Hartlepool
Surrounded on three sides by the sea the limestone headland called the Hough at Hartlepool is more familiarly known as Old Hartlepool. In prehistoric times Hartlepool's headland is thought to have been an isolated tidal island covered by thick forests; tree trunks from this ancient forest were found embedded in local clay in the 19 th century. Hartlepool forest is still recorded as being in existence in the 13 th century and the area was known as Hart or Hartness; the central headland was distinguished from Hart by the addition of the word ‘pool'. Hartlepool's headland is the site of the original Hartlepool and formed a natural harbour for the old fishing town for many centuries.
In earlier times the area had been the site of an ancient monastery founded in AD640 by St Aidan; this Anglo-Saxon monastery was intended to house both men and women and its first abbess was an Irish princess named Hieu. In 649 Hieu was succeeded by St Hilda, who held office until 657 when she left to found Whitby Monastery. Through the following centuries Hartlepool Monastery gradually declined until finally destroyed by raiding Danes in the 9 th century. The location of the old Anglo-Saxon monastery is marked by the beautiful church of St Hilda, the cemetery of which was discovered in 1833. The present church of St Hilda dates from the 13 th century and was built as a burial place for the Norman de Brus (Bruce) family who owned much land hereabouts.
In the 13 th century the coastal port and fishing town of Hartlepool became a fortified peninsula with defensive walls constructed around the Headland. The defences were instigated by Robert Bruce, grandfather of the famous king of Scotland of the same name; the de Bruce family had acquired Hartlepool after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Sections of Hartlepool's town wall date from the 14 th century and are still in evidence, most prominently the historic Sandwell Gate. The town was in great need of these stout defences because, as the major seaport of the wealthy Prince-Bishops of Durham, Hartlepool became a regular target for marauding Scots and sea-borne attacks. A notable Scottish raid occurred in 1315 led by King Robert the Bruce, the year after he had defeated King Edward I at Bannockburn. The reason for the Bruce's attack upon Hartlepool may have been because it was the refuge to which Edward had fled after the battle, or possibly because he had once ruled over the town and had seen it confiscated from him by the English on his enthronement as King of Scotland.
Throughout the Middle Ages Hartlepool virtually monopolised the shipping of the Durham Bishopric and remained one of the busiest ports on the eastern coast. As such, it regularly attracted the attention of pirates who hampered its trade intermittently. Through the 16 th and 17 th centuries Hartlepool was recognised for its strategic importance during periods of rebellious and religious conflict.
In August 1561 the town was asked to remain vigilant when the activities of Mary Queen of Scots came under close scrutiny, and were advised to watch for foreign ships entering the port. Eight years later in 1569 during the ‘Rising of the North', the Spanish ambassador instructed Northern rebels to capture Hartlepool, thus enabling Dutch troops to land and support the uprising. The rebels did capture the town but the foreign assistance never materialised. In the following century Hartlepool was occupied by Scots troops during the English Civil War (1642-9). At the Siege of Dunbar in 1650 claims were made that the French had possession of a detailed map of Hartlepool, intending to land and capture the town as a base for seizing the whole of Northern England.
The 18 th century witnessed a reversal of fortunes for Hartlepool as the importance of its port declined considerably and its harbour had fallen into disrepair. The shipping routes had changed and trade went elsewhere favouring alternative English ports. As Hartlepool entered the 19 th century it was redundant as a port being known primarily as a health resort, and it was hard to believe that Old Hartlepool, with a population of only 993, almost all fishermen, had been one of the busiest ports on the eastern coast.
In order to save Hartlepool from oblivion it was clear that trade had to be encouraged back into the town. In 1823 it was suggested that a rail line be built to connect with local collieries inland, thus Hartlepool could be developed as a coal port. The new Stockton & Hartlepool Railway was completed in 1839, but restrictions at Old Hartlepool's Victoria Dock limited any real expansion. These frustrations led to the West Hartlepool Dock Co. being established to the south west of the old town signifying the birth of West Hartlepool, a town that eventually overshadowed Old Hartlepool by its sheer size. In 1881 Old Hartlepool's population had grown from 993 to 12,361, but the newly created West Hartlepool now had a population of 28,000; by 1900 this number had increased to 63,000. For many years the two Hartlepools were separate towns but merged as one in 1966 under the Hartlepool Order.
Today, the modern town centre of Hartlepool is located in the former West Hartlepool, where there are a number of interesting features including the unusual Victorian church called Christchurch, now occupied by an art gallery. Significant developments in the town include the Hartlepool Marina and Hartlepool Historic Quay, where a complete 18 th century seaport has been created in part of the West Hartlepool Dock. Nearby is the Museum of Hartlepool with its interactive museum portraying Hartlepool's historic past.