George IV Plan of Newcastle & Gateshead

A large early 19th century George IV period plan of Newcastle upon Tyne & Gateshead by John Wood. John Wood was born in Yorkshire around 1780-85, and he died in 1847. He trained in North Yorkshire then lived in Edinburgh after he married. He is best known for his detailed plans of Scottish towns, but he produced town plans across England and Wales as well. Apparently his normal practice was to do field-work between late March and September / October, then he would return to Edinburgh to have his drawings engraved over the winter. This is a fascinating early plan of Newcastle before its re-development in the 1840's. The interesting thing about this plan is all the places and buildings that are missing because they had not been built yet, no railway bridges or central station, only one bridge crossing the Tyne and Pandon Dene still not culverted.