THE tower of St George's Congregational Church was reckoned the highest point in West Hartlepool; Ordnance Surveyors and other far-sighted people worked from the top of it. They didn't see the Germans coming, though.

On December 15, 1914, the church elders, all male, had met to discuss entertaining the troops, Red Cross use of the church hall and whether the buildings should be insured against war risks.

At precisely the moment they decided against it, the enemy was steaming, stealing, across the North Sea. "On the following day," adds a note in the minute book, "the Hartlepools were bombarded by German cruisers. Much damage was caused to both towns."

St George's escaped unscathed and has since survived all that changing times can throw at it. On Sunday, a great weekend for Hartlepool, the church celebrated its centenary.

The opening ceremony had been on September 17, 1902, the proceedings extensively reported in the next day's Northern Echo. (The Hartlepool Mail, adds Chris Eddowes' excellent centenary history, seemed more interested in who'd been at the tea. St George's has always done teas to a T.)

Our report - handsome structure, accommodation for 800 people, total cost £16,000 exclusive of land - was but a space filler, however, compared to the account the same day of the stone laying by the Bishop of Durham for a new church institute and Sunday School at Crook.

The bishop was Dr Handley Moule, known affectionately (if irreverently) as Holy Mouley.

In what little room remained, the paper also reported on September 18, 1902, that measles had closed the Wesleyan schools at Cotherstone, in Teesdale, that James Portal had been fined 7/6d at Darlington for begging and that the board of guardians of Stockton poor house had sought volunteers among their number to test the tobacco, which by Poor Law provision, they were required to give the inmates.

"There was no rush," the Echo added, diplomatically.

St George's remains on the corner of Park Road and York Road, though the Congregationalists have joined nationally with others to become the United Reformed Church and West Hartlepool since 1964 is plain Hartlepool.

Over the road is the headquarters of something called the Action Team, which proves not to be Hartlepool United - 4-1 winners over Darlington, the weekend's other reason for local thanksgiving - but a job-finding agency.

The church, recently much transformed, also staged a history exhibition and flower festival, a particular problem for the Rev Val Towler, the newish minister, who's allergic to pollen.

"It's an act of courage," said Chris Eddowes, now an elder herself. "Even my ears are itching," said Val, the first woman minister in 100 years.

Previously she'd been in Barnard Castle, married to David Towler, an affable farmer from Arrathorne near Bedale.

"People asked me why on earth I wanted to go to Hartlepool, but I'm really glad that I did," she said.

"Both the town and the church are vibrant, a really good feel to them. The people of this church are the most able and willing congregation I've ever known.

"They have a real concern to be of use in this community, and hopefully that's what we can explore together."

Chris, early retired from teaching, came from Sheffield and was also much taken with Hartlepool. "It's small enough to know someone every time you go down town, unless, of course, you've taught them, in which case they hide."

Her picture was last in the paper, apparently, after she decorated her bedroom like a Greek temple. It seemed something we'd best not go into.

Sunday's service had been intended to replicate the opening event, same hymns and readings, John Ross - organist since 1946 - thundering Bless This House as a congregation of 100 or so arrived.

They would also dedicate wrought iron gates, partly dividing worship from social areas, in memory of lifelong St George's stalwart Winnie Burrell who'd died, aged 86, three years earlier.

In the event, the admirable Mrs Towler had an eleventh hour change of heart. Instead of the "erudite and academic" sermon of the founding fathers - "erudite" and "academic" appear to have been Edwardian euphemisms for stupefying - she'd conducted a Saturday night raid on the off-licence instead.

It was for sweets, not alcohol, St George's centenary story told subsequently with the visual aid of a clean sweep of the confectionery shelves - "a church," said Val, "that's always been on Quality Street."

Bounty was held high and Refreshers, Tunes (the devil no longer has all the best ones) and Buttons, in which early ministers, no Picnic, were paid. The church had had a gallery - a Double Decker - and Minstrels, too. Even the new wrought iron became the Curly Wurly gates.

The re-writing had taken the sweet talking minister until two o'clock that morning - "this sermon has cost me £25," she said - but however illuminated the address, it still proved problematic for this myopic column.

Whilst St George's has large print hymn books, they have yet to invent large print sweetie wrappers.

Afterwards we talked to 72-year-old Sonny Fowler, holder over the years of every office in the church, to Stan Foster - last remembered in these columns as Tow Law's one armed centre forward - and to Marilyn Armstrong, Winnie Burrell's daughter.

"It's Marilyn as in Monroe, but otherwise no similarity whatsoever," she said.

Amalgamation upon amalgamation, it's now the last of many Congregational and Presbyterian churches which once served the bombarded townships. This one, said Chris Eddowes, was only going forward. Another winner for the Pool.

* The breezy history of St George's church costs £4.95, plus postage, from Chris Eddowes, 65 Hutton Avenue, Hartlepool.