500 paintings which he kept at his home in Saltwell Park House (Saltwell Towers) in Gateshead.

When he died on February 4th 1909 aged 87 years, he left £30,000 and his art collection to the city of Newcastle-this was to be known as The Shipley Bequest. Joseph put a condition on his bequest that the Laing Art Gallery was not to benefit from it in any way. After much debate, Newcastle declined his bequest and it was later offered to Gateshead. Gateshead was keen to build an art gallery and accepted the offer. The Shipley Art Gallery was built and was opened in 1917. Not all of Joseph's collection was able to be displayed and some of it was sold off with the money being used to finance the building of the gallery.

His first wife Mary died in June 1887 and is recorded on the monument along with his second wife, Pauline Wilhelmina who died in July 1900. His mother Jane who died on June 30th 1881 at the age of 99 years is also remembered on the monument.

Thanks to Where’s Geordie? for this September 5th 2017 post. Charles I entering Newcastle as portrayed in this plaque in...
14/09/2026

Thanks to Where’s Geordie? for this September 5th 2017 post.

Charles I entering Newcastle as portrayed in this plaque in Milburn House, and the plaque on the side of Lloyds Bank on Grey Street, commemorating Charles' imprisonment between May 1646 and February 1647 in Anderson House, the mansion that stood on this site at that time. Newcastle was a Royalist town, and Charles gave the town its motto 'Fortiter Defendit Triumphans' (Triumphing by brave defence) in recognition of our town's brave defence against the Scots during this period.

The Great North Run (picture of the first run in 1981)The Great North Run is the largest half marathon in the world, run...
13/09/2026

The Great North Run (picture of the first run in 1981)

The Great North Run is the largest half marathon in the world, run between Newcastle and South Shields. It was devised by Olympic bronze medallist and Hebburn lad Sir Brendan Foster. The first run in 1981 (28 June) attracted 12,000 runners, but it now attracts over 50,000 runners as well as lots of supporters. There's also a very popular junior run.

Past winners have included Sir Mo Farah, Paula Radcliffe, Mike McLeod and Liz McColgan. What memories do you have of the run or the junior run?

Saville Row, Newcastle, City Engineers, 1974Taken from Northumberland Street and looking along Saville Row, this picture...
13/09/2026

Saville Row, Newcastle, City Engineers, 1974

Taken from Northumberland Street and looking along Saville Row, this picture shows many well remembered shops, including Richard Shops, Smyths, C&A, Jane Walker Knitfashions and Callers. Did you often shop along here? What were your favourites?

Carliol House, Pilgrim Street /Market Street, 1965
13/09/2026

Carliol House, Pilgrim Street /Market Street, 1965

The Mayfair, Newgate Street: Ladies' Powder Room. As it appeared in 1961. Photo courtesy of Tyne & Wear Archives & Museu...
12/09/2026

The Mayfair, Newgate Street: Ladies' Powder Room. As it appeared in 1961. Photo courtesy of Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums

Chevy Chase, in Eldon Square, 1986. Can you remember Eldon Square like this or do you have memories of Bainbridges, whic...
12/09/2026

Chevy Chase, in Eldon Square, 1986. Can you remember Eldon Square like this or do you have memories of Bainbridges, which is just behind?

12/09/2026

Georgian Tyne Bridge (site of the Swing Bridge) (1781-1868)

Black Gate, Newcastle, 1995, photo taken by Malcolm Maybury. Office buildings on St Nicholas Street and Side can be seen...
12/09/2026

Black Gate, Newcastle, 1995, photo taken by Malcolm Maybury. Office buildings on St Nicholas Street and Side can be seen in the background with the spire of St Nicholas' Cathedral beyond. Photo courtesy of Newcastle Libraries.

Address

Newcastle Upon Tyne

Website

,

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Newcastle City Guides posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Newcastle City Guides:

Shortcuts

Share

Category