Historians have for decades wondered about what became of Newcastle-upon-Tyne between the abandonment of Roman Newcastle (Pons Aelius) and the birth of Newcastle proper with the actual construction of the New Castle on the site of the present-day Keep in 1080. In Volume 3 of Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Fragments of the Past I myself tried to draw together and summarise what little evidence we have for the continued occupation of the site. But there really isn't much to go on.
Proper historians have, traditionally, been reluctant to speculate on matters such as this, preferring to rely on hard evidence, and, to put it bluntly, taking the stance that 'absence of evidence = evidence of absence'. But as I do not consider myself to be a proper historian, I like to delve into the realms of speculation! I try to be careful, though, and always make it clear to my readers when I'm 'just guessing'. I don't think there's any harm in it.
As chance would have it, I am currently reading two history books - written by what I would certainly consider to be proper historians - that happily wander into the realms of conjecture. One such tome is the recently-released Northumbria AD367-867: Earth-Hall, Ring-Gift and Heaven's Field by north-east historical heavyweights Max Adams and Colm O'Brien. Both men have many years of archaeological experience behind them - Mr O'Brien was even a tutor of mine twenty-odd years ago during a part-time archaeology course at Newcastle University. Adams I know through his part-speculative works on Dark Age Northumbria, most notably King in The North, concerning the life and times of the great King Oswald. I kinda like the O'Brien-Adams combo: the former being the based, evidence-driven archaeologist, and the latter given over to a little more in the imagination department (I do hope I'm not being too unkind, it's just the way I picture them both!).
Now I haven't yet read all of Adams & O'Brien's Northumbria, but what I have digested so far is right up my street. Especially as it seems to lean towards a generally positive outlook on the likelihood of the existence of a Dark Age Newcastle. They back a previous scholar's opinion (Brian Roberts) that the 'Bernician core' was likely in the lower-mid Tyne basin, putting the old Pons Aelius site at the heart of proceedings. We know that King Oswiu (king of Northumbria during 642-670) conducted much of his business from a royal villa called Ad Murum - but no-one knows precisely where this palace was situated. Various sites from Walbottle in the west to Pons Aelius in the east (Benwell included) have been mooted; but Adams/O'Brien lean toward the site of the future Newcastle - being essentially within the ruins of the old Roman fort. They then go on to mention the 679 Anglo-Saxon burials found within the walls of the fort dated to 700-1080, and various other faint traces activity dating to 410-700. And over the river in Gateshead, Oswiu's leading cleric, Abbot Utta, is known to have been in charge of a monastery during the seventh century. Something, they say, was certainly happening on and around the site of the future Newcastle during the Dark Ages; it's just that we haven't yet worked out exactly what!
Concurrently, I am also reading Bridget Gubbins' excellent The Curious Yards and Alleyways of Morpeth. I fell across this book whilst searching for a decent overview history of my new home patch. The title is a little misleading, as the work really does give a very good account of the history of the town as a whole. And, once more, the author is not frightened to 'fill the gaps' left by the primary sources. Yes, she speculates where necessary, but does so based on strong circumstantial evidence using, as far as I can tell, perfectly sound methodology. She is very well-versed in the history of Morpeth, and I think she is entitled to her approach to her subject matter. Gubbins never fails to inform her readers when she is wandering into speculative thought, and it all helps the layman build up a picture of times past, in a way in which dry old evidence-based reporting does not. I like authors to offer opinions, conjecture and 'educated guesses', provided they are experts in their field.
There you are: I've said it.
Northumbria AD367-867: Earth-Hall, Ring-Gift and Heaven's Field, by Max Adams & Colm O'Brien (John Donald/Birlinn Ltd, 2025);
The Curious Yards and Alleyways of Morpeth, by Bridget Gubbins (Greater Morpeth Development Trust, 2011).
