STAFF at one of Newcastle's historic buildings are trying to solve its identity crisis. The National Trust's Inner City Project has been based at the Holy Jesus Hospital off City Road since 2000.

But for 22 years, from 1971, what is one of only two surviving 17th Century brick buildings in the city was home to the John Joicey Museum.

A stone plaque also announces that part of the building was used as soup kitchen from the 1880s. Before that it was home to poor Freemen and their widows after its opening in 1681.

It is also known for its 16th Century tower and there are also remains from the site’s days as a medieval Augustinian friary.

Joanne Linton, customer administrator for the National Trust’s Inner City Project, said: “We’ve been based here for nearly 12 years and yet often have to explain where the Holy Jesus Hospital is.

“Saying the former Joicey Museum gets bells ringing, but really, we want people in Newcastle to be proud of this building and its extraordinary heritage and of course, to finally recognise it.”

Now the trust has installed a Holy Jesus Hospital name sign on the front of the building.

It carried out historic paint analysis to arrive at the right colour and had to win listed building consent for the sign.

Joanne said: “It is great to see the original sign back in place and the building getting the recognition it deserves. With so much history and heritage within the walls of this building it’s right that it should be correctly named once more.”

After the Dissolution of the monasteries the friary was retained by Henry VIII as a venue for his Council of the North and was known as the King’s Manor.

The site was acquired by Newcastle Corporation in the 17th Century, and the hospital was built.

This month the ground floor of the building, including an exhibition room, is open to the public from noon to 4pm and this Saturday from 10am-3.30pm.