Heugh Battery Museum
Restored coastal gun battery in Hartlepool that was shelled by German warships in December 1914, with military collections, magazines and a tea room.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Heugh headland above Hartlepool has been a military position since the seventeenth century. The present gun battery was built in the Victorian period as part of the coastal defences of the Hartlepools and stayed in service through both world wars. Coastal artillery units were disbanded in 1956, after which the site fell out of use.
The battery is best known for the Bombardment of the Hartlepools on Wednesday 16 December 1914, when German warships shelled the town. The Heugh Battery and the neighbouring Lighthouse Battery returned fire, and the museum describes the site as the only place in Britain where ship-to-shore combat took place on land during the First World War. The attack killed many civilians as well as soldiers, and the museum remembers both groups.
Volunteers restored the site in the early 2000s. Visitors can see the original barrack room, which now serves as the visitor centre, the underground magazines, coastal artillery pieces and an observation tower, together with a large collection of military objects from many periods. Volunteers are on hand to explain the displays. A collections audit funded by the Pilgrim Trust, with support from the Association of Independent Museums and the Institute of Conservation, has produced a plan for the future care, storage and display of the collection. The Poppy Tea Rooms on site serve light meals and home-baked cakes.
Highlights
- Only First World War battlefield in Britain, shelled on 16 December 1914
- Original barrack room, underground magazines and observation tower
- Coastal artillery pieces and military collections from many periods
- Volunteer guides on hand to explain the displays
- Poppy Tea Rooms on site
Permanent exhibition
- Heugh Battery collections and battlefield site – Artillery pieces, military artefacts and the preserved battery site that tell the story of the 1914 bombardment of the Hartlepools.
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Groups (10+ people) | –Group visits of more than 10 people must be booked in advance and cost 100 pounds for up to 20 people, plus 5 pounds for each extra guest. |
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Entry is on a pay-what-you-decide basis, paid at reception by cash or card. Some events may carry a charge.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum worked with AccessAble, whose surveyors visited the site; a detailed access guide is on the AccessAble website and the museum website has an access video. Dogs on leads are welcome. Tourism listings mention accessible toilets.
Kids & families
Dogs are welcome on a lead and school visits are offered; the website gives no further family information.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Headland Town Square
The nearest railway station is Hartlepool. Stagecoach bus 7 stops near the museum in Headland Town Square.
By car
Parking available
Regional tourism listings mention public parking near the museum on Moor Terrace.
The museum is on Moor Terrace on the Headland.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
The Poppy Tea Rooms keep the same opening days and hours as the museum. Dogs are welcome on a lead.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
A regional tourism listing mentions a function room for up to 30 people and event hire; details should be confirmed with the museum.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
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| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Group visits include guided tours and can have exclusive access on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays between 10:00 and 14:00. School visits are offered. Visits outside normal hours may be possible by appointment. |
