We present the XMM-Newton Wide Angle Survey (XWAS), a new catalogue of almost a thousand X-ray sources spectroscopically identified through optical observations. Sources lie in high-galactic latitude (|b|>20deg) XMM-Newton fields mainly in the southern hemisphere. A sample of X-ray sources detected in 68 XMM-Newton pointed observations was selected for optical multi-fibre spectroscopy. Optical counterparts and corresponding photometry of the X-ray sources were obtained from the SuperCOSMOS Sky Survey. Candidates for spectroscopy were initially selected with magnitudes down to R~21, with preference for X-ray sources having a flux F_0.5-4.5keV_>=10^-14^erg/s/cm2. Optical spectroscopic observations were made using the Two Degree Field of the Anglo Australian Telescope, and the resulting spectra were classified based on optical emission lines. We have identified through optical spectroscopy 940 X-ray sources over {Omega}~11.8deg^2^ of the sky. Source populations in our sample can be summarised as 65% broad line active galactic nuclei (BLAGN), 16% narrow emission line galaxies (NELGs), 6% absorption line galaxies (ALGs) and 13% stars. An active nucleus is also likely to be present in the large majority of the X-ray sources spectroscopically classified as NELGs or ALGs.