Show on map More from the archives.
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I’m struggling to find any reference to the origins of the naval mine that stands next to Saltburn Pier, presumably its from the war, but I don’t know which.
I do recall that from time to time munitions are washed up on Saltburn beach from wartime wrecks.
Show on map With the nights closing in, I’m having to trawl my old photos for new material.
On the Rosedale Railway, at the head of the incline down towards the Farndale mines are the remains of a hand powered windlass.
Many other scraps of railway embankments and cuttings lie in the immediate area.
Show on map The actual mine site lies to the west within a scrapyard, this circular structure houses a 60ft shaft which was used to pump water out of the mine.
It was also said to have housed a wooden staircase to allow access to underground stables.
Show on map The Cleveland Extension Mineral Railway was proposed in the 1870s to run from Kilton Thorpe to the ironworks at Glaisdale, the contractor was John Waddell.
With the collapse of mining in Eskdale the line was never completed although embankments and cuttings for the line can still be seen in several places.
The Station Hotel was also built in anticipation at Moorsholm, but the railway never materialised.
Show on map The two capped shafts at Liverton are unusually close together.
 
The smaller diameter upcast shaft plaque reads :-
Mine Shaft
Depth 143m
Dia 3.75m
Capped 7-4-90
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The larger downcast shaft reads
Mine Shaft
Depth 143m
Dia 4.53m
Capped 8-5-90
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The rest of the area including the shale tips has been heavily landscaped with a couple of nearby buildings being the only clue to the once industrial site.
 
Show on map The footpath down Hummersea steps cuts right through the remains associated with the Alum House for the Loftus Alum Quarries.
The remains of the building are fast eroding out of the cliff and will likely be gone within a few years. The largest remaining stucture is thought to be a kiln for cementstone.
Nothing remains of the three story building with a large chimney which was photographed on the site around 1900, by 1910 it was a complete ruin with only a couple of small wall remnants left.
Show on map Its seems like an eternity since I posted any new pillboxes, so here’s one from Hummersea above Skinningrove
Its flooded inside, so no internal shots.
Show on map North Skelton mine hold a number of records. It was the last ironstone mine in Cleveland to close, having operated from the early 1870s until the 17th January 1964. It was the deepest mine in Cleveland with a 770ft shaft. It was the last in Cleveland to use a regularly use a steam winder, right up until 1951 (although Lingdale did keep one in working order as a backup until closure in 1962)
Little remains today as the site is within the current premises of Tees Components who very kindly allowed our small group to photograph the remaining buildings.
The winding house with its 1871 date stone and small door in the wall for winding ropes is the most substantial original structure.
Other original buildings remain, although they have been modified for other uses.
Outside the site is a small headframe, although the real thing was very different as can be seen against the winding house
 
Show on map Loftus Alum works began operation in the 1650’s and ran until the 1860’s and cover roughly half a mile on a quarried shelf below the cliff. Alum is a mordant for fixing dyes to cloths.
The quarrying process has left large sandstone cliffs at the back of the quarries
The quarries themselves are still barren with little vegetation ever having returned to the slopes.
After quarrying the alum shale was burned for many months in large mounds called clamps, a process called calcining. Areas of burned red shale can be seen on the site, although its possible these are from natural fires at a later date rather than clamps.
There are the remains of several steeping pits, where the burnt alum shale would then have placed in water to dissolve the alum salts, these are rapidly nearing the cliff edge and will erode away in a few years time.
Carved stone troughs can also be found which would have transported liquids around the site.
The alum liquor would have been transferred into a tank or cistern to allow any particles to settle out, a double walled circular cistern can be still be seen protruding from the edge of the cliff.
The settled liquor would then have been transferred to the Alum House where it was concentrated by evaporation until a specific concentration was reached, said to be the point where an egg would float in it. Akali (usually kelp or urine) was then added and the alum crystals formed as the liquid cooled.
Show on map INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE WALK
Sunday 13th September
Around Grosmont and Esk Valley
Meet outside St. Matthew’s Parish Church
At 1pm for a short walk
Over Lease Rigg
Return approx. 5pm
Details will include Hagg’s mine and Esk Valley mine, description of mining methods and tour of loco sheds.
Exhibition inside the Church.
Walk led by Simon Chapman
Author of Grosmont and it’s mines.
Refreshments included