Out & About …

… on the North York Moors, or wherever I happen to be.

The natural temptation, when standing on Highcliffe Nab is to look north over Guisborough town …

… this view is south — towards Highcliffe Farm, Codhill Slack and Percy Cross Rigg.

Highcliffe Farm is an exposed location, gaining no shelter from both northerly and southerly winds. In 1908, it was being farmed by Thomas Wedgewood1‘Guisborough News | Whitby Gazette | Friday 24 June 1910 | British Newspaper Archive’. 2022. Britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk <https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001103/19100624/089/0005> [accessed 27 December 2022].

One day Wedgwood and a farm labourer were snaring rabbits on the hillside when he noticed a building in the stackyard was on fire. Picking up his gun, he ran down to the farm, but tripped on some wire-netting, triggering both barrels of his gun. His left hand was shattered and his face injured, but he managed to stop the flow of blood by making a tourniquet with a piece of string. The farm-hand was sent down to Hutton Hall to get help and telephone for the fire brigade.

Wedgwood continued to the burning barn where he released two horses and twenty cows. One of the horses, a mare, was nearly exhausted, and fell twice before it got into the fresh air.

Meanwhile, the flames had spread to a small corn stack and barn. It took Wedgewood, by carrying water with his uninjured hand, over half-an hour, to save the stack, and stop the fire spreading to the rest of the farm, although the barn was lost. Wedgewood himself had to have his hand amputated.

Wedgewood had insured his farm with the Norwich Union Fire Insurance Company, and so pleased they were that the bulk of the farm was saved, the company presented him with a medal, and a silver salver and tea service. The medal was to have been presented to Wedgewood by King Edward VII but the ceremony could not take place owing to the death of his majesty in May 1910.


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2 responses to “The natural temptation, when standing on Highcliffe Nab is to look north over Guisborough town …”

  1. Nancy Potter-Halliday avatar
    Nancy Potter-Halliday

    Thank you for posting these pictures of one of my ancestors homes (Codhill farm).

    I really enjoy your blog – so lovely to see the photos and history of the area!

    ~ Nancy

    1. Fhithich avatar
      Fhithich

      You’re welcome. Season’s greetings.

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