Heugh Gun Battery Hartlepool, Ralph Keeton/Nicola Austwicke's Ghost Tour of the Hartlepool Gun Battlement

Hartlepool, Heugh Gun Battery Battlement on the - 'the Ancient Headland', Hartlepool

History

Standing between the lighthouse and the beacon on the town moor, its real name is the Heugh (pronounced Yuff) Battery. A bleak place now standing as it was left after the war, it is now under the control and restoration of the Heugh Gun Battery Trust Ltd.

At the moment being used by the Living History Society to educate visitors and young of the sites Historic importance. It attracts 1,750 visitors on open days throughout the year and is under development to become a museum & visitors centre.

Above is the Plaque for the 'First' Killed soldier 1914 on UK soil

In 1740 there existed an earlier fortification known as the 'Southys Point Battery'. The construction of the Heugh Battery, and lighthouse beside it were completed in 1860. The Heugh Battery consists of two subterranean magazines, a small barracks, a parade ground, a garden, glacis, two gun emplacements and a number of Ghostly visitors.

Entrance to Gun Battery

The Heugh Battery is the only surviving gun battery to engage enemy ships during World War 1. Most of the original buildings have been demolished. Only the main features stand which include the two gun placements from both World Wars. Underground access is restricted by two metal doors (of which one is the original WW1). Upon entering you are met by two tunnelled areas right and left. Each built for World War 1 (original on the right) with the left tunnel modified for World war 2. Attached to these tunnels through a small abridgement are two more tunneled area in the rear.

Storage Room and main entrance to the Under Ground Bunker

Upon entering these tunnels you will be met by the eerie darkness, only a few candles will be allowed. Beware though these tunnels were not allowed to have electricity or frictioned items - due to the high explosives once stored here. The only light provided was by candle light in cutout wall vents and then behind glass, alls well if they stay light !

1914 Left side of the bunker and 1945 Right Mechanical side

The eerie quietness broken only by the poltergeist activity within the tunnels . . remember your in them, so if you feel, hear or see it theres little chance to escape quickly!

Rear back storage rooms Left and Right sides

Remember too that the FIRST killing of the war by enemy fire was here, many lost lives around the battlements as the enemy bombarded the Heugh Battery. The FIRST shell hit and Killed Theo Jones, the second in Exactly the same spot killed two who went to rescue Theo. After this the town suffered losses of 128 of which 86 were children, 9 soldiers and 400 were injured. The bombardment started at 8.10 am on the 16th December 1914 and ended 40 minutes later to deathly silence. Thus Hartlepool also had a double blow with the FIRST civilian killed on british soil who on hearing the first explosion, was running for cover.

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