Historically, a hospital and chapel named St. James’ stood near to where the Hancock Museum building now stands in Newcastle.
In 1542, the master of St. Mary’s and St. James granted a lease of land and plots that extended to Castle Leazes.
St. James Place was later built on the site and the area continued to develop to where the football ground now stands, featuring St. James Street, St. James Terrace and Leazes Terrace by the early 19th century.
Fast-forward to that first match on the site in 1880 and it’s easy to see why the ground immediately became known as St. James’ Park.