One of Newcastle's historic treasures has been revealed as part of a £55m development taking place on the city's Quayside.

Although partly visible from City Road, Corner Tower, part of Newcastle's original medieval town wall, has long been hidden from view from the west side of the site.

The tower's remnants, along with Croft Stairs, have been hidden beneath heavy undergrowth, making the area inaccessible for many years.

But contractors working on the Trinity Gardens development, on behalf of Silverlink Property Developments, recently cut the undergrowth back to reveal the stairs, the numerous sitting and viewing platforms and the Corner Tower.

Michelle Percy, marketing director of Silverlink, said: "This fantastic tower has been largely hidden from view and only a few keen archaeologists and historians were really aware of its presence on City Road.

"In due course, the stairs will be restored, new landscaping will take place and the area will be opened up for all, so people can enjoy the medieval aspects and panorama of the whole site."

The Corner Tower and a stretch of wall, built after 1298, when the town of Pandon was incorporated into Newcastle, are the last remnants of the eastern part of the town wall.

Work is well under way on Trinity Gardens, with the steelwork for two buildings next to City Road - a car park and an 81-bedroom extension to the Travelodge - beginning to take shape.

Elsewhere on the site, there are about 60 one and two-bedroomed apartments being built and a 160,000sq ft office building in the centre of the site.

Law firm Dickinson Dees plans to take about 60,000sq ft of space on the upper floors of the office building, with an option to lease more.

The development also offers ground floor retail space and associated shops, cafes and bistros, and a multi-storey car park.

Published: 25/05/2004