Gateshead [key], metropolitan borough, NE England, on the Tyne River opposite Newcastle upon Tyne. Service industries, light engineering, paints, refrigeration, heating, and air conditioning equipment, ordnance, and wire and cable are among the city's industries. Gateshead Fell is noted for its historic grindstone quarries. Gateshead is an extremely old community, probably dating back to Saxon times. The area's iron and steel industry developed in the 19th cent. The city was swept by fire in 1854, but several old churches survive. Several bridges cross the Tyne to Newcastle, including the tilting, arc-shaped Millenium Bridge for pedestrians and cyclists, part of the redevelopment of the Gateshead Quays, which includes a contemporary arts center.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: British and Irish Political Geography
