UK’s Only World War One Battlefield Awarded £40k Towards Restoration

A museum on the site of the UK’s only World War One battlefield has been awarded almost £40,000.

The Heugh Gun Battery in Hartlepool engaged with German battlecruisers on 16 December 1914 when three ships opened fire on the North East coast.

The Historic England funds will pay for a detailed survey, after some parts of the museum were closed to the public.

Problems were found with decayed concrete, corroding metalwork, poor ventilation and flooding.

It is feared the issues will only get worse for the battery, which is already on the at Risk Register, if they are not repaired.

More than 100 civilians were killed and 400 more injured during the bombardment of Hartlepool.

It is believed the returning fire the Heugh Battery guns cut the bombardment short.