The city rests on the site of the Roman military station Pons Aelii, at Hadrian's Wall. Later the site was occupied by the Angles until the Norman conquest. In 1080, Robert II, duke of Normandy and eldest son of William the Conqueror, had a fortified castle built (from which Newcastle takes its name). The castle was besieged and repaired several times; the oldest remaining parts date from 1177. The city walls, of which traces and towers remain, are attributed to Edward I. For 10 months in 1646, Charles I was a prisoner in Newcastle.
The Cathedral of St. Nicholas dates partly from the 14th cent. Other notable old buildings include Trinity Almshouse (1492) and the Royal Grammar School, founded in the 16th cent. Among the many educational institutions are the Univ. of Newcastle upon Tyne, formerly King's College.
Town (pop., 2001: 22,187), Warwickshire, England. It is located on the River Avon. The town's first royal charter was granted in 1553. For centuries it was a country market town, but it became a tourist centre because of its association with William Shakespeare, who was born and died there; his grave is in the parish church of Holy Trinity. The Shakespeare Centre in Stratford includes a library and an art gallery (opened 1881) and a theatre (opened 1932). Every year from March until October, Shakespeare's plays are performed in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
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City and metropolitan borough (pop., 2001: 259,573), metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear, historic county of Northumberland, northeastern England, on the River Tyne. It dates from the Roman period and derives its name from the Norman castle built in 1080 by Robert II of Normandy, the oldest son of William I (the Conqueror). At first an important wool trade centre, it became a major mining area and coal-shipping port in the 16th century. It was among the world's largest ship-repairing facilities; its economy now rests on associated marine and heavy engineering industries. The city is also an educational centre and features a 14th-century church.
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City and unitary authority (pop., 2001: 243,595), geographic county of East Riding of Yorkshire, historic county of Yorkshire, England. It lies on the northern bank of the River Humber at its junction with the River Hull, 22 mi (35 km) from the North Sea. Hull was a medieval wool port that passed from the monks of Meaux Abbey to Edward I in 1293. For more than 400 years it was the chief shipping port for the inland waterways converging on the River Humber. Granted city status in 1897, it is a major national seaport, accommodating large oceangoing vessels. The medieval part of the city retains a number of historic buildings; its grammar school was founded in 1486.
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