Newcastle's Town Moor: Fairs, Witches, and Common Land

06/01/2024 19 min

Listen "Newcastle's Town Moor: Fairs, Witches, and Common Land"

Episode Synopsis


If you say 'moor' to most people, they might think of Wuthering Heights, Dartmoor, or Bodmin.

You probably won't immediately think of the Town Moor that lies immediately north of Newcastle upon Tyne's city centre. 

While it's not filled with ghost stories, fairy legends, or tales of the Devil creating local landmarks, the Town Moor does play a role in the folk history of the city. It has hosted regular fairs for centuries, been an execution site for witches, and even been home to a smallpox isolation hospital.

So what tales can this expanse of open land tell? Let's find out in this week's episode of Fabulous Folklore!

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