For notes on the making of Newcastle Arts Centre - click here

A brief history of the buildings now owned by Newcastle Arts Centre.

Westgate Road was named after the "West Gate" in the city walls. It is the oldest named street in Newcastle and runs along the course of Hadrian's Wall. Indeed the Arts Centre itself stands on the site of a Roman Milecastle. Since Roman times, the road has played a vital part in the history and development of the city. The fortunes and functions of the street have varied widely, ranging from "a street more retired than any other in the town, there being no artificers or mechanics" (Bourne 1736) to a "centre of business and commercial enterprise" by the late nineteenth century.

In recent years many long-neglected buildings have been restored, and the historical importance and quality of this area is once more being appreciated.

In its heyday, Westgate was a street of wealthy merchants' houses standing in orchards and gardens. It has also been a centre for merchants and craft guilds, recreation and entertainment, with Taverns, Theatres and Assembly Rooms. The transition of Newcastle from a feudal medieval town to a pioneering industrial city all happened around Westgate Road with the Castle, the Cathedral, the Parish Church of St.Johns, the Assembly Rooms, Stephensons' Locomotive Works and the Literary and Philosophical Society all within sight of each other.

The "West End" is today an increasingly creative leisure and recreation area of the city where the arts, crafts and entertainment flourish side by side.

67 to 75 Westgate Road

Newcastle Arts Centre is housed in a block of listed buildings near the Central Station. The Company has re-established shops, offices and workshops, and built an Arts Centre from a derelict section of Westgate Road. The buildings consist of 18th Century merchants houses and later property that is bordered on Westgate Road by the line of Hadrian's Wall and on Pink Lane by the line of the City Wall.

Number 67 Westgate Road was the 18th Century home of Lord Ridley's family, the ground floor of which was later converted into a shop. Behind this, Woolf's Store was built in 1912, and this elegant arcade which parallels Forth Lane, a route between Westgate Road and Pink Lane is the main exhibition space of the Arts Centre.

The large basement of number 67 Westgate Road provides a venue for live music, theatre performance, video projection and meetings, accommodating up to 200 people. Above this, the main exhibition space exhibits both the Visual and Applied Arts, with an emphasis of showing the work of artists living in this region. In addition, the Centre has established an Exhibition Production Workshop, an Audio Studio,a Photography Workshop and a Ceramics Workshop.

Behind numbers 69 to 75 Westgate Road there was once a courtyard known as Pearson's Court which has since been built over. The overbuilding has been removed to make Black Swan Court as a part of the Arts Centre. Shops and offices on Westgate Road have been restored and improved, and at the back of the courtyard the buildings have been converted into studios and workshops for artists and craft workers. During 1982-84 the foundations of a Roman Milecastle and several abandoned wells were excavated by our staff and a large find of medieval pottery was recovered. Archeologist Jenny Vaughan is currently preparing a report for the Society of Antiquaries on the pottery.

University Chambers 67 Westgate Road

Although only known as "University Chambers" during the first half of the twentieth century, 67 Westgate Road, the oldest building within the Arts Centre complex, was for over 400 years owned by University College Oxford, during which time it was leased to various people. It is very likely that the land itself was part of a number of deeds presented to the University in 1447 by Alice Bellasis, the daughter of Sir Robert Hansard,..."in consideration of masses to be said... for her soul after her death and for the souls of her kinfolk."

Before being occupied by the most famous of its residents, the Ridley Family, the land, on which at the time stood two houses, was leased in 1693 by William Metcalfe. A member of the Company of Hostmen, which under a charter granted by Elizabeth the First held a virtual monopoly over the coal industry of the area, he was made a Freeman of Newcastle on the 20th May 1698, the same day on which Matthew White, the future father-in-law of Sir Matthew White Ridley, also became a Freeman of the town. It was William Metcalfe who almost certainly converted the original two houses into a single property, forming the basis for the building as it stands today. The current house is in a style that dates it to about 1725.

Leased from University College by Sir Matthew Ridley, 67 Westgate Road was to become the Newcastle residence of the Ridley family for approximately 100 years, and therefore the hub of political and commercial life in the centre of Newcastle. From Matthew Ridley, who became Mayor of Newcastle in 1733 at the age of 21, via Sir Matthew White Ridley I and Sir Matthew White Ridley II, there was formed a dynasty which saw 100 years as Governor of the Merchant Adventurers, 89 consecutive years of Newcastle parliamentary representation and 7 terms of office as Mayor. Grandfather, Father and Son were also all involved in the formation and command of various civil defence forces, from the "White stocking regiment" of 1740 to the "Loyal Association of Newcastle Voluntary Infantry" which was formed in 1798 and disbanded in 1813. Extending their influence over Newcastle life even further, Sir M.W.Ridley I was a major partner in the bank of Ridley, Cookson and Co. which was known as "The Old Bank". On his death, his son continued the family influence within the Bank.

The famous engraver, Thomas Bewick, was employed by Ridley and Cookson to make the plates for their banknotes. Cookson, who also owned property in Westgate Street, employed Beilby to engrave his finest glass.

But, as with all powerful families, in the true tradition of soap operas, there were the inevitable scandals. Sir Matthew Ridley was married twice, in itself not scandalous even in the early 18th century, but curiously his first wife Hannah Barnes was never acknowledged as his wife during her lifetime. More fuel is added to the fire by the fact that on her death in 1741 her brother published "an angry account of her sufferings". His son Sir M.W. Ridley I surpassed his father when in 1798, ( the same year he survived a run on the Ridley, Cookson and Co. Bank), he was charged and found guilty by a jury of his peers of "Criminal Conversation" with another mans wife, a euphemism for adultery. The husband of the "licentious, wanton woman" received £400 damages, a sum which would be expressed in tens of thousands in todays terms. Even so, the social standing of the family was not affected, a fact which may have been aided by the lack of publicity given to the case in the local newspaper of the time.

Although Westgate Road was almost totally composed of the residences of "the important and well to do" we find rather unusually that the neighbours of the Ridley family for over fifty years, from approximately 1780 until 1830, were Coachbuilders. This was actually at 71 Westgate Road (69 did not exist at that time) and the workshops were within the courtyard of the present Arts Centre. The original proprietors were the Brewster family and they were followed by the Wilkinson brothers, William and Edward. It would appear that both families were of "good" if not important social standing, John Brewster being a warden of All Saints Church and his sister Ann married Nathaniel Surgeon, who actually was a surgeon. Oliver's survey of 1830 shows 75 Westgate Road as the property of Mrs Ann Surgeon. The Wilkinson brothers went on to merge with Angus, at which time c.1831, they moved to the Bigg Market. They were at that time one of, if not, the leading coachbuilders in Newcastle, the Angus family being one of noted landowners and gentility.

The court became known as Pearson's Court in the early 1800's when 71 Westgate Road became the property of Robert and Elizabeth Pearson, although they themselves lived at 73 Westgate Road which for a number of years was owned by Isaac Cookson. Robert Pearson was a Tea-dealer and Drysalter who, if Oliver's Survey is accurate, also owned in 1830 all of the tenements in the court, therefore making him a wealthy man. The end of the Napoleonic Wars were celebrated with famous illuminations of 1000 lamps decorating the outside of his home. He died in 1836, the same year as Sir M.W.Ridley II.

The courtyard also housed a number of tenements which were run as lodging houses. The first mention of these appears in 1827 but it is almost certain that they existed a number of years previously. The number of occupants of the court peaked in the 1850's with the 1851 census showing 100 men, women, and children in lodgings within Pearson's Court. Occupations of the lodgers covered Labourers, Shoemakers, Stonemasons, Bakers, Engine Fitters and Pipemakers, as well as others.

It was in the early 1840's when the character of this area of Westgate Road began to slowly change. Although it remained as predominately private residences for another 30 years, the occupants were more often than not involved in trades, such as the Teasdale, Moffat and Lockerby families of Drapers, who occupied 71, 73 and 75 at various times during that period. By 1841 the Ridleys had also moved out of 67 to be replaced by a Boys' Boarding School run by Thomas Fairweather although he was only to remain there for just over 10 years, when the most obvious pointer to the change in character of the area occurred with 67 Westgate Road becoming the offices and warehouses of W.H.Holmes Glassmerchants.

Although there would appear to be no definite record of when 69 Westgate Road was built, it is first listed in the directories in 1858. It is noticeable how the courtyard and coach access obviously influenced the type of occupant. J.Kyle (builder) was the first of these, from 1858 until the late 1860's, when he was replaced by Atkinson & Co. ale stores, and then Johnson & Co. wine merchants.

By the 1880's the change from residential to commercial was complete, with the tenements in Pearson's Court now being converted into warehouses, predominantly by W.H.Holmes, whilst 71, 73 and 75 now all housed offices and shops. The firm of W.H.Holmes was to remain on the premises until the outbreak of World War Two, a period of approximately 85 years.

New commercial occupants made some structural alteration to the site. In 1912 Woolf's Department Stores erected an early concrete and steel building in the former gardens of No. 67. This forms the main public area of the Arts Centre, housing Performance and Exhibition spaces.

The 1920's brought to the block, now known as the Arts Centre, occupants who mirrored the growth of the entertainment industry, especially the movies. The Ideal Film Renting Co. Western Import Co. (Films), Butchers Film Services, Andersons Variety Agents, and Theatre Equipment Co. Ltd, all appear during this decade. There was also British Screen Productions for a period of time at 55 Westgate Road. Yet it is a reflection of the times that by early 1930's, with the onset of the depression years, all had departed. By comparison, a large number of the other occupants such as Woolf & Co. (Picture framers), W.H.Holmes, Quin S & Son (Bedding Manufacturers), Anglo-Scottish Rubber, Crosby & Sons (Confectioners), W.F.Hamilton (Insurance), Drybroughs (Brewers) and Williamson, Inglis & Parks (Drapers) all survived the depression. In fact Woolf & Co. and Quin S & Son both continued well into the late 1960's.

In 1935 Quin S & Sons considerably altered 69-75 by building over the courtyard, and substantially rebuilding and extending the structures at the rear of the courtyard as showrooms and warehousing. In 1981, Newcastle Arts Centre Ltd. acquired the property once owned by Woolf's store and Quin S & Sons, and dismantled most of the 1935 constructions to restore and remodel the courtyard. When Newcastle Arts Centre acquired the site, the courtyard had been lost under overbuilding and one aim of the reconstruction was to refocus the activity of the site around the courtyard. This was renamed Black Swan Court, after an ale house originally at 69 Westgate Street. But, although we have chosen to name our bar and courtyard after a long lost nineteenth century bar, we did not account for the fact that the street was renumbered in the 1860's, and the original Black Swan was in fact next door to the Literary and Philosophical Society.

From 1982 until 2000 the home of Newcastle Arts Centre's office, `details' art material's store and picture framing department.

In 2001 the building is vacant except for the office of Newcastle Arts Centre Trust and is awaiting a complete overhaul and restoration.

Illustration of ' the Assembly House' on the Corbridge map of 1721showing the building prior to modernisation in 1757

An 1842 drawing showing the building as 'modernisied' in 1757

the 1757 doorway and the 1885 shop front - note that the brickwork is now faced with stone and the floor has been lowered to ground level.

This drawing shows the proposed restoration of the1750's south elevation that was hidden when Walkers Factory was built in the Courtyard . Originally the view from the splendid Venetian window would have been across a large courtyard and garden to the City walls and the rural Tyne valley. This Georgian elevation will be restored with the interior.

The site of the present 55/57 Westgate Road has seen a wide range of occupants, and this stretch of Westgate Street was certainly occupied from the 15th Century. In the 1680's it was the home of an Irish Roman Catholic, Sir William Creagh. He was made Mayor and Freeman of the City by Royal Mandate, this being part of James II's efforts to assert the power of the Crown - at the expense of Newcastle's privileges and independence. The King removed the incumbent Mayor and officials, ordering the electors to choose Creagh and other Royal nominees. The electors refused, on the grounds that they were "papists and persons not qualified". This action had no effect, Creagh and his cronies simply assumed office. However, his period of power was short lived. Resentment at royal interference in the city's politics, Creagh's religious sympathies and factional rivalry among the ruling elite combined to remove him. Thus, when William of Orange landed in England in October 1688, Creagh was removed from office and his political career came to an end.

From 1716 to 1736 this was the home of one of the first Assembly Rooms in Newcastle (at the same time playing host to a school, for young ladies!). These public assemblies for dancing and card playing were a new feature of northern society and at first appear to have encountered considerable opposition - as objectionable on moral grounds. The Newcastle Courant advertised "Plays, Masquerades and Assemblies - every night during the races" and "a raffle for 12 fine fans... at half a crown a ticket". These were, no doubt, occasions when the habitual peace and tranquillity of the street were somewhat disturbed..." a fit of dissipation seized it, and instead of the usual sleepy repose, there was a clattering of carriages, and flaring on links and sounds of music and revelry upon the midnight air" (Charlton). for more Click Here

By the mid eighteenth century, 55 had returned to a more conventional role. It is believed to have been the home of the eminent Newcastle architect William Newton, for a time. The house was considerably rebuilt in 1757. Much of this still remains above and behind the modern shop front and is reflected in the fact that it is a Grade II Star listed building. The interior in particular contains some rare and elaborate "Imperial" plasterwork in a Northern version of the Italian style.

First floor ceiling of No.55

It is believed that this house continued to be used occasionally as an assembly house up to the opening of the Assembly Rooms in 1776 that were designed by William Newton and stand opposite 55 & 57 Westgate Road. Newton was also responsible for Charlotte Square and later lived there.

The house became the home of William Peters, an eminent lawyer, and the last man but one in Newcastle to wear a "pigtail". Subsequently, the Misses Clayton, relatives of the celebrated John Clayton, lived here. In the 1870's it housed the Northumberland Club, but No 57 reverted to a private home and became the birthplace of Sir William Hume ( July 1879), a leading heart specialist and father of Cardinal Basil Hume.

In 1885 Henry Walker & Son converted the ground floor of 55 Westgate Road into a shop, and this was followed by the addition of workshops over the garden to the rear, which have since been demolished to reveal the original elevation (1987). Walker & Son were Hardware manufacturers and inventors of the pneumatic cash transit system used extensively in early department stores. A photograph shows this company was still trading in 1956 at this location while Westgate Road was still a busy street.

The attempt to modernize Newcastle in the 1960's with a massive redevelopment plan that stalled with the property crash of 1974, placed much of Westgate Road under severe planning blight which, together with the building of Eldon Square Shopping Centre, moved the focus of the City north.

The result was a period of rapid decline and the accidental preservation of many historic buildings which are now regarded as a valuable heritage.

The 1990's now sees the area as a focus for inner city restoration and development, with a potentially prosperous future.

John Mears, Susan Maughan and Mike Tilley. Copyright 1996 Newcastle Arts Centre. Updated 2005