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.