Heritage - Booming times

Dec 11 2006 By Marie Turbill, The Journal

A historic site is making its comeback with all guns blazing after securing funds for its second phase of major restoration. Marie Turbill hears the story behind its revamp so far.

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When a small group of concerned residents decided to give one of Hartlepool's historic landmarks a bit of a clean-up they had no idea where it would lead.

It was the year 2000 when a general chat in the pub kick-started what would prove to be a major revamp.

John Southcott, who was one of those residents, explains: "We were just a small group of people who got together and wanted to clear up what had become an eyesore and a generator for anti-social behaviour."

He says the Heugh Gun Battery - one of the few surviving 19th-Century coastal batteries, with both First and Second World War modifications - had become a broken down site awash with needles, graffiti and broken glass.

The volunteers worked together to tidy the site and, once the trust was formed, they sought permission to dig out two pits, or gun barbettes.

This was just the start of a restoration project that has now spanned six years, and continues.

"After about 12 months we formed the Heugh Gun Battery Trust," says John, who is the trust chairman.

Generous funding from the Northern Rock Foundation and the Single Regeneration Budget enabled work to continue.

John says the investment enabled them to add security to the site so that all their hard work wouldn't be undone.

And English Heritage offered its support by providing some massive artillery pieces to be displayed.

The Trust's ambition is to restore the battery as close to how it was in the First World War as possible.

Their website tells how, on December 16, 1914, Hartlepool fell under the guns of three German warships - a day that would be remembered as the "Great Bombardment".

A total of 118 lives were lost but many more were saved by the response of the servicemen garrisoned in the town.

It states: "Our group aims to keep this important day present in the minds and memories of all generations."

John says: "The Heugh Gun Battery saw the first soldier killed on British soil in the First World War.

"He was a well-respected school teacher who had joined up in the Durham Light Infantry and was one of the Hartlepool Pals. The first military medal was awarded for that action and the battery is an important part of Hartlepool's history."

He says the battery's story is now included in key-stage two and three of the National Curriculum.

John adds: "Before, if families from the North-East wanted to see anything like this they would have had to travel to Portsmouth.

"The Heugh Gun Battery is a battlefield that is now accessible to them, and it is nationally important."

To date, more than £200,000 has been invested in the site and the trust has now secured a further £300,000 from regional development agency One NorthEast and the Single Regeneration Budget.

Subject to permission, work will begin in April to bring the site in line with health and safety specifications. Toilet facilities will be added, along with utilities, underground structures will be refurbished and the promenade ground is to be rebuilt.

John believes the battery's appearance on the BBC's recent series of Restoration has really helped put them on the map.

He says: "We have had a tremendous amount of interest as a result of that.

"We have had visitors from Nottingham, Derby, Sheffield and Scotland. They saw the programme and wanted to come and see it.

"We have also had an increase in donations."

Looking back at the past six years, John says: "It has been incredible. We never dreamed we would reach this stage, with guns back in the battery where they should be and people wanting to visit it."

• The Heugh Gun Battery, Moor Terrace, Hartlepool, is open to visitors every Saturday from 10am-3.30pm. Or, to book an appointment, call John on (01429) 424435 or Glen Baun on (01429) 426768.

• For more details about the Heugh Gun Battery, log on to www.heughbattery.org.uk