Riverside Tower

In 1827 Eneas Mackenzie wrote: "From Sand Gate the town wall extended along the Quayside to the Tyne bridge. The foundation of this part of the wall was discovered in 1823, twelve feet below the surface, and under the scite of the Maison de Dieu. "On the top of this wall," says Bourne, "was a walk, and at the bottom of it a great many gates, called Water Gates. These, in the reign of king James I. Anno 1616, were ordered to be locked up every night, except one or two to stand open for the masters and seamen to go to and fro to their ships. This was done to prevent servants casting ashes and other rubbish into the river; and those two gates were watched all night long." A passage leading from the Sandhill to the High Crane still retains the name of the Water Gate; but in the common council books, 1649, it is, says Brand, called "the Windowes Gate." Leland, who visited Newcastle in the time of Henry VIII. tells us there were "a strong wardyd gate at Gateshed, a strong ward and towre on Tynebridge, and a gate at the Bridge-end." The wall extending from the Sandhill to Sand Gate being found "no longer of any use for defence, but a great obstruction to carriages, and hinderance to the dispatch of business," the corporation petitioned for leave to remove it at their own expenses, and to make use of the stones for building a church. On November 17, 1762, an order of the privy council was signed, in compliance with this request; and on January 10, 1763, the workmen began to pull down the wall and gates upon the Quay. The fortified line from the Bridge-end to Close Gate is described in Speed's map of Northumberland, which contains a plan of Newcastle of the date of 1610."