Show on map This sculpture of the hospital with a nurse and miner was unveiled in June 2010
It was made by blacksmiths James Godbold of Egton for the Eston Residents Association, it is located on the site of hospital which closed in 1980 and has since been demolished.
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Update 17/8/2010 – Hardly two months gone and the sculpture has been already been vandalisedÂ
Show on map Cliffe was a small ironstone mine worked from 1866 to 1887. Virtually nothing remains on the site except depressions and discolorations in a field which mark the locations of the shafts.
 
A railway siding which runs to the shafts and parallel to the current live railway can be identified.
Some remains of the base on which a Fowler traction engine was mounted exist, but I was unable to locate them in the long summer grass.
Show on map Anyone who has read the “Cleveland Mining Incidents” series of books will know the injuries sustained underground could be horrific.
 
Bulmers directory of 1890 list the following staff
Miners’ Hospital – Messrs. Merryweather & Dunn, medical officers
Kellys directory of 1909 lists the following staff
Skelton Cottage Miners Hospital – John Thorner. LRCP Edin, Surgeon.
Skelton Cottage Miners Hospital – Frederick P Wigfield MB, Surgeon.
Skelton Cottage Miners Hospital – Miss Clara Baldwin, Matron.
The hospital built in 1883 is now a private residence.
Show on map Apart from the very obvious Guibal Fanhouse closer investigation of the site reveals some more details.
Running due east from the fanhouse is a culvert with a metal pipe inside, it runs for nearly 200 feet and remains of a building can be seen on the surface where it ends.
 
Further east again in the undergrowth appears to be the base of a chimney (or the base of a privvy depending on your personal interpretation)
Slightly to the north of that a stone engine base can also be found hidden in the undergrowth.
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In the stream are the footings for a rail bridge which connected Waterfall Ironstone mine to the branch for Skelton Park and Skelton Shaft mines.
A number of rails presumably originally from the bridge appear to have been reused to strengthen the bank on the right.
Show on map The Farnsdale mines operated between 1873 and 1897 under the Blakey Iron Company and later the Farndale Iron Company.
An incline can be followed down to the location from the railway line up at Blakey Junction.
 
At the bottom of the incline, a tramway ran along the hillside at the level of the ironstone
 
Most of the remains are obscured by subsequent rock falls, but one small drift is still visible.
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Show on map At this point the railway link to the Rosedale mines passed under the road.
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A cutting can be seen approching the now blocked bridge, with a junction in the left of the photo leading off to the Blakey / Farndale mines.
A row of cottages were also present at this junction but have since been demolished.
Show on map The Slapewath mine was originally started by Thomas Charlton in 1864 via a drift near the village names after him. The shafts date from a later period of around 1880 when the mine was being operated by Samuelson & Co.
The downcast shaft now surrounded by a high wall is 286 feet deep
The upcast / ventilation shaft is located a little to the NW and is of similar depth.
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A sizeable heap of spoil is still on the site, which has been cut by a farm track
 
Show on map Theres another opportunity to explore the ironstone remains in Errington Woods with local expert Simon Chapman.
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Show on map In what it now a car park are the remains of Grosmont Ironworks built in 1862 and demolished in 1892. Despite now being a rural setting the immediate area contains numerous ironstone mines.
The most promenant feature is a large brick structure which is believed to be part of the system which carried raw materials to the top of the three blast furnaces. Apologies for the dark photos but it was getting late and I only had a basic camera.
 
 
Closer to the railway station is the base of the third blast furnace, added in 1876
