Category: Engagement

Posted on

Exploring the Past, Present, and Future of Ballast Hills: A Lifelong Learning Taster Session

This past Monday, the BHBG project was pleased to contribute to Explore Lifelong Learning in Newcastle with a 90-minute taster session titled Ballast Hills Burial Ground: Past, Present, and Future. Delivered by Mike Greatbatch and Myra Giesen, the session welcomed 33 attendees and prompted a lively exchange of ideas and questions about the site’s history, ongoing research, and future possibilities.

Several participants expressed interest in volunteering, highlighting the growing local interest in BHBG’s unique story and its role in the wider heritage landscape. We are especially grateful to Explore for providing a platform to share the project and connect with new audiences.

In other exciting news, we recently submitted a funding application to continue our research into Ballast Hills, where Explore is named as one of our partner organisations in the bid. Fingers crossed for a positive outcome; we would love to build on this momentum.

If you or your organisation would like to discuss opportunities to get involved or partner with the BHBG project, please contact Dr Myra Giesen. We are very interested to hear from anyone interested in collaborating.

To explore the full range of thought-provoking and accessible courses available through Explore, visit www.weareexplore.org.uk.

Posted on

Discover and Engage with Ballast Hills Burial Ground on Social Media

Are you passionate about local history, genealogy, or heritage preservation? Do you have family connections to Ballast Hills Burial Ground (BHBG) or a curiosity about its past? If so, we invite you to connect with our project on Facebook and Instagram!

Join Our Facebook Community

The Ballast Hills Burial Ground Facebook Group (Join Here) is a private group designed for descendants, local residents, and history enthusiasts. It is a space where members can share stories, photos, and knowledge about this significant site. Whether you’re researching family history, exploring burial inscriptions, or interested in Newcastle’s heritage, we welcome you to be part of the conversation.

We are actively sharing gravestone inscriptions from the 1904 publication Inscriptions in Ballast Hills Burial Ground, Newcastle upon Tyne by Chadwick J & Dodds E. These posts highlight individual memorials, and we encourage members to engage—whether by sharing historical insights, discussing family connections, or reflecting on the stories these stones reveal.

Follow us on Instagram

Our Instagram account (@ballasthillsburialground) offers a visual journey through BHBG’s history. We share photographs, updates from the project, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into our research and discoveries. Through posts and stories, we highlight the site’s historical significance and ongoing efforts to document and preserve it.

Exciting News!

We are particularly excited to announce that we have a new social media and communications intern joining the team! Expect even more opportunities to hear about the project through fresh content and engagement across our platforms. Additionally, we are working towards releasing our first newsletter by the end of the month, which will provide updates on our latest findings, upcoming events, and ways to get involved. If you would like to receive the newsletter, please email us at ballast.hills@newcastle.ac.uk to be added to the distribution list. Please reach out to us if you have specific content you would like to share or suggest for the newsletter!

Posted on

Share Your Views: Consultation Event on Ford Street Development

Igloo is hosting a consultation event on Wednesday, 22 January, to gather community input on plans for developing the site between Maling Street and Ford Street in the Lower Ouseburn Valley. Known locally as the “Candleflame” site, the location lies downslope of Ballast Hills Burial Ground (BHBG), adding a layer of historical significance to the proposed development.

The drop-in session will take place at 51 Lime Street from 12:00 to 20:00 and is open to all—residents, business owners, and anyone with an interest in Ouseburn’s future. No booking is required, so you can stop by at a time that works for you.

It’s unclear whether the burial ground extended as far as the Candleflame site, but burials are known to extend toward Ford Street. During the 1978/79 realignment of Ford Street, graves were disturbed, and human remains were removed and relocated elsewhere (Newcastle Journal, 24 November 1978, p. 10; 1 December 1978, p. 7).

The geophysical surveys conducted at BHBG in late 2024 may help identify the most effective tools for detecting burials by revealing patterns within the known site. These patterns could then be used as a reference to predict the burial ground’s boundaries when applied to areas extending beyond the currently understood site. We are still in the process of analysing the results.

This consultation session is a vital opportunity to share your perspective and help shape the plans for the future of the Lower Ouseburn Valley. Your participation is essential, as this development has the potential to significantly impact the area’s character and sense of place.

For those unable to attend, checkout the consultation website, which will be open until 17:00 on Monday, 29 January 2025.

Event Details:
📍 Location: 51 Lime Street
🗓 Date: Wednesday, 22 January 2025
⏰ Time: 12:00 – 20:00
No booking required – drop in at any time!

Whether you attend in person or contribute online, your input will help ensure that decisions about this development reflect the diverse views of the community, including the descendants of those buried at BHBG. Don’t miss this chance to have your say.

Posted on

Help Shape the Future of Ballast Hills Burial Ground

Do you have a connection to Ballast Hills Burial Ground (BHBG) or an interest in its rich history within the Byker and Ouseburn area or are your ancestor's buried there?

Whether you’re linked to BHBG’s past, concerned for its future, or simply fascinated by its story, we’d love to hear from you. The BHBG Project, led by Newcastle University, is gathering input from those who care about this historic site and invite you to help shape its future.

If you’re interested, please take a moment to complete a short two-question survey here. Your input is vital in helping us connect with others who share an interest in BHBG, and the more voices we hear, the better!

Your feedback will play a key role in guiding our next steps, and we encourage you to share your ideas or get involved. This public engagement and research scoping project is funded by the AHRC’s Curiosity Award (July 2024–December 2025), supporting our work to connect with communities and explore new ways of understanding and preserving the site.

Let’s work together to make it happen!