newcastles

[tali122]

does newcastle-under -lyme have any connection (apart from sounding similar)with newcastle upon tyne?

[shaun_04]

No.

[Se7en]

yes, its beneath it.

[CheekyChops]

Probably because they both had a 'New Castle' at some point in the last few hundred years. In fact, I just found this about the 'under Lyme' one:

'Newcastle derived its name and origin from the new fortress built here about the year 1180, by Ranulph, Earl of Chester, in lieu of the then decayed old castle, at Chesterton. It was called Newcastle-under-Lyme from the ancient forest of Lyme, which comprised all the hilly country extending hence into Cheshire.'

I can't really find anything about the 'upon Tyne' one although I would guess that there was once a new castle built on the banks of the river Tyne.

To be honest, I don't really care about the latter, I live near and work in the former!