Chinatown, Newcastle
Encyclopedia
The Chinatown in Newcastle is a district of Newcastle upon Tyne
, located to the west of the city
on the edge of the shopping and commercial centre, mostly along Stowell Street. It is one of only five Chinatowns in England, with the other four being in London
, Manchester
, Birmingham and Liverpool
.
, on land that was once part of Blackfriars monastery
. The main street of the Chinatown is Stowell Street, with 唐人街 ("Chinatown") written on street signs to indicate this. Stowell Street and one of the few still extant stretches of Newcastle town wall
mark the northeast boundary of the district. At the north end of Stowell Street on St Andrew's Street is the Chinese arch, facing St James' Park
. South and west of Stowell Street, on the streets and passages around Blackfriars and The Gate
including Charlotte Square and Low Friar Street, are a number of other businesses including restaurants, food shops and cafés.
and facing St James' Park
football stadium.
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, located to the west of the city
Newcastle upon Tyne City Centre
Newcastle City Centre, is the central business district of Newcastle upon Tyne, England.The area may be divided into the areas of Haymarket, Quayside, Central Station, Grainger Town, Monument, Chinatown and Gallowgate.-Haymarket:...
on the edge of the shopping and commercial centre, mostly along Stowell Street. It is one of only five Chinatowns in England, with the other four being in London
Chinatown, London
The name Chinatown has been used at different times to describe different places in London. The present Chinatown is part of the Soho area of the City of Westminster, occupying the area in and around Gerrard Street...
, Manchester
Chinatown, Manchester
Chinatown, Manchester is an ethnic enclave within the city centre of Manchester. It is second largest Chinatown in the United Kingdom and the third largest in Europe. It is located in east central Manchester, and situated next to the Gay Village...
, Birmingham and Liverpool
Chinatown, Liverpool
The Chinatown in Liverpool, England is located near the city centre's southern edge close to Liverpool Cathedral, and is home to the oldest Chinese community in Europe. The arch located at the gateway is also the largest, multiple-span arch of its kind outside of China, the largest single-span...
.
Location
The Chinatown lies within the historic heart of Newcastle, Grainger TownGrainger Town
Grainger Town is the historic heart of Newcastle upon Tyne, England.Based around classical streets built by Richard Grainger, a builder and developer, between 1824 and 1841, some of Newcastle upon Tyne's finest buildings and streets lie within the Grainger Town area of the City centre including...
, on land that was once part of Blackfriars monastery
Blackfriars, Newcastle
Blackfriars is a restored 13th-century friary in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England. It is in the city centre, close to the city's Chinatown.-Early history:...
. The main street of the Chinatown is Stowell Street, with 唐人街 ("Chinatown") written on street signs to indicate this. Stowell Street and one of the few still extant stretches of Newcastle town wall
Newcastle town wall
The Newcastle town wall is a medieval defensive wall, and Scheduled Ancient Monument, in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It was built during the 13th and 14th centuries, and helped protect the town from attack and occupation during times of conflict...
mark the northeast boundary of the district. At the north end of Stowell Street on St Andrew's Street is the Chinese arch, facing St James' Park
St James' Park
St James' Park, known for sponsorship reasons as the Sports Direct Arena, is an all-seater stadium in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is the home of Newcastle United Football Club and is the sixth largest football stadium in the United Kingdom with a capacity of between 52,387 and 52,409.St James'...
. South and west of Stowell Street, on the streets and passages around Blackfriars and The Gate
The Gate, Newcastle
The Gate is a retail and leisure complex in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.- History :The venue lends its name from the street on which it lies, Newgate Street. It is part of the historic Grainger Town area of Newcastle. It was opened on 28 November 2002....
including Charlotte Square and Low Friar Street, are a number of other businesses including restaurants, food shops and cafés.
History
The first Chinese restaurant in Newcastle, the Marlborough Café, opened on Scotswood Road in 1949. Another fourteen restaurants opened up to 1962, but none on Stowell Street. The first business to open there was a Chinese supermarket, now the Wing Hong store, which moved to Stowell Street in 1978, to be followed by many other businesses. In 1988 businesses along Stowell Street were allowed to have signs in Chinese as well as English. 22 Chinese style lanterns were installed in Stowell Street to replaced the existing street lights in 2008.Chinese arch
A Chinese arch, built in 2004 by Shanghai craftsmen, stands 11m tall on St. Andrews Street, at the northernmost extent of the Chinatown, flanked by two Chinese guardian lionsChinese guardian lions
Chinese guardian lions, known as Shishi lions or Imperial guardian lion, and often incorrectly called "Foo Dogs" in the West, are a common representation of the lion in pre-modern China...
and facing St James' Park
St James' Park
St James' Park, known for sponsorship reasons as the Sports Direct Arena, is an all-seater stadium in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is the home of Newcastle United Football Club and is the sixth largest football stadium in the United Kingdom with a capacity of between 52,387 and 52,409.St James'...
football stadium.
External links
- A History of the Chinese Community in Newcastle-upon-Tyne Since 1940. North East Chinese Association