Grainger Town
Encyclopedia
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...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Based around classical streets built by Richard Grainger
Richard Grainger
Richard Grainger was a builder in Newcastle upon Tyne. He worked together with the architects John Dobson and Thomas Oliver, and with the town clerk, John Clayton, to redevelop the centre of Newcastle in the 19th century...
, 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 Grainger Market, Theatre Royal
Theatre Royal, Newcastle
The Theatre Royal is a Grade I listed building situated on Grey Street in Newcastle upon Tyne. It was designed by local architects John and Benjamin Green as part of Richard Grainger's grand design for the centre of Newcastle, and was opened on 20 February 1837 with a performance of The Merchant...
, Grey Street, Grainger Street and Clayton Street. These buildings are predominately four storeys, with vertical dormers, domes, turrets and spikes.
Richard Grainger was said to 'have found Newcastle of bricks and timber and left it in stone'. Of Grainger Towns 450 buildings, 244 are listed, of which 29 are grade I and 49 are grade II*.
Grainger Town covers approximately 36 hectares and the architecture is dubbed 'Tyneside Classical' architecture. One of the streets of Grainger town, Grey Street was described by Pevsner
Nikolaus Pevsner
Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, FBA was a German-born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture...
as 'one of the finest streets in England'. The area also includes a Mediaeval 13th century Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
Friary, pieces of the historic Town Walls and many fine Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
and Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
buildings.
Almost all of Grainger Town is within Newcastle's Central Conservation Area, one of the first to be designated in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The majority of the buildings are in private ownership. The area around Grey's Monument and Grey Street is expanding fast with high quality shopping outlets, designer fashions and jewellery. The Central Exchange, with its tiled Edwardian Central Arcade, is located within this area. Inside are shops and the Newcastle Tourist Information Centre for maps and guides to the City.
Grey Steet
Richard Grainger
Richard Grainger was a builder in Newcastle upon Tyne. He worked together with the architects John Dobson and Thomas Oliver, and with the town clerk, John Clayton, to redevelop the centre of Newcastle in the 19th century...
in the 1830s with the aid of several architects, including John Dobson
John Dobson (architect)
John Dobson was a 19th-century English architect in the neoclassical tradition. He became the most noted architect in the North of England. Churches and houses by him dot the North East - Nunnykirk Hall, Meldon Park, Mitford Hall, Lilburn Tower, St John the Baptist Church in Otterburn,...
. The whole of the western side of the street was designed by two architects from Grainger’s office, John Wardle and George Walker. Dean Street, which continues south from Grey Street was constructed earlier, in 1749. Grey Street contains the Theatre Royal
Theatre Royal, Newcastle
The Theatre Royal is a Grade I listed building situated on Grey Street in Newcastle upon Tyne. It was designed by local architects John and Benjamin Green as part of Richard Grainger's grand design for the centre of Newcastle, and was opened on 20 February 1837 with a performance of The Merchant...
designed by John and Benjamin Green
John and Benjamin Green
John and Benjamin Green were a father and son who worked in partnership as architects in North East England during the early nineteenth century. John, the father was a civil engineer as well as an architect...
, the southern entrance to Monument Metro station
Monument Metro station
Monument is a principal station on the underground section of the Tyne and Wear Metro system and is used by almost 6 million passengers per year. It is named after Grey's Monument, which stands directly above the station...
and the Central Arcade
Central Arcade
The Central Arcade in Newcastle upon Tyne, England is an elegant Edwardian shopping arcade built in 1906 and designed by Oswald and Son, of Newcastle. It is contained within the Central Exchange building, which was built by Richard Grainger in 1836-38 to the designs of John Wardle and George Walker...
. It is renowned for its Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
, and was in 2002 voted 'Best street in the UK' by BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
listeners.
The street runs South from Grey's Monument
Grey's Monument
Grey's Monument is a Grade I listed monument to Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey built in 1838 in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It was erected to acclaim Earl Grey for the passing of the Great Reform Act of 1832 and stands at the head of Grey Street. It consists of a statue of Lord Grey...
; after the junction with Mosley Street it continues as Dean Street. Like Dean Street it follows the route of the Lorke or Lort Burn
Lort Burn
The Lort Burn is a subterranean burn in Newcastle upon Tyne. It used to flow through the centre of the city into the Tyne but was essentially used as an open sewer, particularly unpleasant since the meat markets backed onto it. The name may derive from the Old Norse 'lortr' meaning 'filth' or...
, which formerly flowed into the Tyne but is now underground, and so curves slowly to the East as well as descending towards the river. The street was initially named Upper Dean Street, but was subsequently renamed as Grey Street.
Sir John Betjeman
John Betjeman
Sir John Betjeman, CBE was an English poet, writer and broadcaster who described himself in Who's Who as a "poet and hack".He was a founding member of the Victorian Society and a passionate defender of Victorian architecture...
said:
Grainger Market
John Dobson (architect)
John Dobson was a 19th-century English architect in the neoclassical tradition. He became the most noted architect in the North of England. Churches and houses by him dot the North East - Nunnykirk Hall, Meldon Park, Mitford Hall, Lilburn Tower, St John the Baptist Church in Otterburn,...
and opened in 1835. It was divided into two parts: the eastern section which was a meat market laid out in a series of aisles, and the western section which was a vegetable market constructed as a large open-plan hall. The original uses of the market for meat and vegetables have since changed considerably, although there are still a number of butchers' stalls there.
The market is home to perhaps the smallest branch of Marks & Spencer
Marks & Spencer
Marks and Spencer plc is a British retailer headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, with over 700 stores in the United Kingdom and over 300 stores spread across more than 40 countries. It specialises in the selling of clothing and luxury food products...
, a market stall known as Marks and Spencer's Original Penny Bazaar.
1960s - 90s
In the 1960s and 1970s, parts of Grainger Town were demolished to make way for projects such as the Eldon SquareEldon Square
Eldon Square is a shopping centre in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It was officially opened in 1977. Eldon Square was also the name applied to a terrace development on the same site, designed by John Dobson in about 1824 and demolished in the 1960s....
. In the 1980s and early 1990s, this once prosperous area of the city was overtaken by new centres of retail and commercial activity.
In the early 1990s, Richard Grainger's legacy was in poor shape as shops and offices moved out to other locations. The residential population of the area was falling rapidly to 1,200 and showing no signs of improvement. Around 100,000 m² of floor space were vacant and the area exhibited all the classic symptoms of urban decay
Urban decay
Urban decay is the process whereby a previously functioning city, or part of a city, falls into disrepair and decrepitude...
. This led to calls for clearance of listed properties and whole streets. Structural problems became evident with 47% of its 244 listed buildings classed as being 'at risk' and a further 29% classified as vulnerable. The once prosperous area was now in the realms of a very poor environment. This meant that any investor confidence was low. All these factors led to the Grainger Town project being established.
Project Information
A programme of property development and environmental enhancement was started in 1993 with Newcastle City CouncilNewcastle City Council
Newcastle City Council is the local government authority for Newcastle upon Tyne, a city in Tyne and Wear, England. The council consists of 78 councillors, three for each of the city's 26 wards...
and the English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
. This tackled most of the worst buildings at risk and began to stop the decline of the area.
In 1996, Newcastle City council, the English Heritage and English Partnerships
English Partnerships
English Partnerships was the national regeneration agency for England, performing a similar role on a national level to that fulfilled by Regional Development Agencies on a regional level...
decided that the area could no longer be left to take care of itself. So in 1996, EDAW were commissioned to produce a regeneration strategy for Grainger Town and to prepare a bid for Government funding.
The proposals aimed to turn Grainger Town into a dynamic and competitive location in the heart of the city. The aims of the project was to make Grainger Town a high quality environment appropriate to a major Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an regional capital. Arrangements were then put in place to make this a reality. The project was to take place over a six year period.
The Grainger Town project commenced in April 1997 and by its close in March 2003, over £174 million had been attracted into the area including £146 million from the private sector, exceeding the Projects target of £74 million by a massive £100 million.
The Union Rooms
JD WetherspoonsWetherspoons
J D Wetherspoon plc is a British pub chain based in Watford. Founded as a single pub in 1979 by Tim Martin, the company now owns 815 outlets. The chain champions cask ale, low prices, long opening hours, and no music. The company also operates the Lloyds No...
, a U.K. pub chain, spent 13 months restoring the French Renaissance
French Renaissance
French Renaissance is a recent term used to describe a cultural and artistic movement in France from the late 15th century to the early 17th century. It is associated with the pan-European Renaissance that many cultural historians believe originated in northern Italy in the fourteenth century...
style of the former Union Club opposite Newcastle Central Station
Newcastle Central station
Newcastle railway station , is the mainline station of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne, England and is a principal stop on the East Coast Main Line. It opened in 1850 and is a Grade I listed building...
. When completed, the pub was renamed The Union Rooms. As a result of the restoration, architectural features such as a 15 foot high stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
window and a huge stained glass dome
Dome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
, were added to replace the original features that had fallen beyond repair.
Bar Luga
The building was built in 1835 by Richard Grainger for the Bank of EnglandBank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
. The Grade II listed building was rescued from disuse and decay with the help of a CAP grant in 1997. Following the extensive repair, Bar Luga has established itself on the ground floor and fully let offices are located on the remaining four floors.
The Gate
Land Securities developed a new 19,235 m² retailRetail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
and leisure
Leisure
Leisure, or free time, is time spent away from business, work, and domestic chores. It is also the periods of time before or after necessary activities such as eating, sleeping and, where it is compulsory, education....
complex which opened
in 2002. The Gate is a covered multi-level centre with a glass façade, housing a twelve screen
multiplex
Multiplex (movie theater)
A multiplex is a movie theater complex with multiple screens, typically three or more. They are usually housed in a specially designed building. Sometimes, an existing venue undergoes a renovation where the existing auditoriums are split into smaller ones, or more auditoriums are added in an...
cinema
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
, a sky bar with views over the city, a variety of restaurants, and a casino.
Other achievements
Other achievements of the regeneration of Grainger Town include:- 1506 jobs created as well as a further 800 in Grainger Town due to the increased confidence in the area.
- 286 new businesses set up.
- 80,900 m² of new and/or improved commercial floorspace.
- 121 buildings, many of them listed properties and classified as 'Buildings at Risk' restored for use.
- Grey's MonumentGrey's MonumentGrey's Monument is a Grade I listed monument to Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey built in 1838 in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It was erected to acclaim Earl Grey for the passing of the Great Reform Act of 1832 and stands at the head of Grey Street. It consists of a statue of Lord Grey...
repaired and cleaned. - 289 flats and apartments completed with many located within the Grainger Street and Clayton Street areas.
- Westgate HouseWestgate House, Newcastle upon TyneWestgate House was a 46 metre office block that was situated on Westgate Road opposite Newcastle Central Station in the Grainger Town of Newcastle upon Tyne, England...
, which was an eleven storey office block, perhaps Newcastle’s most unpopular building, was acquired by ONE North East and demolished between late 2006 and early 2007.