Sir James Knott Lifeboat – Kirkleatham

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The Sir James Knott is an Oakley Class Lifeboat which was built in 1963 and served in Cullercoats and Anstruther before coming to Redcar between 1972 and 1985.

Sir James Knott Lifeboat Kirkleatham

DSCF0792  Sir James Knott Lifeboat Kirkleatham

After leaving Redcar the boat was part of the reserve fleet serving at Scarborough, Anstruther and Newcastle Co. Down. In total she was called out 122 times and saved 81 lives before becoming a museum exhibit in the early 1990s.

Iron Ladle and Scale Car, Kirkleatham Museum

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Hidden away in a staff car park and with no information board.

Iron was poured into this vessel and taken to the caster plant and tipped into “pigs

Kirkleatham Old Hall Musuem  Kirkleatham Old Hall Musuem

The other unusual item is apparently a scale car from the Cleveland Iron Plant. It picked up the charge for the blast furnace before dumping it in the furnace hopper cars.

Kirkleatham Old Hall Musuem Kirkleatham Old Hall Musuem

The “Old Hall” museum itself is always worth a visit, although it was actually the Free School built in 1709 perhaps by William Wakefield or Robert Hooke

Kirkleatham Old Hall Kirkleatham Old Hall

Kirkleatham Hall Stables

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The stables are the only surviving part of the Hall which stood on the site of the current modern school, they have stood moth-balled for all of my lifetime and must be in a poor state internally by now despite being a Grade II listed building.

Kirkleatham Hall Stables Kirkleatham Hall Stables

Kirkleatham Hall Stables Kirkleatham Hall Stables

Kirkleatham Hall Stables Kirkleatham Hall Stables

An interesting look circular tower can be seen from the outside.

The Local Development Framework released today specifically mentions the regeneration of Kirkleatham so lets hope it delivers.
The Core Strategy recognises the importance of addressing these issues to conserve the historic environment at Kirkleatham, and the aims of the Spatial Strategy for the Redcar Area include safeguarding and enhancing the conservation area, listed buildings and historic parkland as well as improving visitor facilities at Kirkleatham village. “

Yearby Icehouse

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Visible from the main path through the woods at Yearby, although the tree cover made GPS reception tricky.
There appears to be a second chamber through the doorway at the rear, although i had neither a powerful torch or a ladder to venture any further to photograph it.
Wilton Bank Icehouse Wilton Bank Icehouse Wilton Bank Icehouse Wilton Bank Icehouse

Some sort of ladder is needed if you want to get inside (or more importantly get back out afterwards)
There is a record of a hermit called Mick Plummer actually living here.