Paths Through the Past: Discovering Ballast Hills Burial Ground (BHBG)
51 Lime Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, NE1 2PQ
Ballast Hills Burial Ground (BHBG), in the Ouseburn Valley within the Byker Ward, is one of Newcastle’s oldest surviving nonconformist (dissenters’) burial spaces. Known for its affordable burial fees, it became the final resting place for many of the city’s working poor, including people of different faiths. In 1929, the gravestones were removed and re-laid to form the circular path seen today, while the bodies remain undisturbed, along with most of their stories. From about 1640 to 1853, an estimated 40,000 people were buried here, many from working-class, migrant, and dissenting communities.
This drop-in session offers a hands-on introduction to the burial ground and recent research. You can:
• Watch a slideshow about the site’s history and project discoveries, led by Newcastle University and funded by a Curiosity Award from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
• Trace your family tree — could you have ancestors buried at Ballast Hills?
• Design your own gravestone and reflect on how you’d like to be remembered.
• Explore the occupations of those buried here — how many no longer exist?
• Wander through the names recorded at the site — will you recognise any?
• View finds uncovered during gravestone pathway clearing.
Perfect for individuals and families, this session also provides context for other activities later in the day: Onsite Exploration of BHBG (16:00 to 17:00) and Poetry and Music Performance: Beneath This Ground (17:30 to 18:30), both at BHBG.
Timings & Tours
- Saturday 13 September:
- 13:00–15:30
Location & directions
51 Lime Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, NE1 2PQ
- Contact on day:
- Myra Giesen
Booking information
- Pre-booking requirement:
- Pre-booking not required
