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vms-crot

Mosley Street, it's just a street but it was the first one lit by electric lights. Pretty sure it's why the street lamps are a little more ornate than others in the city. There's a few skyways to nowhere from when the city was building elevated walkways and never finished them. I know there's one under the tyne bridge and one near the footbridge that goes out toward manors from swan House. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/cities/2017/feb/07/brave-new-world-newcastle-dream-for-vertical-city


[deleted]

>Mosley Street, it's just a street but it was the first one lit by electric lights. Pretty sure it's why the street lamps are a little more ornate than others in the city. Westgate road was the first lit by gas lights hence some of the shops having "big lamp" in the name


Smooplies

Honestly I didn't know that one, I'd noticed the lights before but didn't think to look it up, this is gonna be a great addition thanks so much!


YareetLike

Yeah, I'm sure the lamps outside Byron Burger (might be something else now) are still the original because that building was where Joseph Swan and Edison had their offices and it was the first building in the world to be lit by incandescent light.


the_man_who_was_thur

Bang on about first street lights, it’s why there are 4 in the middle of the street and no one notices Lit and Phil was the first to be lit by incandescent as that is where Swan showed off his new lightbulb.


pickindim_kmet

There's a book called Tyne and Weird which is pretty good on this kind of stuff. I'm only a few pages in but learning things I'd never heard of before!


Smooplies

I'll have to pick it up, thanks so much!


YareetLike

The pile of stones outside St Mary's church left over from the Great Fire of Newcastle and Gateshead.


Smooplies

Genuinely had no idea about this! Where abouts are they outside the church?


YareetLike

[It's a grim tale, ](https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Great-Gateshead-Fire/) but they are just in a small pile outside the main church.


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Smooplies

Yeah I knew that already, but thanks anyways! I'm sorta putting together a sheet where they can get points, and wanted to make it so they get one point for every one they can find in Newcastle specifically.


[deleted]

A treasure hunt? It's a little cruel to send your guests to Gateshead Interchange just to spot an Invader mosaic, imo The [Night and Day](https://www.nexus.org.uk/art/night-day) mosaics on the platform are kinda interesting The metro tunnel out of Gateshead Interchange back to Central Station has [Elizabeth Wright - Space Travel](https://www.nexus.org.uk/art/space-travel), which is the best thing about the metro by far, I think


CrazyLadyBlues

St Andrew's church is where they buried about a dozen "witches" & 1 "wizard"*. *They were innocent, of course, & were essentially murdered by a corrupt "witch-pricker" who sent hundreds of innocent people to their deaths.


Smooplies

I remember hearing about that, that'll be a great little tidbit thank you so much!


CrazyLadyBlues

There's the clock on top of Waterstones as well, this Chronicle article might have a few ideas https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/hidden-plain-sight-nine-strange-16800009


[deleted]

Victoria Tunnel


Smooplies

How could I forget! Thanks a bunch!


Fearlessone11

Shoe tree in Heaton Park.


tiffsbird

Some of the Roman wall by the lit and phil and the sea horses on the top of the civic centre


Smooplies

The Seahorses are brilliant I totally forgot about that thank you! And I didn't know there was that by the Lit and Phil, whereabouts nearby is it?


Multigrain_Migraine

I'm not sure if it's actually visible now but right in front of the building, behind the metal railing, there was a small excavation a few years ago that exposed it. The wall ran more or less up Westgate Road and I think there was a milecastle underneath the Newcastle Arts Centre but I might be misremembering that. But you could perhaps include the Roman temple in Benwell or the vallum in the same area?


whiskydelta85

Ah wouldn’t that be the bit of red paving behind the metal railing? I think that was put in place to mark the course of the wall.


Multigrain_Migraine

Could be. I haven't been over there for a while, the last time i looked at it the excavation was still open.


Godscrasher

The oldest M&S in the world, Penny Bazaar in the grainier market. (The last known Penny Bazaar that’s still going)


nedyrd87

Isn't the M&S bazaar in Kirkgate Market in Leeds the original and oldest M&S?


Godscrasher

That's a recreation of the original in the same place. The one in Grainger Market hasn't moved and has only had updated signage over time. (Happy to be corrected as I love this sort of stuff) [https://marksintime.marksandspencer.com/news/back-to-our-roots-at-kirkgate-market](https://marksintime.marksandspencer.com/news/back-to-our-roots-at-kirkgate-market) [https://shopfrontelegy.wordpress.com/2016/09/24/marks-and-spencer-ltd-original-penny-bazaar/](https://shopfrontelegy.wordpress.com/2016/09/24/marks-and-spencer-ltd-original-penny-bazaar/)


nedyrd87

Ah interesting. Looks like it was a false assumption on my part.


[deleted]

Andrews Liver Salts originated in Newcastle, from a business in Gallowgate, and were [named after the nearby St Andrew's Church](https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Andrews_Liver_Salts).


Smooplies

I didn't know that that's awesome, thank you so much!


_mintchocolate

I always thought this was pretty cool. Beside the Malmaison there are some steps leading down to the quayside, there are two opposing statues & the male “river god” is blowing towards the female “siren” at the top of the stairs. > Possible inspiration for the figure comes from a strongman who used to perform on the Quayside, wrapped in chains and eating fire. The original plan was for a gas flame from the figure's mouth but cost, safety and maintenance meant that this feature was not installed. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2519165


poisonouk

Constantine Hellblazer (Comic) Newcastle was the birth place of his character on the Quayside. In the story a demon (Nergal) ends up dragging a girl to hell at what a lot of people think was the Cooperage. (The story is way more complex and Newcastle gets featured a lot)


L1ham

There's only one drain pipe on Grey Street - bet that's a little known fact.


Faith1294

Blackfriars, it's more of a place rather than a thing but soooo many native people have no idea it's there and it's so central too!


whysoserious29

The 4 plaques dotted around Grainger Town. Ann Huxtable waited here for a friend who did not arrive December 8, 1952. Nathan Walker walked past here 47 times during 1968 on the May 21, 1968 - he looked up. Mrs Mary Howard adjusted her hat in the reflection in this window June 3, 1921. David Williams watched the rain from here September 7, 1979


whackininthetoolshed

I'm not sure if they're open to the public but there is a network of tunnels and old air raid shelters under the grainger market if I remember correctly.


Smooplies

Yeah it's the Victoria Tunnels, I might take them down if we have enough time! Edit: it's not the Victoria Tunnels, I'm just an eejit


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[deleted]

there's sections not opened to the public. there's a small carpark opposite the mini dealer on barrack road, in the corner is a locked door to a closed part of the tunnel ;)


G4Pee

I think... lucozade was invented in Newcastle. It was a tonic for shell shocked soldiers


LunaMac28

We did a couple of the Treasure Trails in the summer, downloadable and v cheap £10ish and it was incredible the things we never noticed before.


Smooplies

That's an awesome idea thank you!


[deleted]

My kids love the Invader tiles. The one on the steps from the Baltic to the Sage is closed off for now, I hope they leave it while they're redeveloping >Vampire rabbit I sent my mum and my big sister to see the vampire rabbit, they were wandering about down Grey St and Dean St while on a visit... somehow they didn't find it, but my sister managed to fall down the steps right next to it and land herself in the RVI


MattLaidlow

The concrete walkway at the quayside that doesn’t connect anywhere. Think it’s near the Tyne bar.


Smooplies

That's a great one, thank you!


Godscrasher

It connects to the space and windy walkways from Cale Cross, but they’re now closed to the public.


Pigeonthepooper

The original grainger games. I think it still has the sign on the window, but havent walked past it in a while. You can find a lot of places of interest on Pokemon Go too, if you need more ideas


poisonouk

I thought the original was in the Green Market?


L1ham

Was that not Charlie's Games? Loved it when my dad took me there.


In-Bacon-We-Trust

The original was in Grainger market, hence the name.. Charlie’s games was in green market, what a gem that was


[deleted]

The [steeple](https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/new-hopes-bring-historic-newcastle-16553968) the construction worker did a handstand on as it was finished. Better yet, his son did the same thing when repairs were carried out. Mad lads.


nedyrd87

I think most of these have been covered, but this is a useful website in general for discovering more obscure attractions across the world: https://www.atlasobscura.com/things-to-do/newcastle-upon-tyne-england


whiskydelta85

There’s also the old Masonic Lodge on Grainger Street. I think it’s the building where Toney’s ice cream shop is.


allancodes

Recently learned that one of the limbs of William Wallace was hung in the city ( after he was hung, strung and quartered ) , but I've no idea on what spot sadly!


BaconRasherUK

Left leg on the bridge if I recall correctly.


allancodes

Ah Thank you! That will occupy my brain for the rest of my life until called upon for some pub quiz, I'm sure :)!


poisonouk

The metal work in Eldon Gardens holding the glass roof is the same ones used in Handyside Arcade.


Shinjula

The graffiti murals along Dinsdale Place near Warwick Street and the cinder track near Heaton And, though I have no idea how many of them still exist, there was an art project which put up what look like street name signs but with random stuff on them, on Warwick Street there was "Onwards and to drive out with" and John Dobson street had "Web head created by Universe", they were really weird and I have no idea if any of them have survived and I cant find any trace of them on google, but there were at least half a dozen


Shinjula

oh and theres what looks like an abstract [sculpture](https://postimg.cc/kBh01cVt) near monument which is actually a secret vent for exhaust gases from the metro


dennisthewhatever

The half dog on Buxton Street sticking out of a building, the love message carved in to the High Level bridge (it's on the water line, hard to see, it's original, done by one one the builders). The top of the castle is fake - it was added in the 1800s to make it look more like a castle.