Hartlepool

Hartlepool is a post-industrial town on the coast of County Durham in northeast England, with a population of 92,600 in 2024. From 1974 to 1996 it was assigned to a new county, Cleveland, but this was then abolished and Hartlepool returned to County Durham.

Understand

 * ''In former times, 'mid war an' strife, When French invashin threaten'd life, An' all was arm'd to the knife,
 * ''The Fishermen hung the Monkey, O!

The first documented settlement was in 649 AD on the area now known as Headland, around the monastery of Heretu Abbey - St Hilda's Church now stands on its site. It was at the edge of a primeval forest now lost to coastal erosion, and deer came to drink from the freshwater stream, thus Heretu or "Hart-le-pool". It was a small fishing harbour, occasionally smashed up in the wars between England and Scotland or Cavaliers versus Roundheads, and didn't grow much because of competition from other ports. From the early 18th century Hartlepool exported coal from the South Durham coal fields. There's a legend that during the Napoleonic Wars a French fishing vessel was wrecked hereabouts with the only survivor the ship's mascot, a monkey; as it didn't speak English (or being French, sullenly refused to) the townsfolk hanged it as a spy. This legend got started in a Victorian music hall ballad by Ned Corvan, adapted from similar legends and ballads from Scotland and Cornwall; the point was to ridicule the ignorant country yokels.

The small harbour held back development so in 1835 a rival harbour and settlement was built across the bay, and linked by rail to the coalfields. This was called West Hartlepool and it soon outgrew the original through ship-building, and steel-making to plate those ships. The two settlements fused but were referred to as "the Hartlepools" and it was only in 1967 that the town councils combined. This industry made it a target for one of the few German attacks on mainland Britain during World War I: on 16 Nov 1914 it was bombarded by the German navy with the loss of 117 lives. It was again bombed in World War II. Post-war Hartlepool declined as traditional industries lost out to foreign competition: the last ship was launched in 1961 and the steelworks closed in 1977. There was high unemployment until redevelopment in the 1990s, with a growing service sector, and much of the harbour was converted to a leisure marina.

Famous people associated with Hartlepool include Brian Clough (1935-2004) who started his career as a football manager here, John Darwin (b 1950) who faked his own death canoeing here to claim the insurance money, Reg Smythe (1917-1998) who created the cartoon strip Andy Capp, and Peter Mandelson (b 1953) who was the town's Member of Parliament for eight years.

By plane
Newcastle Airport has good connections across Europe. It's only an hour away by metro and train, changing in central Newcastle.

From beyond Europe, fly into Manchester or the London airports.

Teesside Airport near Darlington only has two or three flights per day, from Amsterdam and Aberdeen.

By train
Five trains run daily from London Kings Cross, taking 3 hours via Peterborough, York, Thirsk and Northallerton, and continuing to Sunderland, another 15 min. (They are operated by Grand Central, whose tickets are not valid on other services.) There are other frequent services (e.g., by LNER) but taking around 4 hours, with changes at York and Thornaby, or back-tracking from Newcastle.

Trains from Nunthorpe and Middlesbrough run hourly and take 30 min via Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, Billingham and Seaton Carew. They continue north to Sunderland, Newcastle, Metro Centre, Prudhoe, Corbridge and Hexham.

is central in town. The ticket office is open M-Sa mornings (card payment only) and there are machines. There are toilets, but the waiting room is closed ufn. There is step-free access to all platforms.

Seaton Carew station is just a platform halt with ticket machines but no other facilities. There is step-free access to both platforms.

By bus
Long distance coaches don't come this way. From London Victoria take the National Express or Megabus heading for Newcastle, and change in Middlesbrough.

Arriva Bus 1 from Middlesbrough runs every 15 min and takes 45 min to Hartlepool town centre. There isn't a bus station, buses stop along York Rd (B1277) and Victoria Rd then head out to University Hospital, Throston Grange and High Tunstall.

Bus 23 runs hourly from Sunderland, taking 90 min via Easington, Peterlee, Blackhall Colliery and Hart Station.

Bus 24 runs every 30 min from Durham, taking 90 min via Shotton, Peterlee and Blackhall Colliery.

By road
From the south follow A1 to Dishforth junction then A168 onto A19, a fast dual carriageway. From the north use A19 Tyne Tunnel to bypass Newcastle and stay on it south. Hartlepool is on a coastal loop road east of A19, badged as A179 north side and A689 south side.

Get around
Bus 1 from Middlesbrough runs through Seaton Carew, town centre and the north suburbs.

Taxi operators are Hartlepool Taxis (+44 1429 600600), 23 Taxis (+44 1429 232323) and Cameron's (+44 1429 222222).

See

 * Museum of Hartlepool adjacent on Jackson Dock is a rump: the best of it, the navy exhibits, are now part of the National Museum of the RN. What's left is some artwork and a few artefacts among ersatz cobbled wharves. Same hours as National Museum, but free.
 * at the wharf edge is not a lighthouse but a memorial to those lost at sea. It was built in 1839 in Longhill the south part of town, but relocated here when the marina was developed.
 * is RC, built 1893/95 in neogothic redbrick. St Paul's next door is Anglican.
 * Headland water pump is a 19th-century wrought iron contraption on High St outside St Hilda's Church. It was the village water supply but no longer draws water.
 * Town walls are best preserved on the seafront near St Hilda's. They were built in the 14th century to defend against Scottish attacks, but the Black Douglas attacked in 1315 before they were finished.
 * St Mary's Church is just north of St Hilda's. It's Roman Catholic, built in 1850 in neo-Gothic style. The spire was removed in 1946 when it became unsafe.
 * Heugh Breakwater south of the battery was built in 1853. Take care on the walkway as some parts are crumbling.
 * is 2000 ft long. It was built in the 1960s to pump sea water to the lime works, where the brine was mixed with dolomite limestone to make magnesia, used for lining steel-making furnaces. The works closed in 2005. The pier was never intended for public strolling or fishing, but people did so until a section was removed to thwart them.
 * is a small beach resort 3 miles south of Hartlepool, with a broad sandy beach, sand dunes and a golf course.
 * Seaton Common south of that village is coarse grazing and a wetland wildlife reserve, good for bird-watching. Access via North Gare Rd off Tees Rd A178. The view south across the Tees estuary is relentlessly industrial.
 * Heugh Breakwater south of the battery was built in 1853. Take care on the walkway as some parts are crumbling.
 * is 2000 ft long. It was built in the 1960s to pump sea water to the lime works, where the brine was mixed with dolomite limestone to make magnesia, used for lining steel-making furnaces. The works closed in 2005. The pier was never intended for public strolling or fishing, but people did so until a section was removed to thwart them.
 * is a small beach resort 3 miles south of Hartlepool, with a broad sandy beach, sand dunes and a golf course.
 * Seaton Common south of that village is coarse grazing and a wetland wildlife reserve, good for bird-watching. Access via North Gare Rd off Tees Rd A178. The view south across the Tees estuary is relentlessly industrial.

Do

 * Vue Cinema is just north of the railway station.
 * Town Hall Theatre is on Raby Rd 100 yards west of the railway station.
 * Beaches have plenty of sand at low tide, but lots of industrial remnants. Further south, the Tees estuary is a nature reserve, where seals may haul out.
 * Football: Hartlepool United were relegated in 2023 and now play soccer in National League, the fifth tier. Their home ground is Victoria Park (capacity 7800) quarter of a mile north of the railway station.
 * Rugby union: West Hartlepool RFC play down in the regional amateur leagues. They play at Brinkburn, west edge of town on Catcote Rd.
 * Millhouse Leisure Centre is a council-run facility on Raby Rd, a quarter mile northwest of the station. It has a gym, fitness classes and a pool.
 * Golf: Hartlepool GC is north edge of town near Hart Station.
 * High Throston GC is west edge of town on Worset Lane. Seaton Carew GC is in the sandhills by Seaton Carew village.


 * Folk Festival is next held 4-6 Oct 2024.
 * Ignite Wintertide Festival is late November. The next is probably 22-24 Nov 2024, tbc.

Buy

 * Asda is on Marina Way retail park a block north of the railway station. It's open M-F 6AM-midnight, Sa 6AM-10PM, Su 10AM-4PM. Fuel here is as cheap as you'll find anywhere but is not 24 hours.
 * Middleton Grange is a shopping centre on Stockton St 100 yards southwest of the station.

Drink

 * "I have been for two days to taste the water, and do assure you that nothing could be salter and bitterer and nastier and better for you"
 * - in 1765 the poet Thomas Gray visited the medicinal chalybeate spring


 * By the station are The Royal, The Clarendon, The Ward Jackson (below), O'Mally's and Jackson Arms.
 * Cameron's Brewery is a block south of the shopping centre. Their signature product is Strongarm red bitter ale.
 * Pitwheel Distillery makes gin in Wingate 8 miles northwest of town.
 * Pitwheel Distillery makes gin in Wingate 8 miles northwest of town.

Connect
As of Feb 2024, Hartlepool and its approach roads have 4G from EE and Vodafone, and 5G from O2 and Three.

Go next

 * Durham is a well-preserved old city with Norman castle and cathedral.
 * Gateshead Metro Centre is one of the largest shopping malls in Europe.
 * Newcastle upon Tyne has big city attractions.
 * York is a historic city with castle and museums.