The Heugh At Hartlepool Headland

My plan for today was to go on a bird walk around the Hartepool coast, but I got a bit distracted by the Heugh. To be honest, I get distracted most of the time! I really shouldn't book these bird walks as I'm short-sighted and don't really know my birds, however I did spot a Rock Pipit!

Hartlepool's Headland is surrounded by the North Sea on 3 sides and this peninsula sits on the Magnesian Limestone that is special to the northeast.

Along the coast of the headland is the Heugh which is pronounced 'Uff' apparently. Heugh means crag or rocky cliff which this area has along with history, and impressive sights.

Right on top of this is the Heugh Battery Museum, but we're saving this one for another post.

If you take an amble along the promenade, you may be enticed to walk the length of Heugh Breakwater which does what it says, although it has taken a battering and suffered damage. It was built in 1853 with precast concrete blocks that were hoisted into place with a crane.

The Heugh also houses the War Memorial Garden at Redheugh Gardens. The centerpiece is the masculine Triumphant Youth. If it was based on the Greek Goddess Nike the wings represent speed and agility. Nike was known for success in war, athletics, arts, and music. It looks like there is a himation (Greek robe) which is draped around the lower body, and an alighting pose with the arms outstretched in triumph.

Made from bronze and unveiled on the 17th of December 1921 its dedication was also extended to the Second World War. On the walls, there are plaques and laurel garlands depicting victory.

The Heugh Lighthouse makes a pleasing sight and although it is not open to the public you can walk around the outside.

The Heugh Lighthouse is situated in a similar position to the original lighthouse, but not in the line of fire from the Battery. The original lighthouse was demolished in 1915 as to give the guns better sightings. Instead, there was a temporary lighthouse installed on Town Moor.

Lighthouses after the First World War were made for easy dismantling in the event of another war, so the enemy did not have something to aim at or use as a landmark.

This lighthouse was built in sections of cast iron in 1826. The light flashes twice every 10 seconds and has the company of a nautophone fog signal (fog horn) that blasts for 3 seconds every 45 seconds.

It has been depicted on the wall of the Pot House Pub which was spray painted by the mural Artist Lewis Hobson AKA Durham Spray Paints who has works all over the Headland, including the Murals at Hartlepool Headland.

The cannon was captured from the Russians at Sebastopol/Sevastopol during the Crimean War of 1854 to 1856. This was a great military victory as Sebastopol was a strategic naval port and the capital of Crimea.

In 1857 it was offered to the Hartlepool Borough Council who gratefully accepted it. It was transported here by the steamship Margaret.

This type of cannon is known as a muzzleloader and still has its Cascabel which is the bit at the back of the cannon. It would have ropes attached to deal with the recoil.

The photo courtesy of Wikipedia shows how the cannon would have been loaded

1. Priming charge; 2. Main propellent charge; 3. Wadding; 4. Projectile; 5. Wadding

Lastly, on what looks like an old slip way there is a plaque that has a poignant inscription.