Pilgrim Street is one of Newcastle’s central streets, stretching from the bottom of Northumberland Street to the Swan House Roundabout and Central Motorway.
It was also one of the most important streets in mediaeval Newcastle and could be the city’s oldest.
Today, it's home to so many of the city’s unique buildings, including Alderman Fenwick’s House, the Tyneside Cinema and the former Fire and Police Station of 1933. It was also home to the former Odeon Cinema and Carliol House- the facade of which is being incorporated into the new HMRC building.
But once it was Newcastle’s principal mediaeval route. William Gray’s Chorographia (1649) described Pilgrim Street as “the longest and fairest street in Town,” thanks to its inns and markets.
The name of the street is said to come from the pilgrims who passed along it and through the Pilgrim Gate on the town walls to visit St. Mary’s Chapel in Jesmond. The Pilgrim Gate served as an important part in defending the city from Scottish invasion but it was demolished in 1802 as it was considered to be a hindrance to traffic. Of course, there was also no longer any Scottish threat.
Now a hub of recreation, with bars, restaurants and cinemas, the street is a lot quieter than it once was. Pilgrim Street once formed part of the Great North Road which dropped down to the Quayside to cross the old Tyne Bridge. The opening of the new Tyne Bridge in 1928 saw traffic diverted onto the upper part of Pilgrim Street and onto Northumberland Street. And in the 1960s, Richard Grainger’s grand Royal Arcade was demolished to make way for the construction of the Swan House roundabout.
The street has undergone so many changes over its thousands of years. It’s seen the finest architecture from brutalist to mediaeval. So many people have passed through the Newcastle street whether on a religious pilgrimage or on a drunken night out.
Below we have 23 historic and retro photos of the street through the past few decades. Have a look and see how much has changed.
1. 1995
A 1995 photograph of the exterior of the Odeon cinema on Pilgrim Street Newcastle upon Tyne. The photograph has been taken from the top of Pilgrim Street looking down to the Odeon which is centre left. The Commercial Union building which straddles the road is beyond the Odeon. Part of the premises of The Leeds building society can be seen in the foreground to the left. | NL Photo: Newcastle Libraries
2. 1927
A view of the construction of Carliol House Pilgrim Street/Market Street Newcastle upon Tyne taken in 1927. The exterior of the building is nearing completion. | NL Photo: Newcastle Libraries
3. 1965
A view of the exterior of Pilgrim Street Fire Station Newcastle upon Tyne taken in 1965. | NL Photo: Newcastle Libraries
4. 1966
A view of Pilgrim Street Newcastle upon Tyne taken in 1966. The photograph has been taken from Northumberland Street looking down the right-hand side of Pilgrim Street. 'Northern Goldsmiths' is in the foreground then 'The Newe House' 'The Silk Shop' the 'News Theatre' and 'The Bible House'. | NL Photo: Newcastle Libraries