May 2026 – Ballast Hills Burial Ground

27 May 202627 May 2026

Celebrating Curiosity at Ballast Hills

The Ballast Hills Burial Ground project will mark the close of the current AHRC Curiosity Award funding period with a Celebrating Curiosity gathering on Monday, 15 June 2026. Although this particular funding period is coming to an end, work at Ballast Hills will continue through further research, volunteering, public engagement, and partnership activity.

The evening is open to everyone with an interest in Ballast Hills, local history, heritage, poetry, music, community research, or the wider stories connected with the burial ground. Whether you have volunteered, attended previous events, followed the project online, recently heard about the site, or are simply curious to learn more, you are warmly invited to join us.

The programme will include music and poetry from Maurice Condie, Marina Dodgson, and Harry Gallagher, who will share selections from Beneath This Ground. Myra Giesen, Project Lead, will provide an overview of the project and its achievements, alongside special acknowledgements and time to chat, reconnect, and meet others interested in the project.

The celebration will also include the launch of Ballast Hills Brown Ale, honouring brewing histories connected with the site.

Date: Monday, 15 June 2026
Time: 17:30 to 20:30
Arrival from: 17:00
Location: Brinkburn St Brewery, Ouseburn, NE6 1NW

This is a free event, but booking is essential. Book your free ticket here: Celebration of Curiosity

Light snacks, cake and fruit will be provided, while drinks will be available to purchase from the bar. Guests are encouraged to arrive early, with the option to visit Ballast Hills Burial Ground (it is diagonally across the street) before the main event and spend time at the site.

Please feel free to invite a friend, forward the invitation, or share the registration link with anyone who may be interested.

All are welcome.

5 May 202622 July 2026

New Funding to Redevelop the Ballast Hills Explorer’s Guide

The Ballast Hills Burial Ground project has received a new award from the Newcastle University Catherine Cookson Foundation to redevelop the Ballast Hills Explorer’s Guide.

The award creates a new strand of activity following the AHRC Curiosity Award and supports the continued development of learning and engagement resources for the burial ground.

The current Explorer’s Guide encourages visitors to investigate Ballast Hills through observation, questions, clues, and activities. The redevelopment will draw on experience gained from using the guide with Scouts, families, community groups, and other visitors, alongside new research and site recording completed through the wider project.

The work will review what should remain, what needs to change, and what may be missing. It will consider the guide’s content, activities, layout, clarity, accessibility, and suitability for different ages, with the aim of producing a more engaging and useful resource for exploring the burial ground.

We expect to have a beta version ready for visitors to try during Heritage Open Days on 19 September 2026. Feedback gathered on the day will help us to identify any final changes before the guide is completed.

People do not need to wait until September to contribute. Anyone who has used the current guide can share their experience now, including what worked well, what was unclear, and what they think should be retained or changed. People can also join a focus group or download the current Explorer’s Guide, try it, and send us their feedback.

We would particularly welcome comments on whether the guide:

helps you to understand the burial ground;
makes the site interesting and easy to explore;
works for different age groups;
includes suitable activities and information;
raises any access or usability issues.

Feedback will help us to redevelop the guide as a clearer, more engaging, and more useful resource for future visitors.

Anyone who would like to provide feedback, join a focus group, or ask a question can contact Myra at ballast.hills@newcastle.ac.uk.