the capital of the county of Northumberland in England, a large, populous, and flourishing town, situated on the north bank of the river Tyne, about 300 miles to the northward of London. It is connected, by means of a bridge with the suburbs of Gateshead, which, being on the southern side of the river, is part of the bishopric of Durham. Near the spot where the town now stands, there was of old a fort called Montcaster; and Robert, son of William the Conqueror, having built another to overawe the Scots, bestowed upon it the name of Newcastle, in contradiction to the old fortress. Divers monasteries and hospitals being raised around it, the place, in a little time, swelled into a town; and the walls of it were begun in the reign of Edward I. by a rich burgher, who had been taken by the Scots, and paid a large ransom for his liberty. It is at present surrounded by a strong wall, in which there are seven gates and as many turrets, with some cafemates said to be bomb-proof. It was created a borough by king Richard II. who granted permission to carry a sword before the mayor; and king Henry VI. erected it into a town and county incorporate, independent of Northumberland. The magistracy consists of a mayor, 19 aldermen, a sheriff, a recorder, a town-clerk, a clerk of the chambers, two coroners, eight chamberlains, a sword-bearer, with a Newcastle cap of maintenance, a water-bailiff with a great mace, and seven sergeants at mace. Newcastle has been exposed to frequent incursions and sieges of the Scots, before the union of the two crowns; and in the great rebellion, the army of that kingdom, under the command of Leslie, took it by storm: but it has long ago retrieved all its losses, and become the great emporium of the north of England for coal and other merchandise. The town is built upon the declivity of a hill, which renders the streets steep and inconvenient. The houses are crowded together so as to exhibit but a disagreeable appearance: yet one or two of the streets are large, spacious, and well paved. The town is overlooked by the old ruined castle: the exchange and custom-house are magnificent buildings, but too close to the river; along the bank of which there is a fine key or wharf faced with freestone, to which ships of ordinary burden can carry their broadsides to be loaded or unloaded. But the coal-ships are loaded at or near Shields, seven miles farther down the river; their lading being conveyed thither in lighters, which they call keels. The number of the keelmen who work in these lighters, exceed 6000, who live in a suburb called Sandgate. They have, by a contribution among themselves, built a noble hospital for such of their poor brethren as are disabled by accident, or superannuated and past labour. The principal church of Newcastle, called St Nicholas, is a stately old fabric, built by David king of Scotland, with a fine steeple of rare architecture: here are, besides, six churches or chapels. We may number among the public edifices, an elegant mansion-house for the mayor; a noble hall for the surgeons, with a museum; a stately infirmary on the model of that at Edinburgh; a library belonging to the corporation; a large prison called Newgate; several meeting-houses, and charity-schools well endowed. The number of inhabitants amounts to above 40,000; and many of them are wealthy, and live with splendour. They are generally bold, rough, and industrious; enriching themselves with the coal-trade, and other branches of commerce and manufacture, such as ship-building, glass-making, salt-works, and hardware or wrought iron. The place is particularly famous for grindstones, which are exported to all the countries in Europe. The fashionable people live in the upper part of the town, at a distance from the river, where they possess elegant houses and gardens, and enjoy themselves at comedies, assemblies, and other polite diversions. The houses are chiefly built of stone, some are of brick, and a very few of timber. The revenue of the town, amounting to 8000l. a-year, is considerably larger than that of any other corporation-borough in England: and from this the mayor is indulged with an annual allowance of 600l. besides the maintenance of a coach, barge, and mansion-house.

(Duke of). See Cavendish.