Two Rivers · Five Boroughs · Over 2,000 Years
The story of
Tyne & Wear
From a Roman bridge and Bede's candlelit scriptorium to the world's busiest shipyards and a rusted steel angel on a hilltop — this is the history of the towns, cities and villages strung along two North East rivers.
Where to start
Five boroughs, one river valley
Tyne and Wear was formed in 1974 from land either side of the Tyne, plus the Wear valley around Sunderland. Each borough kept its own character. Pick one to begin.
Newcastle upon Tyne
The county's largest city, built on a Roman bridge and a Norman keep — now known for Grey Street's sweeping terraces and a regenerated Quayside.
Visit Newcastle →Gateshead
Facing Newcastle across the water — home to the rust-red Angel of the North, the tilting Millennium Bridge, and BALTIC's converted flour mill.
Visit Gateshead →Sunderland
A city on the River Wear, once the world's busiest shipbuilding town, and the birthplace of English learning at Bede's Monkwearmouth monastery.
Visit Sunderland →North Tyneside
Where Hadrian's Wall meets the North Sea — Roman Segedunum, the priory ruins at Tynemouth, and the restored Spanish City dome at Whitley Bay.
Visit North Tyneside →South Tyneside
Guarding the Tyne's mouth since Roman Arbeia fort — home to Bede's Jarrow monastery, Catherine Cookson's streets, and two wide sandy beaches.
Visit South Tyneside →See every town
Longbenton, Hendon, Jarrow, Blaydon and more — browse the full interactive map and directory of every place covered on this site.
Open the map →The long view
From Roman fort to rusted angel
Four moments from a much longer story — read the full history for everything in between.
Rome on the Tyne
Hadrian's Wall reached the sea here, guarded by forts at Wallsend, Newcastle and South Shields.
Bede's Northumbria
Twin monasteries at Monkwearmouth and Jarrow became one of Europe's great centres of learning.
Coal, keels & shipyards
Coal, keelmen and colliers gave way to the launching ways of the world's busiest shipbuilding rivers.
One county, five boroughs
Tyne and Wear was created in 1974 and reinvented itself through culture, sport and regeneration.
Beyond the big names
Every corner has a story
This isn't just a site about Newcastle and Sunderland. It's a guide to the smaller places that make up the county too — from the government offices of Longbenton to the dockside streets of Hendon, the Roman fort at Wallsend and the racecourse at Gosforth. Use the interactive map to find yours.