Category Archives: Marske

Marske

Starfish Decoy Site, New Marske

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I believe this is the control bunker for a Starfish decoy site from WW2, I suspect the area was a decoy for the nearby Marske aerodrome which was used during the war.

I’m sure it will be fully explained when the relevent volume of Defence of the UK by the North Yorkshire and Cleveland 20th Century Defence Study Group is published.
Starfish Bunker, Errington Woods Starfish Bunker, Errington Woods

Pipe at Starfish Bunker, Errington Woods Starfish Bunker, Errington Woods

The pipe on the site is stamped with the name of the North Bitchburn Fireclay Company, which was apparently the brick making subsidiary of Pease & Partners who owned the nearby Upleatham ironstone mine.

UPDATE : As of August 2010 this site has been completely flattened and cleared by the farmer.

Upleatham Ironstone Mine, East Winning Hauling Engine

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This second set of brickwork hauling engine bases mark the location of the East Winning drift, which was an open drift mouth until the early 1970s, nothing remains now other than a large depression in the hillside.

Upleatham Ironstone Mine East Winning Haulage Engine Upleatham Ironstone Mine East Winning Haulage Engine Upleatham Ironstone Mine East Winning Haulage Engine

Just to the east of this area, Quarry Lane is reached. Some remains of a bridge underneath the road are visible

In the woodland to the east of the lane there are many traces of ironstone quarrying and some concrete bases, possibly for an aerial ropeway that carried ironstone from Hob Hill mine to the east to be loaded into wagons at Upleatham.

Upleatham Ironstone Mine, Main Winning Hauling Engine

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Situated at the top of Pontac Road, these brickwork Hauling Engine bases in the undergrowth are part of the scant remains of the second highest output mine in the area. The Drift itself was just a short distance to the south although no trace remains other than a depression in the ground.

 Upleatham Ironstone Mine Main Winning Haulage Engine Upleatham Ironstone Mine Main Winning Haulage Engine Upleatham Ironstone Mine Main Winning Haulage Engine

 A new gate has been erected in late 2008 which give some clue to the ironstone mining past.

Upleatham Ironstone Mine Commemorative Gate 

 

St Germains Church, Captain Cooks Fathers Grave

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Only the tower of St Germains remains, built in 1160. The church was rebuilt in 1821 but again demolished in 1950 with exception of the Tower.

St Germains Church, Marske St Germains Church, Marske

Captain Cooks father is buried here, he died in 1779 six weeks after Cook himself, although never knew his sons death.

Captain Cooks Fathers Grave - St Germains Church 

The current headstone is erected in the memory of James Robinson who was lost as sea in 1904. The grave is also reputed to have been visited by Charles Dickens.

Errington Woods, Smallpox Hospital, Marske

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The 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’