We look at the history of some of Newcastle and Gateshead best landmarks

National World - LocalTV

With so many historic landmarks across the north east many may not know the history behind them. So we are taking a look at 4 different landmarks across newcstsle and Gateshead to find out more about them.

Transcript

00:00 With so many historical landmarks across Newcastle and Gateshead, it's hard to pick just one

00:07 as a favourite.

00:08 For our first stop on our history tour of Newcastle and Gateshead, we head to what was

00:12 a flour mill.

00:13 That's right, we're going to the Baltic.

00:16 The Baltic flour mill was opened in 1950 by Rank Horvath and was designed before the Second

00:22 World War.

00:23 The company closed the mill in 1981 until it reopened as a contemporary arts centre

00:28 during the regeneration of the quayside.

00:31 And today the exhibition space is a huge addition to Gateshead's cultural scene, offering so

00:36 much art to anyone who visits.

00:39 Our next trip is to probably one of the most iconic staples in the city, the Tyne Bridge.

00:45 Construction started in 1925 using shipbuilding techniques by local shipyard workers and according

00:51 to the council's website, it was regarded as a prototype for the construction of the

00:55 Sydney Harbour Bridge.

00:56 On the 10th of October 1928, King George V opened the bridge and it was said to have

01:02 been built to cope with the increased traffic across the Tyne.

01:06 The bridge looked very different back then to how it looks now and over 70,000 vehicles

01:11 use the bridge every day to get over the Tyne.

01:14 Very soon the Tyne Bridge will be getting a renovation as funding was secured to improve

01:18 the central motorway.

01:20 For our next landmark, we are going into Newcastle City Centre to see a very popular place.

01:26 Whilst Grey's Monument is usually used for people eating their lunch during the summer

01:30 months, it is also a huge part of Newcastle's history.

01:34 Grey's Monument stands where Granger Street and Grey Street meet and it was built to commemorate

01:38 Earl Grey who was a local politician but also the Prime Minister from 1830 to 1834.

01:45 Alongside that it was also built to commemorate the Reform Act of 1832 which increased the

01:50 number of people eligible to vote.

01:53 Grey's Monument was completed in 1838 but it was actually meant to be 150ft tall but

01:59 not enough money was raised so it now stands at 134ft.

02:04 If you are brave enough to climb up the 164 steps to the top, the views from the top of

02:09 Grey's Monument are incredible.

02:11 You can see so far over Newcastle and you can even see all the way over to Gateshead

02:16 which is where we are heading back to now but a bit further out of the city centre.

02:22 Another one of our well known landmarks recently celebrated a birthday this year.

02:26 The Angel of the North, one of the most recent landmarks in the city is just 25 years old.

02:31 When plans were being drawn up for the Angel by sculptor Anthony Gormley, his designs weren't

02:36 loved by all but when the piece was completed people warmed to it and now so many people

02:41 love the Angel of the North.

02:43 It is made out of cotton steel which contains a small amount of copper that allows the metal

02:48 to rust but not make any damage and still keep it weather resistant.

02:53 Well it's safe to say that Newcastle and Gateshead have many iconic landmarks in their cities

02:58 and they seem to be loved by all the Geordies and those who visit the North East.

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