NZ2563 : Baltic Chambers, Quayside
taken 13 years ago, near to Gateshead, England
Graffiti or art?
These mosaic pieces by the French street artist 'Invader' have brightened up the darker places of many cities around the world for several years Link The 'Alien Invasion' of Newcastle took place in 2006 Link The captions to the site photographs clearly indicate that the Newcastle Police did not hold strongly with the art viewpoint, but many pieces are still in place some four years later. Most people now probably fail to see them at all, or think, like I did when first seen, that they were some kind of survey marker or 2D code. The penny dropped for me after seeing a post on the Newcastle Metro Area forum of SkyscraperCity Link
However, there is local evidence for close encounters NZ2464 : The aliens have landed
'Watch this space for invaders' Link
Invader in Wikipedia Link
Chares is a Geordie word used for the narrow alley-ways in Newcastle. There used to be about 20 chares which led back from the Quayside in the medieval town (Dark Chare, Grindon Chare, Blue Anchor Chare, Peppercorn Chare, Palester Chare, Colvin's Chare, Hornsby Chare, Plumber Chare, Fenwick's Chare, Dark Chare, Broad Garth, Peacock Chare, Trinity Chare, Rewcastle Chare, Broad Chare, Spicer Lane, Burn Bank, Byker Chare, Cock's Chare and Love Lane).
The name was also applied to narrow lanes in different parts of the city and other parts of Northumberland Link
On the Quayside, they are thought to have arisen from wooden piers built out into the river, between which rubbish was dumped and houses built on the reclaimed land.
The buildings alongside the chares were crowded and unpleasant. Many were destroyed in the great fire of 1854 NZ2563 : Hillgate explosion, vividly illustrated in 'View from the High Level Bridge' by M. & M. W. Lambert (1854) Link
Broad Chare was so called as it was wide enough for a cart, the others were much narrower Link
Wikipedia: Link
The present state of Newcastle: Streets within the walls by Eneas Mackenzie (1827) Link
Plan of Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead by John Wood (1827) Link
Tyne and Wear HER(1596): Newcastle, Quayside (The Key) Link
Tyne and Wear HER(11101): Newcastle, medieval town Link