Month: January 2024
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Source of the Leven
A rarely seen view of the upper reaches of the River Leven, that tributary of the Tees, before it begins its winding journey through the lowlands south of Middlesbrough. Beginning high on Warren Moor at the edge of Cleveland Hills, this river is unique as the only one north of the Humber that flows westward…
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The Execution of King Charles I and the Chaloner Connection
On this day, 30 January, 1649, at Whitehall, Oliver Cromwell oversaw the executioner Richard Brandon chopping off the head of the King of England, Charles I. Thomas and James Chaloner, sons of the courtier Sir Thomas Chaloner (1559-1615) from Guisborough, were among the 135 commissioners at the King’s trial. Thomas, (born 1595) bolder than his…
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The Friends’ School’s Plan for Invasion in 1914
Dominating Great Ayton’s soggy High Green, this soggy Monday morning is the stern façade of the erstwhile Friends’ School, now converted into residential dwellings. The village well, no longer in its original spot, was moved to make room for extra car-parking. I recently read an account detailing the school’s arrangements in case of a prospective…
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The Price of Popularity—When stunning views become exploited gems
I tend to avoid Roseberry summit on weekends. It’s bustling up there, not my cup of tea. I crave the sweet solitude of the hills. But these days, being out in the countryside is like the coolest thing to do. Blame it on the pandemic or whatever, but it’s not like the old days. Ah,…
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Lime Kilns of the Tabular Hills
One of the many limekilns that can be seen dotted around the Tabular Hills. These were used to produce agricultural lime to be spread across the fields as a sweetening agent and to replenish losses, a traditional method in the 18th and 19th centuries for improving the fertility of acidic soils. Limestone, extracted from nearby…
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The Tarn, once a winter playground
On Two Howes Rigg, south of Goathland, is a dainty pool named “The Tarn.” It is manmade, built in the early 20th century. The early O.S. map show the area with marsh symbols. Between the wars, this pond transformed into an icy playground during severe winters. Goathland, it seems, morphed into a local St. Moritz…
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Bransdale: a cacophony of gunshots — too close for comfort
A day spent volunteering with the National Trust in Bransdale, even though the landscape was somewhat elusive. During our journey over, we left a clear yet overcast Esk valley, climbing into a thick layer of cloud at Rosedale Head. This blanket of fog lingered persistently, keeping us smothered throughout the day. But, in a fleeting…
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Cockle Scar — where is the Cat Trod?
Best viewed on the approach from the direction of Guisborough, Roseberry Topping boasts a conspicuous shelf around the 200-metre mark called Cockle Scar. Like a tiered cake, it is the top edge of the sandstone stratum recognised by geologists as the Staithes Formation. In his memoirs, ‘Half a Century of Sport,’ Sir Alfred Pease, a member…
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Smelly Farm and the 18th Century Enclosures
A rather drab photograph capturing a drab-looking collection of barns, reflecting an exceptionally drab overcast day. The presence of a strong wind and rain in the air adds to the overall drabness. Lounsdale — sometimes spelt Lonsdale — stands before me in all its aromatic glory. The barns, once known to my friendship group with…
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Malo Cross — From Land Grabber to ‘Ass-Pain’
Behold, another photo from yesterday’s saunter around Saltergate. Malo Cross, an imposing structure, proper cross, if you will. According to Historic England, it was erected by Sir Richard Egerton in 1619, serving as a boundary marker for his manor of Allerston. The upper part, the actual cruciform segment, appears to have undergone some repair. This…