Visit Hartlepool Places

Welcome to Visit Hartlepool Places
The Walkfo guide to things to do & explore in Hartlepool

  

Hartlepool Places Overview: History, Culture & Facts about Hartlepool

---

Hartlepool history

---

Early medieval

Hartlepool began as an Anglian settlement in the 7th Century A.D. sited around the Abbey . The monastery became powerful under St Hilda, who served as its abbess from 649–657 . It fell into decline with the loss of Northumbrian power in the early 8th Century, and was probably destroyed during a sea raid by Vikings in the 9th Century .

Late medieval

Hartlepool was founded by the De Brus family during the Norman Conquest . The town’s first charter was received before 1185, for which it gained its first mayor, an annual two-week fair and a weekly market . The main industry of the town at this time was fishing . In 1306, Robert the Bruce was crowned King of Scotland, and became the last Lord of Hartness .

Early modern

Hartlepool in the 18th Century became known as a town with medicinal springs, particularly the Chalybeate Spa near the Westgate . During the Crimean War two coastal batteries were constructed close together in the town to guard against the threat of seaborne attacks from the Imperial Russian Navy .

Victorian

Hartlepool was still a small town of around 900 people, with a declining port . In 1823 the council and Board of Trade decided that the town needed new industry . But the plan was faced by local competition from new docks . 25 kilometres (16 mi) to the north, the Marquis of Londonderry had approved the creation of the new Seaham Harbour (opened 31 July 1831), while to the south the Clarence Railway connected Stockton-on-Tees and Billingham to a new port at Port Clarence (opened 1833)

Late modern

The modern town represents a joining together of “Old Hartlepool”, locally known as the “Headland”, and West Hartlpool . Both boroughs were formally unified in 1967 . The name of the town’s professional football club reflected both boroughs . Many fans of the club still refer to the team as “Pools”

World Wars

Hartlepool was heavily industrialised with an ironworks (established 1838) and shipyards in the docks (established in the 1870s) By 1913, no fewer than 43 ship-owning companies were located in the town, with responsibility for 236 ships . This made it a key target for Germany in the First World War . German bombers raided the town 43 times, but civilian losses were lighter .

Post-war

After the war, both industries went into a severe decline . Middleton Grange Shopping Centre opened by Princess Anne in 1970 . In 1977, the British Steel Corporation announced the closure of its Hartlepool steelworks with the loss of 1500 jobs . In the 1980s the area was afflicted with extremely high levels of unemployment .

Hartlepool toponymy

The place name derives from Old English heort (“hart”), referring to stags seen, and pōl (pool), a pool of drinking water which they were known to use. The 8th Century Northumbrian chronicler Bede referred to the spot on which today’s town is sited upon as “the place where deer come to drink”

Hartlepool geography / climate

Hartlepool is located in the north east of England, north of Middlesbrough and south of Sunderland. The monument at Eston Nab can be seen, beyond the far side of the Tees Bay, to the south.

You can visit Hartlepool places with Walkfo Hartlepool to hear history at Hartlepool’s places whilst walking around using the free digital tour app. Walkfo Hartlepool has 42 places to visit in our interactive Hartlepool map, with amazing history, culture & travel facts you can explore the same way you would at a museum or art gallery with information audio headset. With Walkfo, you can travel by foot, bike or bus throughout Hartlepool, being in the moment, without digital distraction or limits to a specific walking route. Our historic audio walks, National Trust interactive audio experiences, digital tour guides for English Heritage locations are available at Hartlepool places, with a AI tour guide to help you get the best from a visit to Hartlepool & the surrounding areas.

“Curated content for millions of locations across the UK, with 42 audio facts unique to Hartlepool places in an interactive Hartlepool map you can explore.”

Walkfo: Visit Hartlepool Places Map
42 tourist, history, culture & geography spots

---

–

Hartlepool historic spots	Hartlepool tourist destinations	Hartlepool plaques	Hartlepool geographic features
Walkfo Hartlepool tourism map key: places to see & visit like National Trust sites, Blue Plaques, English Heritage locations & top tourist destinations in Hartlepool

  

Best Hartlepool places to visit

---

Hartlepool has places to explore by foot, bike or bus. Below are a selection of the varied Hartlepool’s destinations you can visit with additional content available at the Walkfo Hartlepool’s information audio spots:

Hartlepool Rovers Hartlepool Rovers play in Durham/Northumberland 1, the seventh tier of the English rugby union system. They were relegated from North One East at the end of the 2010–11 season. Steve Smith is the club’s player-coach and Callum Whitehead its captain.

Hartlepool Golf Club Hartlepool Golf Club was established in 1906 and celebrated its centenary in 2006. The course is 6202 yards long and par for the course is 70. The course record of 62 was recorded on 8 August 1997, by professional golfer Graeme Storm.

Borough of Hartlepool The Borough of Hartlepool is a unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of County Durham. It is centred on, and named after, the town of Hartlepool. It borders Stockton-on-Tees to the south and Redcar and Cleveland along the line of the River Tees.

Middleton Grange Shopping Centre Middleton Grange is a shopping centre in Hartlepool, England. It was built in 1969 and opened by Princess Anne on 27 May 1970. The site of the shopping centre was originally terraced streets that were demolished in the 1960s.

Headland, Hartlepool Headland is a civil parish in the borough of Hartlepool, County Durham, in the North East of England. The area made national headlines in July 1994 in connection with the murder of Rosie Palmer, a local toddler.

Hartlepool railway station (Hartlepool Dock & Railway) Hartlepool railway station was built in 1839 as the coastal terminus of the Hartlepool Dock & Railway. For most of its life the station was a shuttle service from the town’s main station.

Heugh Battery The Heugh (pronounced /jʊf/) Gun Battery is located on the Headland at Hartlepool, County Durham, England. The museum bills itself as the only battlefield of World War I in Great Britain.

Visit Hartlepool plaques