Tag: Beneath This Ground

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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.

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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.