Geograph - photograph every grid square

Bigg Market was one of Newcastle's several markets established here by 1743. It extended from Newgate Street (to the left in this photo) towards St Nicholas Church (to the right) and used to be divided into three streets, Groat Market to the west, Cloth Market to the east, with Middle Street between (demolished in 1858).
Groat Market was also known as Meal Market. Groats being an old name for oats with the husks removed. They were commonly crushed to feed humans and animals. The name is also applied in Northumberland to wheat. Bigg is a kind of barley that has four rows of grain on each ear. The Cloth Market included the Flesh Market and Fish Market as well as a market selling blankets and linen.

Tyne and Wear HER (6497): Newcastle, Bigg Market (Beremarket) Link

Bigg Market has always been the location of numerous shops and inns and is today still famed for its night life.