Hidden Teesside

One of a number of iron gas lamps that can still be spotted around town, I imagine they will all still be around long after the present round of new street lights are gone too.

The site of the last fresh water spring in Guisborough, unfortunately doesn’t run any more and is currently full of litter.

Near the end of Fountain Street, where there was a fountain and a lake in front of the original Guisborough Hall on Bow Street which was demolished in 1847.

The ferry ran from 1854 - 1952 to the now non-existant village of Middleton.

The last true ferry man Bull Boagey slipped on these steps in 1951, cracking his head which killed him.

Sandwell Gate is named after the long gone chalybeate spring on the beach. It was most likely built in the 14th Century.

It lead directly into Sandwell Chare and the Croft which were in-filled and demolished in the 1930s.

More details on the town walls here 

The open air bathing pool opened in 1923, there a photo here, it was damaged beyond repair by the 1953 storms

The outline of the pool can still be seen on the shore at low tide.

The current lighthouse was built in 1926 after the previous lighthouse was removed to give the Heugh Battery and Lighthouse Battery a clearer view of the sea.

The position of the orignal stopped retaliatory fire during the Bombardment of Hartlepool on 16th December 1914

1500 shells were fired at Hartlepool during the bombardment by the German Cruisers Seydlitz, Moltke and Blucher. Leading to the death of the first soldier killed on British soil during the First World War

The plaque states built by Commodore Wilson of Ayton Hall in the late 18th century as a shooting shelter in inclement weather. True to its word the weather was extremely inclement when these photos were taken.

Although the recent book Roseberry Topping by the Great Ayton Community Archeology Group suggest none of  that may be true.

The waymarkers line the side of the road near Birk Brow and show the safe path through formerly marshy ground, they have only recently been restored to an upright position. Details of that work can be found here

Although a little tricky to make out, the writing on the various faces reads.

TO WHITBY, TO STOKESLEY, TO GISBER all with carved hands

OK, so its not exactly hidden as you can see it from miles away, but I got the chance to go up as part of Heritage Open Days
Normally the only chance to get up there is if you fancy the quick way down via a bungee rope.

Glad i’m not scared of heights

Once on top you could watch the gondola trundling below

Got the rare opportunity to see inside this normally locked building as part of Heritage Open Days.

The mortuary was built in 1881, bodies lost at sea tended to arrive here due to prevailing currents and it was still in use in the 1960s

There was the opportunity to try out the slab, but I declined.

Located where Kilton Beck passes under a viaduct that was buried in 1913.

To the north you need to climb down a steep shale bank that looks like its regularly used by scramblers, the water at that end is almost knee deep, so we couldn’t attack it from that side and had to go all the way back up.

To the south another steep climb passing a large heap of burnt out cars, but the beck is much shallower and access is easier. Here’s an image from inside with a normal flash, and a colourful HDR image built up from several shots.
 

Then it was time for some fun

If anyone fancies calling Most Haunted looks like theres a ghost too

Many thanks to Sayzey for putting me on to this one, and giving me the idea to try HDR photography. 

Ancient packhorse bridge, visible from the modern road. Restored in 1874. It has unusual arches unlike any other bridge i’ve seen. It is believed to have some connection to the Knight Templar who were based very close by.

The large number of mature plum trees in the picnic area always seemed a little out of place to me. The car park appears to have been a smallpox hospital.

I can find no pictures or references to it, other than a few mentions of a smallpox epidemic in Teesside in the late 1890s 

Only one corner of the 13th Century Roxby (or Rousby) Hall remains in a field adjacent to St. Nicholas’ Church

Situated on cemetery corner at the junction with the Redcar road. Currently I have no idea of its age or origins, although the fact it points to Kirkleatham rather than Redcar is perhaps a clue.
 

I’ve had this scrap of paper that I bought from the lifeboat shop for at least 20 years, I’ve rewritten the legend but the rest is straight from the original.

I’ve not yet found any record of the ships name, or date it was wrecked.

The remains of the ship can be seen depending on the tides and sand levels.

Visible on occasion on the beach behind Leos, although extremely dependant on the amount of sand on the beach and the tides. I spotted these tree trunks in January although I know theres a lot more under there if conditions are right.