Colin Crosby Heritage Tours

Hartlepool

Hartlepool is a town in Cleveland, formerly in County Durham, 8 miles from Middlesbrough.

It includes the old town of Hartlepool, while today`s town centre is what used to be known as West Hartlepool.

The old town, now known locally as The Headland, was the scene of the assembly of a Crusader fleet, before being given a charter by King John in 1201. It still has the remains of its town walls, extending for 600 yards, including the Sandwell Gate.

St. Hilda`s Church, on the site of a 7th century religious house where St. Hilda was the abbess before she founded that at Whitby, includes a 13th century nave and chancel arch.

Hartlepool was developed as a port, largely for the export of coal, in the 18th century.

The redeveloped Historic Hartlepool Quay is now a popular tourist attraction.

During the Napoleonic wars, a French ship was wrecked offshore. Its only survivor, a monkey, was hanged by the townspeople, believing it to be a Frenchman.

In 1914, German warships attacked Hartlepool, killing 128 people and wounding 400.

The football team, Hartlepool United, was until recently known as Hartlepools United, reflecting the fact that represented two separate towns.

Among those born in Hartlepool are Compton MacKenzie, author; and Reg Smythe, cartoonist who created Andy Capp.

Ridley Scott, film director, grew up here, and Peter Mandelson was the local M. P.