History and General Information

Fortunate among towns in Newcastle that she possesses, so near at hand, these open expanses of land which are known as the Town Moor and the Castle Leazes.' (Charleton, 1885)

Newcastle-upon-Tyne is fortunate to have quite a number of cultural, architectural and natural features that distinguish it as rather a special city. Entering Newcastle from the south, the steep-sided river valley, bridges and Quayside buildings provide one of the most dramatic introductions to any British city. From the north an almost equally unique vista is revealed of cattle grazing on open pastures, against the backdrop of the central urban cityscape.

The Town Moor is one of the features that make Newcastle special, with around 400ha of open space providing a green heart to the City. It has a history as pasture land dating back to the 12th century, its land tenure and use is regulated by its own Act of Parliament.

The common ownership of the Town Moor, where the land is vested in the City Council and herbage rights are held by the City Freemen, has been largely successful in maintaining the integrity of the Moor as the City expanded and developed around it. However, developments have encroached on the margins of the Moor, and road improvements such as the North-west Radial dual carriageway, have taken significant areas of land. As well as pasture and informal use, open spaces on the Moor support a range of other recreational land uses, including formal parks, allotments and sports facilities.

Although the remaining pasture land may seem to have superficially escaped change, and preserves a medieval system of land tenure into the late 20th century, the quality of the land has changed greatly in the last two centuries. Agricultural improvement has resulted in a more homogenous landscape with a much lower biodiversity. Cattle watering ponds have been replaced by piped drainage, and seasonally flooded wet grasslands have been infilled or drained. Parts of the Moor have also been subject to opencast mining operations, and restoration with consequent loss of surface features.

The size and location of the Town Moor provides a great potential for positive change, to act as a model of sustainable land-use, and to enhance its status in terms of landscape, recreation and nature conservation.

For further information please contact Amanda Watson Parks and Countryside Service on 0191 2773538 or email amanda.watson@newcastle.gov.uk