Category: Middlesbrough
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A dark cloud threatens Middlesbrough
Whilst the sun beams down on Newton-under-Roseberry, Middlesbrough in the distance finds itself threatened by an ominous cloud approaching from the south. In what can only be described as a breathtakingly audacious move, Michael Gove, a shining beacon of the Tory elite, appears to be leading his party on a merry dance towards even greater…
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Ormesby Hall—from family home to National Trust property
Perched proudly on the outskirts of a bustling housing estate, Ormesby Hall, a Palladian mansion, appears somewhat incongruous. Despite its seemingly out-of-place location, it maintains an air of refinement and is surrounded by parkland, a sharp contrast with its urban surroundings. In contrast to more opulent residences like Marton and Gunnergate Halls, erected with newfound…
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Middlesbrough’s Dark Past: the 1961 Cannon Street Riots
A reminder popped up on my phone today that back in 1961, things had hit a boiling point on Cannon Street in Middlesbrough. Three nights of rioting had built up to that day. The spark was the killing of an 18-year-old named Jeffrey Hunt, and the place was like a pressure cooker, especially that August,…
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Acklam Hall
Although this must be one of the oldest, if not the oldest, building in Middlesbrough, I didn’t get a sense of history while I was there. Too manicured and twee for me. A green plaque indicated a date of 1678 but major restoration in the mid-19th-century, and again in 1912 must have substantially altered its…
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The Pennymans of Ormesby Hall
My volunteering with the National Trust has restarted again after the lockdown although the use of Trust vehicles for transport is not allowed due to Covid precautions. This means that trips to Bransdale and the Bridestones will have to wait until we have all been vaccinated. So north to help out in the construction of…
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Acklam Hall
A magnificent avenue of trees, one kilometre long leading to the Grade 1 listed Acklam Hall built by Sir William Hustler around 1680. The house has notable interior joinery and plasterwork, which have somehow survived its latter 20th-century life as a school. It is now a business centre, wedding venue and restaurant.
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Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art
A trip into Middlesbrough and lunch at the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art or Mima as it is locally known. I did have a quick look at the gallery. Not my scene but the cafe’s good, well recommended. The architect designed building (Erick van Egeraat Associated Architects) cost £14.2 million funded by Middlesbrough Council and Arts Council.…