Stockton began as an Anglo-Saxon settlement

Stockton began as an Anglo-Saxon settlement on high ground close to the northern bank of the River Tees. The manor of Stockton was created in around 1138. It was purchased by Bishop Pudsey of Durham in 1189 and since then has undergone many changes.

Stockton's market can trace its history back to 1310, when Bishop Bek of Durham granted a market charter - to our town of Stockton a market upon every Wednesday for ever.

Stockton Market 1960

Stockton Castle is first referred to in 1376. It was captured by the Scottish in 1644and was occupied by them until 1646, but was destroyed on the orders of Oliver Cromwell at the end of the Civil War. There is now a shopping centre, called the Castlegate Centre, where the original castle stood. There are no known accurate depictions of the castle in existence.
The Castlegate Centre I have known all my life, although I have seen it go through some changes over the years. We have a family business in there and we have been working in there for as long as I can remember, we have all worked behind the stall at some point, I didn't go behind the stall but I did help out in other ways, especially at Christmas I used to help my Grandad make up the christmas orders ready for the people to collect.
I used to like going down when I was on holiday from school and seeing everyone, I knew all of the people around and about, to get to our stall at the time we always passed the bakers and I loved getting say a lemon puff as a treat, and all the staff in the centre always said hello to me and always asked about me if I wasn't down. Sometimes Grandad would give me my pocket money early, so that I could wheel down to the paper and sweet stall to get my favourite comic, and some sweets. Everyone knew me and would see me whizzing passed shouting hello, I sort of felt a bit grown up because I was aloud to push myslef, mind you I could always hear Mum shout "becareful watch what you are doing" happy memories, we are still working in there today but a lot has changed and moved on