Tunnels and Weir in Hancocks Wood, Loftus

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Perhaps one of reasons this website ever came to exist, as a small child I came here many times and always wanted to find out what was down the tunnels.

Hancocks Wood Tunnels Loftus

So I finally took the opportunity to don my wellies and head torch and have a look, pictures aren’t fantastic as I only had a pocket camera with me.

The largest tunnel is perhaps 25m long and turns underneath the railway embankment before emerging on the other side.
Hancocks Wood Tunnels Loftus    Hancocks Wood Tunnels Loftus
A second short tunnel leads into someone private garden, looks like they have a personal waterfall.
Hancocks Wood Tunnels Loftus

Nearby the main track also leads under the railway embankment, the bridge is surprisingly large suggesting this route used to be a lot more important than it is now.

Hancocks Wood Loftus

I’m not sure why the weir exists, old maps seem to suggest it probably only arrived with the railway, and I can find no evidence of there ever being a building on the site, although the place always gave the impression to be there had been something here.
Hancocks Wood Loftus Hancocks Wood Loftus Weir

There a photo of the same area in the 1960s here

Keith Electric Fan, Eston Mines

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By the side of the tramway that runs through the woods from the Eston mines are the remains of the Keith Fan House, it was used to ventilate an area of workings near the Lowther drift.
Keith Fan Eston Mines Keith Fan Eston Mines

On the side of one of the concrete foundations is the inverted impression of company name.

Keith Fan Eston Mines

The location i’ve given is only approximate, but its easily located walking along the tramway.

Street House Archaeological Dig

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Stephen Sherlock has been investigating this area for many year, the Street House long cairn was excavated in 1979–1981.

The current excavation started in 2004 has turned up Iron Age, Roman and Anglo Saxon finds, theres a detailed explanation of the site in the May/June issue of British Archaelogy.

The open day on 7th September 2008 was technically cancelled due to weather conditions, but Stephen was kind enough to show those who still came around the remains of a Roman building that has just been uncovered.

Street House Archaeological Dig Street House Archaeological Dig

 UPDATE : The excavations lead to the discovery of the grave of a Saxon Princess, gold artifacts from which can now be seen at Kirkleatham museum