Show on map The cross in the centre of Borrowby is of medieval origin.
The village is built at the junction of four roads and was once split between two wapentakes, Allerton and Birdforth. The portions which belonged to Birdforth were known as the Gueldable.
The English Heritage listing describes it very briefly as Ashlar. 3-step podium; plinth; short shaft; blocking course with rounded stone cross above.
Show on map A Perambulation is the periodic marking of estate boundaries by the Lord of the Manor, also known as “Beating the bounds”
The stone carries many of the same dates as the nearby Swarthe Howe Cross.
1752
1774
1799
1885
Show on map On a remote part of Wheeldale Moor is the following plaque :-
In memory of John Booth who died on this spot September 5th 1853. Aged 84. He was gamekeeper to Richard Hill Esq. of Thornton for 56 years.
Even with such a precise death date I can find no census records for him.
Richard Hill of Thornton Hall died himself just 2 years later.
Show on map Leake church now stands alone by the A19, it once served the now deserted Medieval village of Leake; it now serves the two villages of Borrowby and Knayton.
Mass dials are a type of medieval sundial found on churches, they were used to show the time of services held during the day before the advent of clocks and watches.
They are also known as Scratch dials because many are scratched into the stone. The hole in the centre held a rod that cast a shadow, known as a gnomon.
This rock lies within the Wilton International Site, so cannot be viewed by the public.
The plaque says everything you need to know :-
This 3.8 ton piece of calcareous limestone (containing shells) was transported by glaciers and deposited on the Wilton site between 70,000 and 13,000 years ago.
Mick Garrett took this shot 14 years ago.
Although the rock hasn’t changed, the surroundings have.
Show on map A Perambulation is the periodic marking of estate boundaries by the Lord of the Manor, also known as “Beating the bounds”, these events are known to have occurred around Guisborough in 1716, 1738, 1772, 1798 and 1816. It was a major local event with over 200 people on foot and horses taking part in 1716.
Robert Chaloner (RC) passed away in 1842, so the Perambulation of 27th June 1856 was the first by the new Lord of the Manor, Thomas Chalenor (TC) who seems to have taken the occasion to add his initials and the date to many local stones.
This carving is just a short distance north of Percy Rigg
It appears to be virtually identical to the lost boundary stone at Percy Rigg which was apparently destroyed in the 2nd World War.
The other side of the stone is much harder to decipher but the listed building record suggest H.R. and G.A. below the more obvious T
Show on map Back in early 2017 I visited the Picton Liberty Stone and it wasn’t there !
A news report on the 6th April 2005 said it had been stolen, then on the 8th April 2005 Police said “It had been removed by a man trying to protect it from theft. It will be returned to its positionâ€
Parish meetings in 2010 talk about getting it listed by English Heritage and having a replica made. In late 2020 someone commented that the stone was back ! Whether this is the original or a replica is unclear.
Show on map Many thanks to Peter Edwards for submitting this photo and location of historic boundary marker visible on Mill Lane between Wolviston and Billingham.
It marks the boundary between Stockton Rural District (1894-1974) and Billingham Urban District (1923 – 1968) The first OS mapping to include this boundary is dated 1939.
When I saw scaffolding going up on this building I feared the sign, which apparently dated from the opening of the bus station in 1938, might be about to be lost.
As of today it seems to have been painted over. If I was the developer I would have painted it back on brand new as a feature !
Show on map This piece of grafitti is something I saw mentioned on Facebook getting on for 7 years ago, and I never managed to find it. Then by total chance in lockdown I found it !
It;s getting extremely hard to read as the tree has aged, but says “Polish Forces 194?”
Facebook comments from a resident many years ago said :- there used to be an extensive camp at Dunsdale which was still visible when I was a kid. The Polish army was stationed there and they carved that beech tree.