Show on map This is one part of Teesside that’s remaining hidden at the moment, the grave cover is currently covered for its own protection.
The stone was originally in St. Thomas a Becket’s church in Grindon
This photo from the Thorpe Thewles History Group shows a comparision betwen 1940 and 2007 and the rapid deterioration of the inscription.
The group are hoping to start a conservation project this year, so hopefully it will soon be on view again.
Show on map This pillbox near the middle of the village is a variant on the Type-23 design
A doorway has been cut in the back, rather than it being accessed from above.
Pillboxes like this are often partially buried, so presumably the modification was to make access easier to this un-buried model.
Show on map This chainsaw sculpture is by Tommy Craggs
A Hamadryad being a greek mythological being that lives in a tree.
Show on map The Serpentine Bridge dated from 1754 and was designed by James Paine. It was rebuilt to match the original in 1994 as part of the restoration of Hardwick Park and opened on 21/10/1994 by Ken Manton.
Show on map The temple is dedicated to Minerva goddess of wisdom and the arts and was originally constructed between 1754 and 1757.
The niches on each side contained busts of Homer, Virgil, Horace, Milton, Shakespeare, Ben Johnson, Dryden and Pope.
It’s fascinating to see this picture from 2004 when the site was a ruin before restoration.
© Copyright Neil Atterby and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
Show on map The Gothic Seat was reconstructed as part of the regeneration of the park, some original parts had been buried to prevent their theft, but much of it is new.
Although looking at the original you would be hard-pressed to tell.
Show on map Hardwick Park was laid out by John Burdon in the 1750s, this folly from 1764 was built with stone from Guisborough Priory
The buildings were genuinely ruined until a Heritage Lottery Grant allowed their restoration as this photo from 1972 shows.
© Copyright Stanley Howe and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
Show on map “Sea Jack” has appeared this week to start erecting an offshore windfarm
It instantly gathered many complaints due to the noise it was making, perhaps thats what these gentlemen were monitoring the next day.
Reports of mysterious earthquakes or sonic booms were then reported on Wednesday, which surely must be linked.
Sea Jack
Year Built: 2003
Length x Breadth: 95 m X 33 m
Gross Tonnage: 5769, DeadWeight: 4579 t
Flag: Denmark [DK]
Call Sign: OXKR2
Show on map The windmill at Ugthorpe has been converted into a house.
The windmill can be seen in a state of disrepair in 1954 although an earlier photo shows the sails intact.
Show on map No trace remains of the cemetery as it was cleared in 1962 and the news reports below say some remaining headstones were removed in 1978 (although locals say they were still there well into the 1980s)
The site is vast and over 11,000 people are buried under the park including Sir Hugh Gilzean Reid (founder of the Evening Gazette), ironmaster John Gjiers and the children of ironmasters Bolckow and Vaughan.
A great deal of research has been done into the site by Steve Waller which you can read about on the Northern Echo and Evening Gazette websites.
Amazing theres currently absolutely nothing in the way of signs or memorials, so its unfortunately another example of Middlesbrough forgetting its past.
Thanks to Peter Edwards for pointing this one out, there may still be a display in the entrance of the Teesside Archives, but I don’t know if its still there.