Final plaque in a series of 11, erected by Arts UK to mark the areas ironstone history.

During the 1892 Durham coal miners strike the lack of coal forced the local mines into temporary closure, leaving the workers with no income. As Coatham Reservoir had become infected with typhoid, The Cleveland Water Company used the out of work miners as cheap labour to build Marske Reservoir.

The reservoir is now private property used by a fishing club

10th in a series of 11 plaques, erected by Arts UK to mark the areas ironstone history.

In the summer of 1865 a local miner was caught returning from the first pub to be built in the area. He was threatened with the sack for breaking company rules, which forbade drinking while employed by the mine company. The pub, situated between Marske and New Marske, was never given a licence.

9th in a series of 11 plaques, erected by Arts UK to mark the areas ironstone history.

In 1944 a fragment of a crashed German bomber was taken and hidden near here by two brothers. The rumour spread that an enemy spy had removed a vital piece from the crashed aircraft. Fearing they would be shot as spies they never retrieved the fragment from its hiding place.

8th in a series of 11 plaques, erected by Arts UK to mark the areas ironstone history.

In a patriotic outburst, the local mine company named its ore mines after victories in the Crimean War – Alma, Sebastopol and Inkerman. They had all closed by 1923.

7th in a series of 11 plaques, erected by Arts UK to mark the areas ironstone history.

Route of the first rail line to the mines. It was known as ‘the black lonnen’ by the Scottish miners and ‘the black lane’ by the English miners because of its covering of cedar ash.

Returning to this series with the 6th of 11 plaques, erected by Arts UK to mark the areas ironstone history.

The strict anti drinking laws of the local mine owners led to many miners turning their back rooms into bars known as ‘Shebeens’. In 1887 the local policeman was injured raiding a Shebeen on this street. He was forced to retire, becoming the town’s postman.

5th of a series of 11 plaques erected by Arts UK to mark the areas ironstone history.

Site of the mine workers cricket club. In 1910 they travelled to away matches in the mine company’s horse drawn wagon. The horses were said to be so wild that only the company driver could control them. If he was not offered enough money, the cricket team missed their match.

4th of a series of 11 plaques that were erected some years ago by Arts UK to mark the areas ironstone history.

Paid £50 a year by the local mining company to empty the night toilets, the farmer used what he collected to fertilise his fields. His potatoes were said to be the best in the area.