Durham Tower, Newcastle upon Tyne

A Fragment of Newcastle’s Defences

Durham Tower is one of the surviving interval towers of Newcastle upon Tyne’s medieval town wall, built in the late 13th century as part of the city’s extensive fortifications. Standing on W Walls, it forms part of a 90-metre stretch of upstanding curtain wall that once encircled the medieval town. Constructed from large, squared sandstone blocks, the wall and tower represent the western section of the defensive circuit, originally designed to protect the town from attack and control access through its gates. The tower projects from the outer face of the wall, its semi-circular form clearly visible, and retains its stone-vaulted roof and narrow window loops on the west and south sides.

Architecture and Survival

The tower’s ground floor is a rectangular chamber built of coursed ashlar sandstone, with an entrance on the north side that still has its narrow stone lintel. Externally, projecting corbels suggest the former presence of timber hoardings or galleries, used for defence. The adjacent curtain wall, about two metres wide and up to four metres high, preserves sections of the original wall walk with parapet and coping stones. Though much of the town wall has been lost over time, this section, including Durham Tower and a nearby turret, survives in good condition and is protected as a Grade I listed building and scheduled ancient monument. Its survival offers a rare, authentic glimpse of Newcastle’s medieval military architecture.

Historical Context and Significance

Newcastle’s town walls were constructed between the early 14th and mid-14th centuries, forming a circuit with multiple towers and gates. Durham Tower was one of several interval towers spaced along the curtain wall, each playing a role in the town’s defence. The defences remained in use for centuries, with some towers later adapted for civic use. The presence of the town ditch and berm outside the wall, now largely buried, further illustrates the sophistication of the medieval defensive system. As a scheduled monument, Durham Tower is recognised not only for its architectural value but also for the insight it provides into the town’s development and the impact of historical events such as sieges.

Visiting the Site Today

Today, Durham Tower is an accessible historical landmark in central Newcastle, free to view at any time. It stands in a quiet, urban setting, set back slightly from the modern street, allowing visitors to appreciate its scale and stonework without obstruction. Interpretive information nearby helps contextualise the tower within the wider town wall system. The site is ideal for a short, contemplative visit, especially for those interested in medieval history, archaeology, or urban heritage. Its location makes it easy to combine with a walk along the surviving stretches of the town wall or a visit to nearby historic sites in the city centre.