Hartlepool's Heugh Gun Battery opens new exhibition space

The Heugh Battery Museum, in Moor Terrace, Hartlepool, has opened its exhibition space to the public as it begins a series of improvements this year.

The gun display and handling collection has been moved into a larger space and a new display of trench art has been added.

Badges from the armed forces and the Bombardment of the Hartlepools also feature in the new display as well as some First World War insignia.

Museum manager Diane Stephens said: “We are so excited to have this new space for visitors.

"The volunteers worked so hard to get it completed ready for opening.

"We could not have done it without the support of Wates and the subcontractors they sent us to build and paint the new wall.

"We have also been able to use the beautiful table case we got from Hawkshead Grammar School Museum and the wall mounted cases from Gawthorpe Hall, in Burnley.

"The cases were being disposed of via the museum recycling service and we were delighted to get them and make such good use of them.”

The museum is also now displaying family collections, including memorabilia from the Douthwaite family, whose sons, across three generations, all served in the armed forces.

Simon Law, project director at Wates Construction, said: “Wates were delighted to support the Heugh Gun Battery Trust with the construction of a new store room within their team office.

"This is the first of a number of mini projects that Wates and their supply chain will be supporting the Heugh Gun Battery with, aligning with our company purpose of re-imagining places for people to thrive.

"Diane and her team certainly fit within that ethos and we are excited to help support them over the coming months alongside the critical maintenance works that they are going to be undertaking.”

From February to September 2025, the Heugh Battery will be undergoing major conservation work thanks to a generous donation of £497,534 by Arts Council England.

The battery, which defended the town during Bombardment of the Hartlepools in December 1914, will use the cash to carry out essential repairs to buildings and tackle flooding that threatens to restrict visitor access.