Topics > Newcastle City Centre > Bigg Market
Bigg Market
Bigg is distinct variety of barley which was grown in the North of England and Scotland, it was one of the main crops, grown since Neolithic times. Oats were introduced in the Roman period and had become the main cereal by the 17th and 18th centuries. In the past Bigg was sold here and hence why it is called the Bigg Market; nearby is the Groat Market (Groat is oats without husks). It wasn't always located here: "The Corn Market was formerly held in an inconvenient situation at the foot of Pilgrim street but in May 1812 it was removed to the spacious area on the north side of St Nicholas church, near to which is the street called the Groat Market, where Oats and Bigg are exposed for sale." (W. Parson and W. White, 1827) Today the Bigg Market area has more than 20 bars, many with late licences, and a range of restaurants. It has over 30 listed buildings. The Bigg Market is also the starting point for the Blaydon Races held on June 9th each year.
The Bigg Market is a site of historical significance in Newcastle upon Tyne and dates back to Middle Ages, when it was the site of a thriving marketplace that formed an important part of the Great North Road. The market was named after a type of coarse barley, known as Bigg barley, that was widely sold from the stalls. Other nearby markets included the Cloth Market and the Groat Market. The Bigg Market is located close to Newcastle Cathedral.
The market was the former location of Newcastle’s old Town Hall, which was built between 1858 and 1863 and which housed a zoo in the 1960s. The building was demolished in 1973. It was also home to the city’s only theatre, as well as the Council Chamber from the mid-19th Century, until the opening of the current Newcastle Civic Centre in 1968.
More recently the Bigg Market has become known for its drinking culture and disorderly behaviour. It has more than 20 bars and restaurants housed in its 31 buildings, many of which are listed buildings in a state of some disrepair.
In February 2015 the business improvement district company for Newcastle city centre received initial support of £202,800 from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Approximately £2.9M of combined funding is expected to be used to reinvigorate the Bigg Market by recreating the historic area in a commercially sustainable manner.
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Visit the page: Bigg Market for references and further details. You can contribute to this article on Wikipedia.
Visit the page: Bigg Market for references and further details. You can contribute to this article on Wikipedia.
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
060271:Bigg Market Newcastle upon Tyne L. Torday c.1972
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
006114:Bigg Market Newcastle upon Tyne Richardson T.M. 1816
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
038952:Bigg Market Newcastle upon Tyne Unknown c.1947
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
058865:Bigg Market Newcastle upon Tyne L. Torday c.1970
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
055299:Political Meeting Bigg Market Newcastle upon Tyne Unknown c.1910
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
003721:Bigg Market Newcastle-upon-Tyne 1820
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
067436:Pant Bigg Market Newcastle upon Tyne Unknown 1827
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
012029:Bigg Market Newcastle upon Tyne Unknown 1933
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
061825:Half Moon Inn, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne; Malcolm Maybury; 1995
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
052668: Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1880
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
017413:Abbey National Building Society Bigg Market Newcastle upon Tyne Unknown 1969
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
033648:Bigg Market Newcastle upon Tyne Unknown c.1900
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
014364:Scotch Arms Bigg Market Newcastle upon Tyne c. 1880
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
060841:Binns Bigg Market Newcastle upon Tyne Ermel T. 1995
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
058938:Bigg Market Newcastle upon Tyne Laszlo Torday late 1960s/early 1970s
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
063791:Golden Lion Inn Bigg Market Unknown c. 1889
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
061506:Bee Hive Hotel High Bridge/Cloth Market Maybury Malcolm 1995
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor663, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor288, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor940, Beehive, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor939, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor932, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor931, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor928, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor927, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor449, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor512, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor865, Newgate Street and Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor454, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor442, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor438, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor448, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor437, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor398, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor287, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor401, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor396, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor257, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor276, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor166, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Newcastle Walk: Rutherford Memorial, with 28 Bigg Market behind
Pinned by Peter Smith
Co-Curate Page
History of Markets in Newcastle
- "...When King John made Newcastle upon Tyne a borough in 1216, there were already markets thriving in the town. For the most part these markets were strung out along the …
Co-Curate Page
Grainger Street
- Grainger Street is one of the main streets in Newcastle, named after Richard Grainger, built as part of his redevelopment of the city centre 1824-1841. The street joins Grey Street at the …
from http://twsitelines.info/SMR/6…
Tyne and Wear HER(6497): Newcastle, Bigg Market (Beremarket)
- "All medieval towns had specialised market areas. This street was named after an ancient market which sold bigg (barley), oats and other cereals. There are references to temporary market booths …
Added by
Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Image taken from page 7 of 'The Jubilee handbook of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and places of interest in the North of England, etc'
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
052680: The Old George courtyard, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor941, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
063791:Golden Lion Inn, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne c. 1889
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Scotch Inn (Fighting Cocks) Bigg Market, Newcastle. 17th Century
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
Co-Curate Page
Olaudah Equiano (c.1745 - 1797)
- Olaudah Equiano was a former slave who became an important activist in the anti-slave trade movement in the 1780s. As a child he was enslaved and taken from Nigeria to …
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
060271:Bigg Market Newcastle upon Tyne L. Torday c.1972
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
006114:Bigg Market Newcastle upon Tyne Richardson T.M. 1816
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
038952:Bigg Market Newcastle upon Tyne Unknown c.1947
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
058865:Bigg Market Newcastle upon Tyne L. Torday c.1970
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
055299:Political Meeting Bigg Market Newcastle upon Tyne Unknown c.1910
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
003721:Bigg Market Newcastle-upon-Tyne 1820
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
067436:Pant Bigg Market Newcastle upon Tyne Unknown 1827
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
012029:Bigg Market Newcastle upon Tyne Unknown 1933
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
061825:Half Moon Inn, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne; Malcolm Maybury; 1995
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
052668: Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1880
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
017413:Abbey National Building Society Bigg Market Newcastle upon Tyne Unknown 1969
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
033648:Bigg Market Newcastle upon Tyne Unknown c.1900
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
014364:Scotch Arms Bigg Market Newcastle upon Tyne c. 1880
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
060841:Binns Bigg Market Newcastle upon Tyne Ermel T. 1995
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
058938:Bigg Market Newcastle upon Tyne Laszlo Torday late 1960s/early 1970s
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
063791:Golden Lion Inn Bigg Market Unknown c. 1889
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
061506:Bee Hive Hotel High Bridge/Cloth Market Maybury Malcolm 1995
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor663, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor288, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor940, Beehive, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor939, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor932, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor931, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor928, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor927, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor449, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor512, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor865, Newgate Street and Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor454, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor442, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor438, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor448, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor437, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor398, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor287, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor401, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor396, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor257, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor276, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor166, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Newcastle Walk: Rutherford Memorial, with 28 Bigg Market behind
Pinned by Peter Smith
Co-Curate Page
History of Markets in Newcastle
- "...When King John made Newcastle upon Tyne a borough in 1216, there were already markets thriving in the town. For the most part these markets were strung out along the …
Co-Curate Page
Grainger Street
- Grainger Street is one of the main streets in Newcastle, named after Richard Grainger, built as part of his redevelopment of the city centre 1824-1841. The street joins Grey Street at the …
from http://twsitelines.info/SMR/6…
Tyne and Wear HER(6497): Newcastle, Bigg Market (Beremarket)
- "All medieval towns had specialised market areas. This street was named after an ancient market which sold bigg (barley), oats and other cereals. There are references to temporary market booths …
Added by
Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Image taken from page 7 of 'The Jubilee handbook of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and places of interest in the North of England, etc'
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
052680: The Old George courtyard, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
Tor941, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
063791:Golden Lion Inn, Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne c. 1889
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Flickr (flickr)
Scotch Inn (Fighting Cocks) Bigg Market, Newcastle. 17th Century
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
Co-Curate Page
Olaudah Equiano (c.1745 - 1797)
- Olaudah Equiano was a former slave who became an important activist in the anti-slave trade movement in the 1780s. As a child he was enslaved and taken from Nigeria to …
