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Heritage Open Days 2025 at Ballast Hills

Heritage Open Days gave us three different ways to explore Ballast Hills this year, each offering a fresh perspective on the site and its history.

Exploring History at 51 Lime Street

Our first event took place at 51 Lime Street, where visitors immersed themselves in the stories of the burial ground. Activity sheets encouraged people to look closely at details, while Gary offered a hands-on lesson in family history research. A slideshow traced the site’s long and complex past, linking it to the ongoing work of the project. Visitors also had the chance to see a selection of objects uncovered during recent pathway work. These finds most likely came from a historic rubbish dump upslope rather than being directly connected to the burials themselves, but they nevertheless shed light on the changing use of the surrounding landscape.

Events on Site at Ballast Hills

Despite persistent rain, two further events were held outdoors on site. Visitors braved the weather to explore the burial ground using our new Explorer’s Guide, which highlights gravestone inscriptions, pathway segments, and the wider landscape of the ground. Then, as the skies cleared, the atmosphere shifted. Poetry and music performed by Marina, Maurice, and Harry filled the space, weaving words and sounds into the very fabric of Ballast Hills. Experiencing these performances within the site itself created a strong and tangible connection with the past. Numbers were smaller than hoped, but those who attended were deeply engaged, with many discovering Ballast Hills for the first time.

Activities that Spark Reflection

Many visitors particularly enjoyed puzzling over family trees and taking home “design your own gravestone” sheets. These simple activities encouraged people to reflect on ancestry, memory, and how lives are commemorated. They sparked thoughtful conversations, showing how creative approaches can open up discussion about history, heritage, and identity.

Thank You

Events like these depend on the generosity and creativity of many people. We extend heartfelt thanks to Gary, Lynn, Jen, and Steve for volunteering their time and expertise, and to Marina, Maurice, and Harry for their moving performances. Thanks also to John, who kindly documented the events in photographs, which we look forward to sharing soon.

Looking Ahead

Heritage Open Days are about more than single moments. They open doors to hidden stories, connect people with overlooked places, and put sites like Ballast Hills onto a wider map of heritage and memory. This year’s programme showed just how powerful those connections can be. We look forward to welcoming even more people next year for another round of discovery and reflection.

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BHBG Leads Tyne and Wear Feature in Who Do You Think You Are?

We are delighted that Ballast Hills Burial Ground is the lead project in the Around Britain section of Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine (September 2025, on sale now). The feature highlights our work with volunteers, descendants, and researchers to uncover the hidden histories of this remarkable unconsecrated burial place in Newcastle.

The Tyne and Wear section is packed with fascinating resources for anyone interested in family and local history, including:

  • Digitised parish registers and nonconformist records,
  • Shipbuilding and coal mining archives that shaped the region’s industrial identity,
  • The Unlocking North East Jewish Heritage project,
  • Thousands of digitised local newspapers,
  • A directory of archives, libraries, and museums across Tyne and Wear and County Durham.

Whether your interest is in ancestors who worked in shipyards, relatives who were miners, or family members buried in parish or nonconformist grounds, this issue provides a wealth of leads and stories.

Pick up a copy to see Ballast Hills featured and explore the many other ways to connect with Tyne and Wear’s heritage.

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Heritage Open Days 2025

This September, we’re hosting three special events as part of Heritage Open Days, England’s largest festival of history and culture, running 12–21 September 2025. These free events are your chance to explore BHBG, hear its stories, and experience its history through words, music, and hands-on activities.

Saturday 13 September 2025

Paths Through the Past: Discovering Ballast Hills Burial Ground

13:00-15:30 | 51 Lime Street (NE1 2PQ)

Perfect for individuals and families, this drop-in session offers a hands-on introduction to the history of Ballast Hills and the research uncovering its stories. Try tracing your own family tree, design a gravestone, or learn about the lives behind the memorials. Whether you’re just curious or already connected to the site, there’s something here for everyone.

Onsite Exploration of Ballast Hills Burial Ground

16:00-17:00 | Ballast Hills Burial Ground (NE6 1LL)

Discover BHBG in three engaging ways: follow an explorer’s guide at your own pace to uncover hidden features and solve site challenges; chat with onsite guides for lively stories and recent research finds; and take part in hands-on activities that bring this historic burial ground to life.

Ballast Hills Burial Ground Poetry and Music Performance: Beneath This Ground

17:30-18:30 | Ballast Hills Burial Ground (NE6 1LL)

Beneath This Ground is a powerful, site-specific performance of original poetry and fiddle music created by Marina Dodgson, Maurice Condie, and Harry Gallagher. Inspired by the lives of those buried here, the work blends words and music to bring their stories to life. Performed outdoors at the burial ground, the performance allows the space itself to become part of the storytelling, offering a rare chance to connect emotionally and creatively with this historic site.

Whether you join us for one event or all three, you’ll come away with a richer understanding of this remarkable place and its enduring significance.

See the full Heritage Open Days 2025 programme (12–21 September): HODs Event Calendar

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Eleanor Strachan and Strachan Family Story

Eleanor Strachan, aged 14, was buried at Ballast Hills on 14 March 1853, the last year it was open for interments. She died at Windmill Hills, an area of Gateshead which was home to other notable non-conformist families at the time. Two of Eleanor’s siblings, Elizabeth and William, who died within days of each other in October 1853, aged 16 and 17 respectively, were buried in Westgate Hill Cemetery. Eleanor was one of ten siblings, eight of whom predeceased their parents, John and Marion (Mary Bell) Strachan, who died within weeks of each other in 1881 and 1882. On the parents’ headstone, also in Westgate Hill Cemetery, it states, ‘Six of their children sleep elsewhere.’ It is likely that some or all of these children were buried at Ballast Hills.

Eleanor’s father, John (1806–1882), was a ship broker, living at Woodville House, Broomhaugh, Riding Mill, Northumberland, at the time of his death. The family had previously lived in Cumberland Row, now demolished, in the area of Westgate Hill around Summerhill Square.

The Strachan family originated from Culross in Perthshire. Henry Strachan (1732–1815), Eleanor’s great-grandfather, moved to Newcastle as a young man and was a keelman, living alongside other Tyneside keelmen in Sandgate, an overcrowded area outside the city walls. At the time of his death, he was ‘Assistant Clerk to the Society of Keelmen.’ He was buried at Ballast Hills on 18 February 1815. This entry, number 269, on the 1929 BHBG gravestone inscription list reads, ‘The burial place of Henry Strachan, keelman and family where lie his two wives, children and children’s children too numerous to mention.’ The family were members of the non-conformist United Secession Church, a Scottish Presbyterian denomination. Henry Strachan already held the position of elder when the Clavering Place Chapel was formed in 1802, formerly the Postern Chapel. All his children had been baptised at The Close Chapel in Newcastle.

Several of Eleanor’s uncles and great-uncles were keelmen and river pilots. One was a ship’s master (captain) and another a ship’s accountant. Henry Strachan (1773–1841), her great-uncle, was a Tyne River pilot and on 7 October 1826, together with one of his sons, he risked his own life to save the lives of a tide surveyor and four boatmen whose customs boat had capsized, upset by the heavy surf caused by the Hero steam packet. He was awarded a silver medal by the RNLI for his bravery. The daughter of one of the boatmen gave him a gold ring ‘in grateful thanks.’

Barbara Phillips-Kerr

August 2025

With thanks to Vivien Millet, a descendant of Henry Strachan (1773–1841), for all her research, which can be found on the Ancestry website.

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Launch of the North East Funerary Heritage Group

On 23 July 2025, the North East Funerary Heritage Group (NEFHG) was officially launched at Newcastle Cathedral. This regional initiative brings together individuals and organisations with a shared interest in funerary heritage, ranging from urban cemeteries to rural churchyards, to collectively explore the cultural, historical, and social value of burial spaces across the North East.

The event featured panel talks, focused group discussions, and a series of hands-on workshops designed to help shape the group’s future direction. These sessions created space for participants to reflect on shared experiences and identify common challenges. From preservation concerns and interpretation strategies to community engagement and ethical decision-making, the diversity of voices highlighted just how much can be gained through regional collaboration.

The BHBG project played a key role in helping establish the group and sponsored the launch event. Many of the participants present have been involved in projects facing similar opportunities and pressures, making BHBG’s contribution especially relevant. The project’s emphasis on inclusive, co-produced heritage, its navigation of archival and ethical complexities, and its growing community of volunteers offered a useful model as the group begins to take shape.

The launch brought together key players in the region, from local historians and heritage professionals to volunteers, artists, and civic groups to co-create and define what this network will become. The momentum generated was exciting, with a strong sense that the time is right to share knowledge, build capacity, and speak with a collective voice.

Membership in NEFHG is free and open to all. If you’re interested in joining, simply visit the group’s website or just sign up to become a member. It’s quick, easy, and a great way to stay informed and involved.

Together, we can ensure that the stories embedded in our region’s burial landscapes are recognised, respected, and remembered, and that they inform how we engage with heritage, community, and place today.

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Bridging Seas and Centuries: The Beiyang Sailors’ Legacy Symposium

Project Lead Dr Myra Giesen delivered a talk titled “Ballast Hills Burial Ground: Ethical Engagement and Inclusive Commemoration in a Historic Urban Landscape” at Bridging Seas and Centuries: The Beiyang Sailors’ Legacy Symposium, held on 21 July 2025.

The symposium brought together international scholars, heritage practitioners, and community leaders to explore the lives, deaths, and remembrance of the Beiyang sailors. These Chinese sailors came to Newcastle in the 1880s as part of a delegation to receive cruisers that had been designed and built for the Qing Dynasty’s Beiyang Fleet.

Myra’s presentation highlighted BHBG as an important record of Newcastle’s social history. She emphasised the potential of the BHBG project to unearth Newcastle’s maritime past through the stories of those buried there, many of whom were connected to seafaring, shipbuilding, trade, and global movement. By examining BHBG as a layered historical landscape, the project helps reframe Newcastle not only as an industrial centre but as a dynamic seaport city shaped by migration, dissent, and working-class experience.

The talk drew thoughtful parallels between local and global memorial practices, showing how a small, often-overlooked burial ground can illuminate broader histories of labour, mobility, and identity. It also offered reflections on ethical engagement, collaborative stewardship, and the value of community-led approaches to heritage interpretation. Contributing to this international symposium raised the profile of the BHBG project and underscored its relevance to global conversations about memory, place, and inclusion.

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Why the Calendar Changed in 1752 and Why It Matters

In 1752, Great Britain and its colonies adopted the Gregorian calendar, replacing the Julian calendar. The start of the new year shifted from 25 March to 1 January, and 11 days were dropped from the calendar to align with the rest of Western Europe. The omitted days were 3 to 13 September.

While the calendar year was adjusted, the financial year remained tied to the old “Lady Day” (25 March), which became 5 April in the new calendar to account for the dropped days, and later shifted to 6 April to correct for inaccuracies in the Julian system.

Dates between 1 January and 24 March were often recorded with double years (e.g., 1750/51) to indicate both Julian and Gregorian equivalents.

People famously went to bed Wednesday, 2 September, and awoke the following morning on Thursday, 14 September.

Understanding these changes is important when interpreting burial records, gravestone inscriptions, or archival materials at Ballast Hills Burial Ground. Many entries, particularly from the 18th century, reflect old-style dating or use double dates, which can affect how family history timelines are reconstructed and understood.

Credit for this content goes to Gary Taylorson.

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Out in the Field at Ballast Hills

We’ve been hard at work at Ballast Hills Burial Ground, recording gravestones with the help of some truly fantastic volunteers. Despite the overgrowth, unpredictable weather, and the challenges that come with deciphering centuries-old inscriptions, our team has been making great progress and having a few laughs along the way!

We’ve now recorded nearly 175 of the 275 gravestone segments. That means we’re down to the final 100!

It was also great to speak to so many people coming from or heading to the Ouseburn Festival over the weekend. Your interest and encouragement help keep the momentum going.

If you’d like to get involved, we still have sessions available. Whether you’re interested in helping with the recording or prefer to support us by clearing overgrowth so inscriptions can be read and scanned, your contribution would be hugely appreciated.

Remaining July Fieldwork Days & Time

  • Wednesday, 9 – 14:00 to 18:00
  • Saturday, 12 – 10:00 to 16:00
  • Tuesday, 15 – 13:00 to 19:00
  • Thursday, 17 – 10:00 to 16:00

Book a recording/cleaning slot: here or register your interest in get involed in other ways: here.

Here are a few images from recent field sessions, stay tuned for more stories.

P.S. The newsletter might be running a bit late this month due to all the fieldwork—but hold tight, it will be out before the end of the month!

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New Gravestone Recording Sessions – June & July 2025

We’re pleased to announce a new set of gravestone recording sessions at Ballast Hills Burial Ground, running through to mid-July 2025. These volunteer-led sessions are helping to document the site’s fragile and often overlooked memorials before they are lost to time.

This work is supported by the Ouseburn Trust and Newcastle University as part of a broader effort to preserve and better understand the site’s heritage.

No Experience Needed

Everyone is welcome. Whether you have a background in history, heritage, or are simply curious, you can take part. Training and equipment are provided on site.

Please Book Ahead

Please use the link below to secure your place:

👉 Book your session here

Although we are likely able to accommodate some drop-in volunteers, booking helps us plan effectively and ensures you’ll have the support and resources you need to take part.

Upcoming Sessions:

June

Wednesday 25 – 10:00 to 14:00

Friday 27 – 9:00 to 16:00

Saturday 28 – 14:00 to 18:00

July

Thursday 3 – 16:00 to 20:00

Saturday 5 – 10:00 to 17:00

Sunday 6 – 10:00 to 13:00

Monday 7 – 10:00 to 16:00

Wednesday 9 – 14:00 to 18:00

Saturday 12 – 10:00 to 16:00

Tuesday 15 – 13:00 to 19:00

Thursday 17 – 10:00 to 16:00

Additional dates may be added as the project progresses. We look forward to welcoming you to one of the sessions and working together to preserve this important part of Newcastle’s history.

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June Drop-in at Ballast Hills Burial Ground: 12 June!

As part of National Cemeteries Week, we’re pleased to invite you to a special drop-in session at Ballast Hills Burial Ground on Thursday, 12 June, from 11:00 to 13:00.

📍 Location: Ballast Hills Burial Ground, Newcastle upon Tyne

This is a relaxed, informal opportunity to explore the site, chat with Dr Myra Giesen, the BHBG project lead, and learn more about ongoing efforts to rediscover and share the stories of those connected to this historic space.

As part of the session, we will also be continuing our gravestone recording work, a key activity designed to document and preserve the site’s memorials. This work supports the long-term protection of inscriptions and contributes to the wider historical record. You’re welcome to observe, ask questions, or have a go at recording if you’re interested.

Whether you’re a regular visitor, a first-time passer-by, or simply curious about the site’s rich social history, you’re very welcome. We’ll have information on hand about current research, opportunities to get involved, and ways to share your own family or local history knowledge.

Ballast Hills Burial Ground is part of a growing network of Cemetery Friends across the UK working to ensure these meaningful places are appreciated, cared for, and better understood. You can read more about the national campaign at cemeteryfriends.com/ncw.

Pop by, say hello, and help us celebrate a place that continues to shape our shared heritage.