Newcastle-upon-Tyne - Quayside (Sandhill)

The Quayside district around the Tyne and High Level Bridges has been redeveloped and many of the old houses have been turned into small hotels, shops and restaurants; on Sundays a pleasant stroll may be taken through the colorful junk market which is held here. On Sandhill a number of historic buildings can be seen, including the Guildhall (1658, rebuilt in the early 19th century) and the Merchants' Court with a fireplace dating from 1636. The lovingly restored Bessie Surtees House (41-44 Sandhill) consists of two merchant's houses, dating from the 16th/17th century, with a Jacobean facade which has been restored to its original state.

Inside, the English Heritage puts on seasonal exhibitions. The building derives its name from the pretty banker's daughter, Bessie Surtees, who fell in love with John Scott, the son of a coal merchant from Love Lane. In 1772, when Bessie's parents tried to forbid the alliance, the couple eloped at night in the fog to Scotland, where they got married. John Scott was later to become a successful lawyer and as Lord Eldon rose to be Lord Chancellor.