Grey Street, the home of Samuel Phillips Law

Written by Claire Fenwick

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

Samuel Phillips Law are very proud to be based on the beautiful and historic Grey Street in the heart of Newcastle upon Tyne.

The offices of Samuel Phillips Law are based on the 4^th and 5^th floor of General Buildings, which is a Grade II landmark listed building on Grey Street.

But did you know that Grey Street was built on top of a stream flowing to the Tyne called Lort Burn? This was one of several built-over waterways which flowed downhill through Newcastle upon Tyne.

Read on to find out more facts about Grey Street!

Grey Street, the centre-piece of Richard Grainger and John Dobson’s ambitious plans for a new town centre in the 1830s was originally intended to be called New Dean Street, as it ran down to the much earlier Dean Street, most of which was built in the mid-1700s.
It was the Northumbrian-born Prime Minister Earl Grey, whose 130ft monument was built at the street’s Northern end in 1838, who gave the street it’s name.
Grey’s Monument is 133 feet high and contains 164 steps in the interior.
The south eastern side of Grey street was designed by John Dobson and the western side by John Wardle and George Walker.
Renowned for its Georgian architecture, Grey Street’s most prominent building, the Theatre Royal was completed in 1838 and was designed by John and Benjamin Green. It’s design was based on the Pantheon at Rome.
In 1862, Prime Minister William Gladstone described it as “our best modern street”.
The construction of Grey Street meant that the existing meat market had to be demolished. However, Richard Grainger persuaded Newcastle Council to sell him the old market and buy a replacement from him – this was the Grainger Market, opened in 1835.
The Portuguese Diplomat and Novelist Jose Maria De Eca De Queiros lived at 53 Grey Street, between 1874 – 1879.
A plaque to commemorate The John Dobson Bicentenary (1787-1987) sits at the entrance of General Buildings, home to Samuel Phillips Law on Grey Street.
In 2010, BBC Radio 4 listeners named it Britain’s Best Street.
The Newcastle Journal once had its printing and publishing offices on Grey Street.