Forms 3 chihera, 4 chere, 5– chare; also 6 chayer, 8 chair. [? The same as CHARE turning; cf. Sc. wynd.]
Local name for a narrow lane, alley, or wynd, in Newcastle and some neighboring towns; also for some country lanes and field tracks, e.g., the three which converge at Chare ends, by the landing-place on Holy Island.
12[?]. Carta Will’ de Glanavilla, in Surtees Hist. Durham (Gateshead) Poters-chihera. Ibid. (a. 1400), Waldeschere.
1430. Inquest on death of R. Thornton, ibid., Pylot-chare.
1596. Wills & Inv. N. C. (1835), I. 263. In the lowe seller, in Chapmane chayer.
1707. Lond. Gaz., No. 4293/3. A Large Dwelling-House in the Broad Chair in Newcastle upon Tyne … will be sold.
1772. Pennant, Tour Scotl. (1790), III. 305. The lower streets and chares or alleys are extremely narrow.
1862. Smiles, Engineers, III. 411. The queer chares and closes, the wynds and lanes of Newcastle.
Chare sb.3, chariot, car: see CHAR sb.2
