<P> Blackgate was leased to the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne in the 1880s, which extensively restored it between 1883 and 1885 . It was the Society that added the top floor and pitched roof . The Society has held regular meetings there ever since . The drawbridges to the front and rear have been replaced by wooden footbridges . </P> <P> The Keep is a Grade I listed building, and a Scheduled Ancient Monument . It is a roughly square building, measuring 62 feet (19 m) by 56 feet (17 m) and 81 feet (25 m) tall . The entrance leads via flights of stairs to the second floor and into the Great Hall, the largest room in the keep, measuring 30 feet (9.1 m) by 24 feet (7.3 m). The Black Gate was approached via a drawbridge across a moat . A wooden bridge has replaced the drawbridge . The original gate had a portcullis, and the recesses where this fitted can still be seen . The keep is currently owned by Newcastle City Council and managed by the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne, one of the world's oldest antiquarian societies . </P> <P> The Castle Keep can be visited today . The keep is also notable in having the main East Coast railway line running through the centre of the grounds . In particular, the battlements offer fine views over the River Tyne quayside, the cathedral and Newcastle station . The castle is reputedly haunted, and has been subject to many paranormal investigations . It featured in an episode of Most Haunted . </P> <P> The Castle Keep and the Black Gate have recently been refurbished by the Heart of the City partnership and reopened on 21 March 2015 as Newcastle Castle . In addition to improved accessibility, new additions include an education centre, reception / gift shop and museum room in the Black Gate and audio - visual installations in the Castle Keep, telling the story of the site and the people who have lived there over the years . </P>

What was newcastle called before the castle was built