Carliol Square

Carliol Square is located on the east side of Newcastle city centre. The name derives from the Carilol family who once owned land here (the family de Carliol at Newcastle was noted in 13th century). The area where the modern square is located has an interesting history. The Square was built by what had been the east section of the medieval Town Walls between Carliol Croft Tower (aka Plummer Tower) and Austin Tower. Plummer Tower can still be seen on Croft Street, which joins the north side of the Square.

Historically, Carliol Square was the location of Newcastle Gaol (prison), built 1823-28. This replaced Newgate as Newcastle's prison. It also replaced Town Moor as the place of execution of prisoners. The prison closed in 1925 and was subsequently demolished. Also, from 1839, there was a railway station at Carliol Square, which was the western terminus of the Newcastle and North Shields Railway. Later the station closed following the extension of the line to the new Newcastle Central Station in 1850.

The south-east corner of Carliol Square was demolished in the early 1970s, to make way for the Central Motorway A167(M).

On the 28th June 2023, Carliol Square was on the national news after there was a serious fire in a derelict Carliol Chambers (the former ‘For Your Eyes Only’ nightclub), which resulted in temporary closure of the Central Motorway for 9 days until the building was made safe.

Description courtesy of Co-Curate.





9th December 2024



Taken from Manors car park.




Footpath over the Central Motorway.





17th August 2024



Pilgrim Place.

Work underway on the next stage of the Pilgrim Street renewal.





28th July 2024



The site of Carliol Chambers.




Central Telephone Exchange.

Newcastle Telephone Exchange. Now a big brick office block occupying most of the eastern half of Carliol Square. Five storeys and a mansard attic, and a semi basement. The flat face has 15 bays, with big decorative doorcases at the second, middle and 14th bays. These are of rusticated sandstone and rise through three storeys. First shown on OS 4th edition of 1940.

Source: Sitelines





22nd September 2023



Central Telephone Exchange.




Taken from Manors car park.





2nd September 2023



Central Motorway.

Underground and overground links to Manors Car Park from Carliol Square. A link to the Swan House Roundabout was severed when construction began at the bottom end of Pilgrim Street.




Central Telephone Exchange.




Sunco House, India House, Curtis Mayfield House.

A decorative steel-framed commercial building of the 1920s. Split into Sunco House, India House and Curtis Mayfield House. Six storeys in brick, concrete and stone, with steel-framed windows. Art-Deco style decoration including eight-pointed stars.

Source: Sitelines




Image House.

A four-storey brick building with a rather plain façade, forming the north-east corner of the Carliol Square block. The curved façade on the east end of the building is of some architectural merit. First shown on OS 4th edition of 1940.

Source: Sitelines




The site of Carliol Chambers.




Carliol Central.








28th July 2023



Carliol Chambers.





17th July 2023



Carliol Chambers.





4th July 2023



Carliol Chambers.




Carliol Central.








23rd May 2023







7th April 2023



Carliol Chambers.





23rd July 2022



Central Telephone Exchange.




Carliol Central.





16th June 2022



Carliol Central.




Carliol Chambers.




Central Telephone Exchange.




Image House.





8th May 2022



Sunco House, India House, Curtis Mayfield House.





1st April 2022



Sunco House, India House, Curtis Mayfield House.




Footpath over the Central Motorway.





17th February 2022



Footpath over the Central Motorway.








4th October 2021







12th December 2020



Carliol Square, Duke of Wellington Public House.

The Duke of Wellington public house is a three storey building constructed on the west side Carliol Square in the early 19th century in red brick with sash windows, and remodelled in the 1930s with the addition of an Art Deco stone and moulded ceramic tile cladding frontage. It underwent several name changes in the late 20th century including Astros in the mid 1980s, Wilders in the 1990s, Enigma in the 2000s, and finally Wilders Bar. A cart way is still open on the ground floor. Historic building recording was undertaken in 2020 prior to proposed demolition which happened promptly.
Source: Sitelines.




Carliol Square.

Clearance begins for the construction of Bank House on Pilgrim Street.





12th August 2015



Carliol Square.





16th May 2010



Carliol Square.




Bank House, Rear of Swan House.





19th April 2007



Rear of Swan House.





1971



Carliol Square.

Probably taken from the footpath over the Central Motorway looking towards Worswick Street.

Photo courtesy of Newcastle Libraries.





1969



Carliol Square 1969.

In the foreground to the right is one of the entrances to the now demolished Worswick Street Bus Station. Adjoining the bus station is the premises of 'J.J. Greenfield.

Photo courtesy of Newcastle Libraries.





1969



Duke of Wellington Hotel, Carliol Square.

Photograph taken in 1969 of the Duke of Wellington Hotel in Carliol Square. Swan House is behind the pub and towers over it and the buildings adjoining the pub. Two men are walking along the pavement in front of the Duke of Wellington and a hole has been dug in the road surrounded by signs and warning lights.

Photo courtesy of Newcastle Libraries.





1968



Clergy Jubilee Schools, Carliol Square.

Built in 1820 by John Dobson at a cost of £2300. The Dame Allan School moved to the site in c.1821. These fee-paying pupils were joined by those of All Saint's Charity School in c.1860. Minor alterations were carried out to the school in 1892-3 with the addition of a small cloakroom. The school closed on 31st March 1938. The building was taken over by Reed Milligan and Co. The building had been demolished by 1970.

Photo courtesy of Newcastle Libraries.





1966



The New Railway, Trafalgar Street/Carliol Place.

The New Railway pub on the junction of Trafalgar Street and Carliol Place taken in 1966. The view shows both sides of the pub. The main entrance door and one of the side doors are in the process of being re-painted by men wearing overalls.

Photo courtesy of Newcastle Libraries.





1957



Carliol Square 1957.

Charlton and co. Ltd. is pictured at the bottom of the photograph and the Central Telephone Exchange is on the right. Buses pictured at the bus depot on the right hand side of Charlton's.

Photo courtesy of Newcastle Libraries.





Undated



Carliol Square.

Similar view to the image above with what I think was the Clergy Jubilee Schools on the right which closed in 1938. The building was taken over by Reed Milligan and Co and had been demolished by 1970.

Photo courtesy of Newcastle Libraries.





1935



Carliol Street.

The view shows the front of no. 31 Carliol Street which is adjoined by houses on both sides. One of the first floor windows of the house is open and a boy is leaning out of it. Several of the panes of glass are broken. A boy is standing in the doorway of no. 31 Carliol Street and a woman is standing outside. The house to the left is empty and is 'For Sale'. The house to the right is occupied and has curtains at the windows. The houses form part of the Carliol Street Clearance Area.

Photo courtesy of Newcastle Libraries.





1935



Carliol Street.

The frontage of nos 28 - 32 Carliol Street. A woman is standing in front of one of the houses and another is standing in the doorway. The houses are occupied but form part of the Carliol Street Clearance Area.

Photo courtesy of Newcastle Libraries.





More Information:
More old Photographs:
Historical Interest:
See my other photos around Carliol Square:

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