Posted on: Thursday 8th June 2023

LOCAL HERITAGE HUNT

Today, we went a local heritage hunt. We walked around the local area to visit and photograph evidence of our mining heritage that exists within Hetton today.  We enjoyed the walk and can't quite believe just how much there is to see in our locality that reflects national aspects of history, such as mining and the railways. We walked to the following places and discussed what they are now and what they have been in history:
- Hetton Country Park's Eppleton pit wheel & plaque to commemorate the Eppleton Pit Disaster of 1951
- The area where Hetton's Silver Band Hall stood
- Pavilion Theatre/Cinema/Dance hall
- Stephenson Close
- Primitive Methodist Church that was built by and for miners
- The original infants school (now Little Pioneers nursery) that was built by Hetton Coal Company
- Nicholas Wood's House
- Bob Paisley memorial & WWII memorial
- Ray Lonsdale's sculpture, Da Said 'Men don't Cry'
- Colliery Inn
- Tesco/Herons, which was the first school in Hetton
- The Hetton Centre (standing where Hetton Hall once stood)
- Station Road/Station View (where the railway station stood)
- Bog Row school for girls
- Jack Guy Blacksmiths (the oldest building in Hetton)
- Hetton House

We also walked back up to school on what would have once been the railway line. There are still sleepers from Hetton Railway found here. They form part of the fence along the pathway.