Show on mapThe large number of mature plum trees in the picnic area always seemed a little out of place to me. The car park appears to have been a smallpox hospital.
I can find no pictures although the smallpox epidemic in Teesside is dated as 1897. The buildings were apparently sold after the 1st World War and became known as ‘Orchard House’
ref can be found in the local history book “New Marske Looking Back” a local history by Ena Holloway and Alan Hughes (Vicar) published 1982 (pag 28)
“a small sanitorium was built at New Marske. It has since been demolished and the site turned into a picnic area at the top of Sandy Lane on the corner of Errington Woods. It was a small corrugated iron structure with a resident caretaker who created a beautiful flower and vegetable garden around the hospital. Water was drawn up to the building by a wind pump – this was dismantled a few years ago”
Chris, I have I picture of it. It was found on the internet somewhere but I can’t remember where I found it. Happy to email it to you.
I used to live there in the 1950’s
I’d love to know more about it