These days, it brands itself as Newcastle Castle - but for many of us it was always the Castle Keep.
Famously built as the 'New Castle upon Tyne' in the 11th century, it was the famous structure that gave the town - later to become a city - its name. A symbol of Tyneside permanence through the ages, and today appropriately appreciated and treasured for its antiquity and historical significance, that - surprisingly - was not always the case. For example, on this day in 1782 - 240 years ago - the Newcastle Courant newspaper carried an advert proposing the then crumbling and roofless structure could be replaced by a windmill.
The castle dates back to 1080 when it was founded by Robert Curthose, eldest son of William the Conqueror. Between 1168 and 1178, the original motte and bailey structure was rebuilt in stone by King Henry I at a cost of £1,144.
