North Shields Fish Quay
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North Shields Fish Quay is a town located close to the mouth of England's River Tyne, just south of North Shields town centre and around 8 miles east of Newcastle upon Tyne.
The town began life in 1225 as a simple village of shielings (huts) from which the town of North Shields takes its name. The quay was originally located here to serve the nearby Tynemouth Castle and priory.
The growth of North Shields was at one time restricted due to fear that it would take trade from neighbouring Newcastle-upon-Tyne because of its favourable downstream location.
Clifford's Fort, located on the Fish Quay was built in the 1600's as a coastal defence against the Dutch. The Fort also played a role during the Napoleonic Wars.
Every Spring Bank Holiday the Fish Quay hosts a mammoth free family festival, with hundreds of stalls and entertainments stretching the full length of the Quay. The Fish Quay Festival generally has several stages featuring different styles of music from the area and around the world, along with copious amount of food, and the traditional 'blessing of the fleet.' The Festival was sponsored by the mobile phone company Orange, however they stopped sponsorship a couple of years ago.
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