Chare
Encyclopedia
A chare, in the dialect
of North-east England, is a narrow medieval street or alley. The word is believed to have two possible etymologies - either from the Saxon "cerre" meaning the turning or bending of a way or from a corruption of the word "ajar".
's Quayside
date from medieval times. At one point, there were 20 chares in Newcastle. After the great fire of Newcastle and Gateshead
in 1854, a number of the chares were permanently removed although many remain in existence today. Chares also are still present in the higher parts of the city centre.
According to "Quayside and the Chares" by Jack and John Leslie, chares reflected their name or residents. "Names might change over the years, including Armourer's Chare which become Colvin's Chare". Originally inhabited by wealthy merchants, the chares became slums as they were deserted due to their "dark, cramped conditions". The chares were infamous for their insanitary conditions - typhus was "epidemic" and there were three cholera outbreaks in 1831-2, 1848-9 and finally in 1853 (whch killed over 1,500 people).
Hornsby's Chare, formerly named Maryon House Chare, Colvin's Chare, formerly Black Boy's Chare, Pallister's Chare, formerly Armourer's Chare, Blue Anchor Chare, also known as Blew Anchor Chare, Peppercorn Chare and Grinding Chare, also known as Grandon/Grandin Chare were destroyed and no longer exist.
Dark Chare, the first of the alleys by Sandhill and described by in 1827 by Eneas Mackenzie, was also destroyed. He said of Dark Chare that "a stout person would find it rather inconvenient to press through the upper part of this lane. It is very properly termed the Dark Chare, for the houses at the top nearly touch each other. It is not now used as a thoroughfare. It has been justly observed, that the ground occupied by these chares is the most crowded with buildings of any part in his majesty's dominions."
Other than on the riverside, there are a number of chares in existence in the higher parts of the city:
Other chares on the Quayside that remains are Wrangham's Entry, Spencer's Entry, the Swirle, Flag Chare and Anchor Chare. These reconstructed chares exist on the Sandgate/East Quayside modern office developments.
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
of North-east England, is a narrow medieval street or alley. The word is believed to have two possible etymologies - either from the Saxon "cerre" meaning the turning or bending of a way or from a corruption of the word "ajar".
In Newcastle upon Tyne
Chares and much of the layout of NewcastleNewcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
's Quayside
Quayside
The Quayside is an area along the banks of the River Tyne in Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead in the North East of England, United Kingdom....
date from medieval times. At one point, there were 20 chares in Newcastle. After the great fire of Newcastle and Gateshead
Great fire of Newcastle and Gateshead
The Great fire of Newcastle and Gateshead was a tragic and spectacular series of events starting on Friday 6 October 1854, in which a substantial amount of property in the two North East of England towns was destroyed in a series of fires and an explosion which killed 53 and injured...
in 1854, a number of the chares were permanently removed although many remain in existence today. Chares also are still present in the higher parts of the city centre.
According to "Quayside and the Chares" by Jack and John Leslie, chares reflected their name or residents. "Names might change over the years, including Armourer's Chare which become Colvin's Chare". Originally inhabited by wealthy merchants, the chares became slums as they were deserted due to their "dark, cramped conditions". The chares were infamous for their insanitary conditions - typhus was "epidemic" and there were three cholera outbreaks in 1831-2, 1848-9 and finally in 1853 (whch killed over 1,500 people).
Chares destroyed by the Great Fire
A number of chares were destroyed beyond repair as a result of the fire and are no longer extant. The chares that were not rebuilt were replaced by Queen Street, King Street and Lombard Street.Hornsby's Chare, formerly named Maryon House Chare, Colvin's Chare, formerly Black Boy's Chare, Pallister's Chare, formerly Armourer's Chare, Blue Anchor Chare, also known as Blew Anchor Chare, Peppercorn Chare and Grinding Chare, also known as Grandon/Grandin Chare were destroyed and no longer exist.
Dark Chare, the first of the alleys by Sandhill and described by in 1827 by Eneas Mackenzie, was also destroyed. He said of Dark Chare that "a stout person would find it rather inconvenient to press through the upper part of this lane. It is very properly termed the Dark Chare, for the houses at the top nearly touch each other. It is not now used as a thoroughfare. It has been justly observed, that the ground occupied by these chares is the most crowded with buildings of any part in his majesty's dominions."
Still in existence
On the Quayside, there are a large number of chares still in existence. Many of them are now just narrow alleyways and routes although some of them have been widened and their uses have been extended because of it:- Breakneck Stairs - still exist as stairs between Close and Hanover Street. They now form part of a city-centre flats development based upon the extant Bonded Warehouse development.
- Tuthill Stairs - recently upgraded and extant. It was recently rebuilt and modernised as part of the Quayside Lofts project.
- Long Stairs - lead up to the Moot Hall and start between the 15th century Cooperage and 16th century "Buttress" merchant's house.
- Castle Stairs - runs up from the end of Close and start of Sandhill to the Black Gate and Castle KeepNewcastle Castle KeepThe Castle is a medieval fortification in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, which gave the City of Newcastle its name. The most prominent remaining structures on the site are the Castle Keep, the castle's main fortified stone tower, and the Black Gate, its fortified gatehouse.Use of the site for...
- Plummer Chare - according to Eneas Mackenzie, "the receptacle of Cyprian nymphs, whose blandishments were of the most coarse and vulgar description. Indeed, most of these dark lanes were inhabited by "very dangerous, though not very tempting females." Now, the chare exists as a narrow alley between King Street and Fenwick's Entry.
- Fenwick's Entry, formerly called Kirk Chare - now a main entrance to the modern development behind Quayside. In its original incarnation before the fire, "Cuthbert Fenwick, Esq. alderman, who resided in the upper part of the chare; for, however confined, dirty, and disagreeable these alleys may now seem, they formerly contained some of the best houses in the town, and were inhabited by opulent merchants, particularly those engaged in the coal-trade."
- Broad Garth - was one of the main chares behind Quayside and is now a residential street name in the modern 1980s development. Until the great fire, its use had shifted from residential to warehousing usage.
- Trinity Chare, formerly called Dalton's Place - a narrow alley leading to the Live Theatre rehearsal rooms and a number of almshouses dating from the 18th century.
- Cox Chare - formerly known as Coxton's Chare or Cockis Chare, now a road leading from Pandon to Quayside, and was reviously much narrower and surrounded by warehouses
- Love Lane - previously called Gowerley's Rawe, was replaced by warehouses which were eventually converted to apartments
- Milk Market - now the side of the conversion into apartments of the warehouses of Jonhson, Dodds and Company Limited.
Other than on the riverside, there are a number of chares in existence in the higher parts of the city:
- Pudding Chare - runs from Bigg Market to Neville Street and contains some off-street examples of the medieval city.
- Denton Chare - formerly known as the Iron Market, connects St Nicholas Street to Neville Street.
- Pink Lane - a very narrow alley stretching Clayton Street West and Westgate Road. It is best known for containing the excavated foundations of Gunner Tower, part of the ancient Newcastle town wallNewcastle town wallThe Newcastle town wall is a medieval defensive wall, and Scheduled Ancient Monument, in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It was built during the 13th and 14th centuries, and helped protect the town from attack and occupation during times of conflict...
.
Other chares on the Quayside that remains are Wrangham's Entry, Spencer's Entry, the Swirle, Flag Chare and Anchor Chare. These reconstructed chares exist on the Sandgate/East Quayside modern office developments.
Still in existence but unnamed on maps
There are two historic chares still extant but are not currently listed on road maps. The chares still exist on Newcastle upon Tyne's city council map, however.- Custom House Yard - is shown on council documents but not on street maps and no street signs showing the chare.
- Rewcastle Chare - is the alley between 65 Quayside and 77 Quayside. As is correct to this day, Eneas Mackenzie described this as "a very narrow lane".
Elsewhere in north-east England
- Bishop AucklandBishop AucklandBishop Auckland is a market town and civil parish in County Durham in north east England. It is located about northwest of Darlington and southwest of Durham at the confluence of the River Wear with its tributary the River Gaunless...
- Durham Chare - Bishop AucklandBishop AucklandBishop Auckland is a market town and civil parish in County Durham in north east England. It is located about northwest of Darlington and southwest of Durham at the confluence of the River Wear with its tributary the River Gaunless...
- Gib Chare - Chester-le-StreetChester-le-StreetChester-le-Street is a town in County Durham, England. It has a history going back to Roman times when it was called Concangis. The town is located south of Newcastle upon Tyne and west of Sunderland on the River Wear...
- High Chare, Middle Chare, Low Chare, Church Chare,(54.855944°N 1.571972°W) - DurhamDurhamDurham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
- Castle Chare - HexhamHexhamHexham is a market town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, located south of the River Tyne, and was the administrative centre for the Tynedale district from 1974 to 2009. The three major towns in Tynedale were Hexham, Prudhoe and Haltwhistle, although in terms of population, Prudhoe was...
- St Mary's Chare - PeterleePeterleePeterlee is a new town in County Durham, England. Founded in 1948, Peterlee town originally mostly housed coal miners and their families.Peterlee has strong economic and community ties with Sunderland and Hartlepool.-Peterlee:...
- The Chare, Upper Chare - WhitburnWhitburnWhitburn is the name of more than one place:* Whitburn, South Tyneside, England* Whitburn, West Lothian, ScotlandWhitburn can also refer to the following people:*Joel Whitburn, music historian*Vanessa Whitburn, radio producer...
- Sandy Chare
External links
- Definition of "chare" at The Free Dictionary
- Potential etymologies from Eneas Mackenzie's "Historical Account of Newcastle-upon-Tyne", pp160-182, published 1827
- Origin of the names "Peppercorn Court" and "Blue Anchor Court" on the Blue Anchor Quay development on the Quayside
- Breakneck Stairs*
- Bonded Warehouse, Close, development
- Tuthill Stairs - description and photograph
- Tuthill Stairs - description of modern upgrade
- Live Theatre on Trinity Chare
- Lord Eldon and Bessie Surtees - the Love Lane story
- Denton Chare photograph
- Pudding Chare history - The History of Newcastle upon Tyne, Henry Bourne, 1736
- "Custom House Yard" mentioned on official council documents but not on the standard street maps
- Rewcastle Chare - Zoom Level 200+ by Broad Chare to view