Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland, England

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Newcastle upon Tyne, city and metropolitan borough, metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear, historic county of Northumberland, northeastern England. It lies on the north bank of the River Tyne 8 miles (13 km) from the North Sea.

The settlement dates from the Roman period, when a fort was built on a site close to the present Tyne Bridge. The district and its name derive from a Norman castle built in 1080 by Robert II, the eldest son of William I the Conqueror.

In the 12th century the town became important as a fortress settlement because of its key position in the frontier defenses guarding the east coast route from Scotland.

In 1172–77 Robert’s castle was replaced by a massive stone keep (still standing) that was used to guard the bridge across the Tyne, and walls were built to enclose a small site northwest of the castle. The protection afforded by the fortress attracted religious and commercial bodies, and the resulting town rapidly expanded. The inhabitants gained municipal freedom and privileges granted in numerous charters, and the town became a thriving commercial centre. The wool trade was especially important, and in 1353 Newcastle became a staple (wool-manufacturing) town. By the late Middle Ages it had a thriving cloth industry. In 1400 King Henry IV created Newcastle upon Tyne as a county corporate (a town with the administrative status of a county).

Reference: https://www.britannica.com/place/Newcastle-upon-Tyne-England#ref79833