Wynyard Woodland Park - Virtual Visitor Centre Experience

Wynyard Woodland Park

Welcome

Maps & Walks

Flora & Fauna

Parks & Countryside Service

Welcome

Introduction
SiteTerms

Introduction

The Woodland Park has for some years been more familiarly known as the Castle Eden Walkway. The addition of significant areas of land in 2003/4 and refurbishment of the Visitor Centre in 2004, along with other developments including the acquisition of a railway carriage for a novel new classroom, the Virtual Visitor Centre Project and the new sculpture trail, prompted the department to take a fresh new look at the site and to re-brand it as Wynyard Woodland Park.

Officially designated as a Country Park in 1987 and the Borough’s most popular countryside site, the Woodland Park is based around a 3½ mile section of the Castle Eden branch railway lin , running north from the A177 Sedgefield Road to the A689. Part of the site known as Thorpe Wood has also been designated a Local Nature Reserve to reflect its value for visitors and wildlife.

Site Terms and Conditions

Maps & Walks

Introduction
Cycling Routes
Virtual Panoramas
Public Transport Details
Break Free
Sculpture Trail
Orienteering
Solar Walk
Walkway
Walks to Other Country Parks
Walkway Beyond the A689

Introduction

From here you can view maps and find out about walks, way-marked paths, public rights of way, cycle ways, bridle paths and disabled access information for individual areas of the park, the walkway beyond the A689 and for the park as a whole.

Walk maps have features of interest and landmarks indicated that can be pressed to view; this helps to familiarise yourself with a route before making an excursion. In addition to these static images you can see virtual panoramas of certain areas of the site, by pressing the appropriate buttons, and enjoy a virtual tour of the park. You can drag your finger in any direction across these virtual views to look around the location and zoom in and out to any area that takes your interest. Plan your walk before you venture out and use these sections to make sure that you don’t miss anything!

Have you ever wondered what your favourite area of the park looks like from the air? Simply press the aerial view button to see the fascinating detail and perspective that these pictures give you.

Although most areas of the park have flat paths and are reasonably wheelchair friendly some areas, particularly Thorpe Wood, are less so. Disabled access maps show the sort of information that the less able bodied will find helpful, including gradients, locations of steps, seats and gates. Disabled access information for most of Stockton’s countryside sites is contained within our ‘break free’ leaflets (link here to leaflets).

General information on maps and walks in the park are accessible from the links below, for more specific information on an individual area of the park please touch that area on the location map to the left. Contained in each subdivision of the park are audio and visual guides of species specific to that area so that you won’t have to search through anything that isn’t seen or heard in that area to find what you’re looking for.

Please bear in mind that the park is surrounded by private landowners and use this section sensibly to avoid trespassing upon our neighbours land.

Cycling Routes

The main cycle route on the park is Sustrans Route 1, of which the walkway forms a key constituent part. Most of the other way-marked paths on the site are cycle friendly provided that cyclists give way to walkers and use them in a sensible and considerate manner. The maps and walks section of this system gives details of all cycle ways in the park.

The park is integrated into the Sustrans National Cycle Network and cycling is actively encouraged within the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees, which has over 250 miles of recommended cycle routes ideal for commuters, families and schoolchildren alike. A map of cycle routes within Stockton is available from our request a leaflet section, although it is not available electronically and must be posted.

Health Benefits

Cycling improves strength, balance and stamina
Regular cyclists enjoy the same level of fitness as non-cyclists who are 10 years younger
Cycling helps to lower blood pressure and resting heart rate
Cyclists suffer fewer knee injuries than runners
Cycling can help reduce the risk of osteoporosis
The faster you cycle the more calories you burn – cycling at 10mph burns 240 calories per hour
Cycling reduces your stress levels and gives you a feeling of well being

Places to go - Things to see

Feel the benefit of gentle exercise away from heavy traffic, and enjoy the surprise as you pass through areas of green open space and countryside, even in the heart of urban Stockton.

Whether as a visitor or a resident, you will discover many new and interesting attractions along Stockton's Cycleways:

Cross the Tees on the spectacular Tees Barrage
Stop off and relax at Billingham Beck Valley Country Park
Enjoy a cup off tea at the Old Station House, Wynyard Woodland Park.
Admire the sculptures as you cycle through the Great North Park

Cycling to School

Cycling to school has many benefits - chief among them is it improves children's fitness and self-confidence, and kids who ride are proven to be more alert at school. Cycling to school accompanied by a parent can be a great way to travel. It gives the child and parent time together and it can be a time to develop cycling and traffic skills. As children get older their ability to deal with traffic increases. Parents can help plan the route and do a practice ride with the student before his or her first ride to school.

Cycling to Work

According to figures produced by the National Census, around 66% of journeys to work are under five miles. Yet most people still choose to drive this short distance to their workplace when hopping on a bike would be healthier, greener, and take roughly half the time as sitting behind the wheel of a car. Today it has never been easier or safer to cycle either all or most of the way to work. Not only are there more and more cycle paths, but most railway stations and bus termini now have secure and free parking for cycles. A new generation of special commuter bikes have been developed, combining both comfort and speed. Not only that, there are now bikes which can fold down to the size of a small briefcase, enabling you to take it on the train with you.

Good Cycling Code

Stay safe, be courteous and enjoy your cycling!

On Roads:

Always follow the highway code
Keeps your bike roadworthy
Use lights in poor visability
Be seen
Consider wearing a helmet

On shared use paths:

Give way to pedestrians
Keep to your side of dividing line
Take care at bends, junctions and entrances
Remember that many people are hard of hearing or visually impared don't assume they can see you or hear you

Stockton's Commitment To Cycling

Stockton Council is committed to improving opportunities for people to cycle, bringing the benefits of better health, low cost transport and a pleasant environment to communities throughout the Borough. To find out more contact either: George Callaghan, Cycling contact on 01642 526735, e-mail george.callaghan@stockton.gov.uk or Mike Edwards, Road Safety contact on 01642 526737, e-mail mike.edwards@stockton.gov.uk

For details on cycle parking at rail stations in the Stockton area telephone Sustrans on 01642 803441 and for more details on the Sustrans National Cycle Network call 0845 1130065 or visit www.sustrans.org

Virtual Panoramas

Before you visit, why don't you take the opportunity of viewing the diversity of scenery and features that can be found in the park.

The map to the left shows the main areas in dark green which are accessed via the walkway that runs along the length of the park. View the panoramas by clicking the points on the map. This will take you to a fully navigational viewer giving you a 360° panorama of your chosen area.

In order to help with your choice descriptions of the panoramas are shown below when you move your mouse pointer over the map.

Public Transport Details

The park is well served by a bus service that takes in the outlying villages and local towns. This service, the 567 (or the 586 early service), is provided by Arriva and is subsidised by central government funding under a rural transport initiative. The service runs from Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays) and the timetable changes between summer and winter. You can view the timetable from here or request it to be sent to you by e-mail.

Stockton Borough Council’s countryside service, in association with Hartlepool Borough Council, the Tees Forest, Stockton Renaissance Partnership and the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund run a special service during the 6 week school summer holiday. This service, the 401, is operated by Stagecoach and called the Badger Bus. It runs on a Monday and Friday, visiting most of Stockton and Hartlepool’s countryside sites and many places in between. The service uses a subsidised daily rover ticket, that allows you to get on and off at any point on the circular route. For details on ticket prices and timetable please see the latest leaflet.

For further information on public transport please contact Traveline North East on 0870 6082608.

For further information on the Badger Bus please contact either: the Joint Public Transport Group on 01287 612555, Stockton’s Countryside Recreation Officer on 01642 526877 or Hartlepool’s Transport Team on 01429 523555.

Break Free

The 'Break Free' system was devised in the northeast and is supported by the Sensory Trust, a charity looking at access to the countryside for people with a wide range of disabilities and access difficulties. Rather than giving directions, 'Break Free' grades all the routes on a site, allowing those with mobility problems to decide a route suitable for them.

Those who find this information of benefit include:

the elderly
those who can't walk far without a rest
blind and partially sighted
wheelchair users
those with prams and pushchairs

The Sensory Trust

What they do:

Raise awareness of good practise in urban and extra-urban design and management
Make green space accessible to as many people as possible
Offer consultancy and advice on inclusive design

Printed copies of 'Break Free' Country Places around Stockton-on-Tees cost £1.50 please phone (01642) 526871 or email: parksandcountryside@stockton.gov.uk.

Sculpture Trail

Stockton Borough Council has been successful in securing a £45,800 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund for an exciting new arts project at Wynyard Woodland Park in Stockton.

The Project will be a series of scultures created by Sunderland based artist Colin Wilbourn, who was also responsible for such artistic masterpieces as 'Watching and Waiting' and 'The Red House', both at St.Peter's Riverside in Sunderland.

The new arts features will be divided into 3 main elements - The Story-Teller's Chair, Woodland Seating and the Cellestial Kitchen. The Sculptures will enhance opporunities for environmental education at the Woodland Park and will help to interpret the natural history of the site, the astronomical work undertaken at the Planetarium and the railway heritage oof the area. Collectively the pieces will provide a unique representation of past and present uses of the site in an innovative and creative way.

The sculptures will be installed during the summer of 2005 and promise to contribute towards the continuing development of the countryside destinations.

The Story-Teller's Chair, Thorpe Wood

This ingenious design will at first glance appear to be no more than an old-fashioned luggage trunk, possibly the property of a traveller making his journey along the Casle Eden branch in days gone by. Visitors will be able to rest awhile on the trunk during their exploration of Thorpe Wood, where this first sculpture will be located.

The turn of a special key kept by the Countryside Rangers, will however, reveal the mystery of the trunk, transforming it into an amazing Story-Teller's chair which will provide the focus for woodland tales, environmental education and public events.

Woodland Seating, Brierley Wood

Hewn from huge pieces of locally grown turkey oak, these carved wooden seats will provide a resting place for visitors to Brierley Wood at the northern end of the Woodland Park.

These seats will be decorated with intricate carvings of plants and wildlife that can all be found in the Woodland Park.

Carved items of clothing will also decorate the new benches, a reminder that the site is today managed for both people and wildlife.

The Celestial Kitchen, Stoney Field

A giant table top might not be the first thing you would expect to find in a Country Park, but look a little closer and you will be amazed by this ingenious sculpture!

This unusual and unique design will help to interpret the important and fascinating astronomical work undertaken at Wynyard Planetarium.

Visitors will be able to view the north star on clear nights, by looking through the directly aligned holes in the two spoon handles, and night-sky constellations will be replicated in the holes of the different utensils.

The Cellestial Kitchen also provides a link with the agricultural history of the area. The crucial turning points of the season, the spring equinox, mid-summer and the summer equinox, were vital for successful agricultural planning years ago, and can be seen by the shadow of the sun on certain points of the sculpture.

The sculpture is located in Stoney Field, a short walk south from the Visitors Centre and directly off the A177 in Thorpe Thewles.

Orienteering

An orienteering course is available at Wynyard Woodland Park and is a popular activity for schools. In fact two courses are available, one at the Wynyard Woodland Park itself and one at nearby Stillington Forest Park. Each of the circles on the map indicates the position of a 3” square marker. The marker is red with a diagonal white stripe. On the marker is the identification number and a check letter (see below). Different courses can be used depending on the age of the school group taking part, and on the time available.

The educational aim of the orienteering courses is to introduce children to the use of maps, keys and compasses. Four variations on the theme of orienteering are explained below:

Orienteering Course Instructions

The selected course is given to the group in the form of a grid.
The group must first select the route they wish to follow and then check the list of control descriptions on the back of the map which gives the precise location of the marker.
The group must orientate the map so that it is aligned with the ground, a compass may be used, or alternatively use the features on the ground to navigate by.
The group can then make their way to their first checkpoint. Once there they must look for the letter on the 3” marker and note this down on the check card.
Once noted, the group can orientate the map and head for the next one.

Line Exercise Instructions - This is a follow-my-leader activity for small groups of 3-4 children.

The leader follows a line marked on the map from the start to a pre-determined handover point. The first leader goes to the back of the line after handing over a correctly orientated map to the new leader.
The procedure is repeated with the two groups completing the first line and swapping for a second etc.

Relay Race Instructions

Pupils are put into groups of 3-4 children. One pupil from each group is given a marker number (each group is given a different number), which they must go to find.
When they find the marker they should mentally note the letter on the marker post and return to the start point. If given the correct letter the next pupil in the group is given a new marker number to find.
The winner of the relay race is the first group to return back to the start point with the correct information.

Cross-country Instructions

Pupils are given 6-8 markers in a specified order.
They must orientate their map and find the correct marker posts in this order.

Score Instructions

A time limit is set and pupils must visit as many markers as they can within this time limit. (They must make a note of the letter at each marker post visited to prove they have been there).
Each marker is given a score of 10 points. The pupils add up the score they have collected.
A penalty can be given for being over the time limit.
A score of 5, 10 or 15 points can be allocated to teams depending on difficulty and distance from the start.

Solar Walk

A Solar Walk is, as its name suggests, a walk along which markers are placed with details of the planets in our solar system. The spacing of the planetary markers along the walk is to scale with the spacing of the real planets in space.

Our walk is along a section of the Walkway, starting with the sun at the first gate heading north from the visitor centre and stretching north up the walkway in the direction of the A689, ending with Pluto close to the first entrance to Thorpe Wood

The markers are full of fantastic facts about each planet and (where appropriate) its moons. The original motivation for this walk was as an activity for the summer playschemes hosted by the planetarium.

The scheme involves groups of children attending a short planetarium show after which they are let loose on the walkway equipped with a worksheet. The worksheet has to be filled in from information given in the planetarium show and from that on the planetary markers along the solar walk.

If you come to a public planetarium show on a Sunday afternoon (May to August) or Friday evening (September to April) you may like to combine this activity with a stroll down our solar walk.

Walkway

The Castle Eden Walkway formed the heart of the former Castle Eden Walkway Country Park. Although the site has expanded over the years and has been renamed Wynyard Woodland Park, the walkway is still at the centre of it all.

The walkway is a disused railway line that extends from the middle of Stockton as far north as Hurworth Burn Reservoir in County Durham. The Wynyard Woodland Park section extends for some 3 ½ miles in a north-south direction from the Redmarshall railway junction, in the south, to the A689, in the north. The former Cleveland County Council opened the walkway for public recreation, amenity, education and conservation in 1982.

Most visitors think of the walkway as the straight route of the railway line through the heart of the park, whereas infact the Castle Eden Walkway (CEW) takes a westerly turn into Brierley Wood at the northern tip of Pickard’s Meadow and continues in a loop through Tilery Wood, past Tilery Wood Hut and emerges in Tilery Wood car park next to the A689. The continuation of the railway line from the junction where the walkway diverges, up to the Durham Gateway Bridge is maintained by Hartlepool Borough Council as part of the Sustrans Route 1 cycle network. For the purposes of subdivision of the site we will treat the straight route of the old railway line as the walkway in this section, but the rights of way maintained by the park follow the route of the CEW.

The walkway encompasses several valuable wildlife habitats and is of local importance as a nature reserve due to the diversity of its wildlife and the presence of locally uncommon plant species. The railway bridges along the walkway are also of historical, architectural and atmospheric value (many have unusual acoustic characteristics when you stand under them) although sadly the large viaduct that once spanned the Durham Road was demolished in 1979.

Walks to Other Country Parks

Three Villages Loop Walk

Thorpe Thewles, Stillington and Whitton

Walk Distance: Approx 7 miles.

Start/Finish: Wynyard Woodland Park, off the A177 between Stockton-On-Tees and Sedgefield.

Car Parking: Wynyard Woodland Park.

Public Transport: Buses to Thorpe Thewles Villages Nos.69, 234,236.

Facilities: Toilets, picnics areas, Visitors Centre and refreshments at the Country Park.

General: This walk is fairly easy going, the majority of the route crossing farmland. Dogs must be kept on leads where there are livestock or crops. Horses may be encountered in the fields.

Points of Interest:

Observatory. The observatory is sited near the children's play area to the South of the Visitors Centre. It is the building with a large silver dome on the top
Stoney Field. Stoney Field is the first field you entre after passing the observatory.
Thorpe Thewles Church. Thorpe Thewles is a quiant little village with a very elegant looking church, it is certainly worth a closer look.
Stillington Forest Park. Stillington Forest Park was opened in 1995 and is one of Stocktons newesst nature conservation sites.
Honey Potts Wood. Honey Potts Wood is situated immediately south of the village of Whitton to Redmarshall Road.

Further Information: For further information about this and other walks around the Country park telephone the Countryside Wardens on (01740) 630011.

Billingham Beck Valley Country Park - Park to Wynyard Woodland Park

Walk Distance: Approx 9 miles.

Start/Finish: Billingham Beck Valley Country Park, signposted off the A19.

Car Parking: Billingham Beck Vally Country Park.

Public Transport: Bus No 36 to Station Road, Billingham from Stockton.

Facilities: Toilets, picnic area, Visitor Centre and refreshments at Billingham Beck Valley Country Park and Wynyard Woodland Park.

Points of Interest:

Billingham Beck Valley Country Park. Billingham Beck Valley Country Park was opened in 1991, although the area has always been an important wetland site.
Industrial History of the Valley. Norton village is rich in its industrial heritage; the area to the left of the path here being the site of the Norton Ironworks between 1855 and 1879.
The Mills of the Valley. Thorpe Beck and Billingham Beck used to provide the power for seven corn mills and throughout the valley there is evidence of the mill 'leet' channels dug by canal navies, still visible along this section of the route.
The View from the Bottle Hill. On a fine day, above the valley you may see as far as the Cleveland Hills and the familiar Rosebury Topping and Eston Nab.
Thorpe Wood. This is one of the few remaining areas of the semi-natural ancient woodland in the the region. Visitors are able to walk throught he woodland on a number of circular paths
Traditional Agriculture. Agriculture has been a major factor in creating a landscape we know and love. The open field system was extensively practised in the North East during Medieval times and signs of its existance can still be seen today.

Further Information: For further information about this and other walks around the country park contact the Countryside Wardens on (01642) 397609.

Walkway Beyond the A689

County Durham Gateway Bridge

The bridge provides a dramatic gateway into County Durham and incorporates a major piece of visual art design by the internationally renowned artist Peter Fink The triangular profile of the 'wings finished in bold colours responds to the dominantly triangular profile of the 'A' frame tower which is emphasised by its blue colour.

The bridge is a 73 metre long, 3 metre wide steel cable-stayed structure which will give cyclists, horse riders and walkers a safe route across the A689 dual carriageway.

Hurworth Burn Reservoir

A public footpath gives access to the entire western side of this man-made body of water. It is an ideal site for watching waterfowl. Among the species which may by seen are Great Crested and Little Grebe, Poachard, Teal, Goldeneye, Wigeon and Shelduck. In both spring and autumn, a variety of waders can be also spotted while in winter, flocks of Graylag geese may descend to graze on the adjacent farmland.

Embleton

Once a thriving community, nothing remains of the medieval village of Embleton apart from a pattern of mound and hollows which mark its original layout, still visible in the surface of the pasture. The church of St. Mary wasfounded at the same time as the village, but the present building dates back only to 1860 whe the entire structure was rebuilt.

Sedgefield

Sedgefield as an ancient village datingback at least to Roman times, though its main development really began following the Norman invasion. By the early nineteenth century it had become an important centre for horse drawn coaches with a daily run to Leeds aboard th 'Expedition'. The tower of the medieval St. Edmund's Church is one of the highest vantage points in south east Durham, and can be seen from miles around.

Hardwick Park

Development in the latter half of the eighteenth century in the tradition of other great English parkland. Hardwick fell into a state of major decay during the twentieth century. Since 1972, Durham County Council has run on ecorner of it's central core as a Country Park. It has now extended upon a major programme of work to restore this Grade 2 Listed Parkland to its former glory. The work included the reconstruction of a 17 acre lake at its heart. Admission is free and the park is open at all times, although parts will remain closed until the restoration works are completed.

Flora & Fauna

Introduction
Bird Box Webcam
Natural Area Context
Nature Club
Ponds & Wetlands
Woodland Area
Mini Beast Hunt
Alfs' Wood
Arboretum Field
Brierley Wood
Pickards Meadow
Stoney Field
Tilery Wood
Thorpe Wood

Introduction

Wynyard Woodland Park has a diverse range of wildlife habitats including woodlands, grasslands, hedgerows and wetlands. These habitats are home to over 670 species of mammals, amphibians, fish, invertebrates (insects), trees, grasses, wildflowers and fungi. Many of these habitats have vanished locally making the park an important wildlife refuge with some areas classified as Local Nature Reserves.

Bird Box Webcam

This is the Bluetit birdbox WebCam live from Wynyard Woodland Park. Our first brood of nine chicks left the nest on 9th June 2005, when all nine successfully fledged. Bluetits can have up to 10 chicks in any one brood and upto three broods in any given year, we are hoping to have another brood in the nestbox soon.

Natural Area Context

As part of its role as the Government’s statutory advisor on nature conservation in England, English Nature devised the Natural Area framework to implement the UK Biodiversity Action Plan arising from the Convention on Biological Diversity signed by the Prime Minister, at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, this sets objectives for the conservation of biodiversity in the UK. The development of the Natural Area concept is fundamental to English Nature's drive to ensure that these objectives are met through action at a local level throughout England where national objectives can be translated into local action within meaningful areas of countryside, not administrative boundaries.

The local distinctiveness of each part of England was examined to identify their characteristic wildlife and natural features and this information was used to define a comprehensive series of 120 Natural Areas. Their boundaries are based on the distribution of wildlife and natural features and on the land use pattern and human history of each area, and thus offer an effective framework for the planning and achievement of nature conservation objectives.

The character of a Natural Area is defined by those distinctive species, habitats and physical features that distinguish it from neighbouring areas. This distinct, coherent character enables the development of plans to care for all of the species in that area, including those that are still commonplace as well as those that are rare. Consequently, the conservation of our natural heritage is engendered by the concept of Thinking Globally and Acting Locally.

English Nature is a major funding body of countryside projects and provided the grant for the touchscreen system that you are using. Therefore, any countryside management projects, like Wynyard Woodland Park, cannot afford to ignore such fundamental policy frameworks. Although Stockton Borough Council’s countryside section does not strictly adhere to the concept of the Natural Area Context in their management plans, it is largely in agreement with the ethos behind them.

Wynyard Woodland Park lies within Natural Area 7, The Tees Lowlands, but is towards the boundary with the Durham Magnesium Limestone Area 6; as such it shares some features of both. More information is available, about these and other Natural Areas of England, on the English Nature website: www.english-nature.org.uk

Nature Club

Wynyard Woodland Park’s Nature Detectives club is an ideal chance for youngsters to learn about nature. Meetings are aimed at five to twelve year olds and are held one Saturday every month in the railway carriage. Each month children look at a different topic such as pond life, camouflage, tracks and trails etc.

The session is built around the topic and involves a mix of outdoor activities, environmental games, conservation tasks and art and craft activities all lead by the countryside rangers. Members also receive a monthly fact sheet, which is packed with information, interesting facts and games to play.

Children can build up a file of information, which they can read at home or use as a source of inspiration for further games and activities. There is a two pounds joining fee and club sessions are free. Five to seven year olds must be accompanied by an adult. Parents of older children can stay and join in the sessions if they wish, or may leave their children in the safe hands of the countryside rangers.

Ponds & Wetlands

There are several ponds around the site ranging from the man made, to natural and seasonal ponds. The main ponds of interest are Thorpe Wood pond, Pickard's Meadow bomb crater pond, Pickard’s Meadow large pond, Pickard’s Meadow seasonal pond, Tilery Wood pond and the Arboretum Field pond.

The two newest and the oldest ponds are all on Pickard’s Meadow. The seasonal pond was created in 2003, and then the large pond in 2004. The third pond on the meadow was originally a bomb crater left over from the Second World War, when the Germans tried to bomb the railway line that is now the main walkway.

There are three species of newt that live in our ponds these being the common smooth newt, palmate newt and great-crested newt. Nearly all of our ponds have good healthy colonies of dragonfly and damsel fly. There are also a great number of species that live on or in the ponds such as diving beetles, water boatmen, leeches, coots, mallard ducks and even kingfishers.

Occasionally we run pond-dipping events for the public or school groups. This is strictly as a ranger led activity only and we always use our own nets and equipment. This is so that no water born diseases can be transfer in to our ponds and affect the wildlife. The public are strongly requested not to bring their own nets to the park for use in the ponds as there is a strong likelihood of you inadvertently killing our pond dwelling wildlife.

One of the most frequently asked questions is can I fish in the pond or are there any fish in the pond. The only fish that might be found in any of the ponds are sticklebacks and fishing is not allowed in any form – pond dipping with nets included!

Three natural watercourses pass through the park, these being: Brierley Beck flowing through Brierley Wood and emptying into the lake on Wynyard Estate, Thorpe Beck flowing through Thorpe Wood where it emerges and meets Whitton Beck which flows through the south side of the park. In turn the lake at Wynyard and Whitton Beck eventually join Billingham Beck which flows into the Tees. These freshwater sources are home to much of the same wildlife that can be found in the ponds and the same rules apply with respect to fishing or dipping with nets.

Woodland Area

Since it’s original inception, as the Castle Eden Walkway, the park has grown from a linear site along the route of the old railway line by the acquisition on woodland areas to either side and along the length of the walkway. It is now truly a woodland park, which is reflected in the name change to Wynyard Woodland Park.

Thorpe Wood is an ancient woodland of largely broad-leaved native trees as was Brierley Wood before it was clear-felled as plantation woodland in the 20th century. Both Brierley and Tilery Woods are dominated by conifers but are being managed in such a way as to regenerate them as native tree habitats.

As well as the addition of woodland habitats, there is the open grassland of Pickards Meadow. The addition of the woods has also introduced the wetland habitats of the ponds and becks in these areas which add to the biodiversity of the original park.

Mini Beast Hunt

The study of minibeasts gives children a valuable insight into living things including the relationship between creatures and their habitat. Very young children are able to handle different minibeasts and can begin to identify names of species and different body parts. Older children can also look at the different types of habitat in which minibeasts are likely to be found and look at the physical features that help animals to survive in specific places.

Other topics that can be explored are life cycles, food chains, the role of minibeasts as decomposers of plant material. Children are usually asked to work in small groups, which encourages team working and the sharing of information. They are given suitable equipment and identification guides and instructed on their use, before being allowed to investigate as a group.c

After the hunt they are encouraged to discuss the types of creatures they have found and any other interesting adaptations noticed. They are then asked to return the minibeasts carefully to where they were found, thereby encouraging them to think about their natural environment and the consequences of not treating it with due care and respect.

Alfs' Wood

The official name of this wood is Layton Lings, however, in 2001 the previous owner Mr Alf Wilson sold the wood to Stockton Borough Council and as part of the transaction it was agreed that it would be called Alf’s Wood.

At present there are no main or way-marked pathways through this woodland, although the bridleway does skirt the southern edges of it. It is part of the conservation area within the park and is protected under the local nature reserve status of the perk as a whole. We do not encourage visitors to enter the woodland, but to appreciate it from the bridleway.

Layton Lings, covering some 30 acres, is predominantly broad-leaved woodland though there appears to have been some modification of the site by planting and small areas of felling (mostly of Birch trees).

The regular pattern of some of the older trees suggests that they may have been planted but overall the wood has a pattern of distribution of trees suggesting a high degree of natural development. In the southeast there are two lines of overhead power cables crossing the woodland and the ground beneath these has been cleared for maintenance of these lines and is more or less bare at present. A small area in the southeast corner is more open with a pond, a small area of grassland and scrub.

The main tree species are Ash and Oak with a range of other species including Wych Elm, Wild Cherry, Birch and Goat Willow. There are some beech and Sycamore that are presumed to have been planted as well as some exotics such as Rhododendron, found mainly at the south eastern edge. The ground flora is generally dominated by Bramble and ferns with localised pockets of Tufted Hair-grass and False-brome.

Arboretum Field

The Arboretum Field, located to the south of the Planetarium, is a large grassland area with a hardcore path around the perimeter which forms the Arboretum Trail. Around the trail can be found pieces of exercise equipment and the field itself is occasionally used as an overflow car parking area during busy periods and events.

The field starts at a high level near the play area and gently falls away to the south, where it forms a hollow that is a natural amphitheatre. A small pond can be found close to the southern extremity of the path which sometimes dries up in the summer.

The Arboretum Trail itself is a collection of native British Trees which are planted in the order that they colonized the British Isles after the last ice age, about 10,000 years ago. “Native” is defined as a tree that colonized without the aid of people, hence they were not introduced and invaded the countryside before the land-bridge between Britain and Europe disappeared after the last ice age. A few commercially important conifer specimens have been included at the end of the trail as they are very common throughout the country.

The Arboretum was planted by the Teesside branch of the Parachute Regimental Association to commemorate those in their regiment who have died. Today it is managed by the Country Park’s Ranger Service.

Brierley Wood

In 2002 Stockton Borough Council purchased two adjoining woodland areas of approximately 188 acres on the boundary between Stockton and Sedgefield, known as Brierley and Tilery Woods. These woodlands are a 35 year old conifer plantation of mostly Scots pine, Corsican pine and Lodgepole pine with a few pockets of broad-leaved trees.

Brierley Wood is known to have been an ancient woodland that was clear-felled to form the current plantation woodland by the forestry commission who leased the land, from the Wynyard Estate, for a period of some 40 years until 1986/87.

The Wynyard Estate, owned by the Londonderry family, was sold to Cameron Hall Developments (the company founded by property tycoon Sir John Hall) in 1988. The ancient Brierley Wood was divided when Cameron Hall sold part of it to the country park, the remainder (to the east of the walkway), including what is left of the woodland area of Black Squares, remains the property of Cameron Hall and forms part of the Wynyard Village development.

There are still boundary markers visible in Brierley Wood showing a letter B on one side and L on the other which presumably delineated those area owned by the Londonderry and Brierley familys in years gone by.

Running through the heart of Brierley Wood is Brierley Beck, a natural watercourse, which flows into the lake next to Wynyard Hall. The main footpath through Brierley Wood forms part of our sculpture trail with imaginatively sculpted woodland seating. A bridleway also cuts through the wood westwards from Pickards Meadow before turning north and meeting the A689 close to Beacon Hill Farm.

Stockton Borough Council, in partnership with the Tees Forest, aim to manage the woodland in such a way as to increase their value for wildlife whilst opening up further opportunities for access and recreation. The long-term goal is to restore it to largely native broad-leaved trees and to have it designated as a Local Nature Reserve along with Tilery Wood.

Pickards Meadow

This area of ex-arable land is some 41 acres and since it was last cultivated it has become a species poor grass land, with the flora being dominated by creeping bent grass. There are a few mature trees in the field which represent the remnants of former hedgerows. Historically, the hedgerows would have been pulled out when farm machinery started to develop and get bigger, allowing for much larger fields to be cultivated.

This area of the site was named in memory of John Pickard one of our long standing volunteers who sadly passed away in 2003. A small copse of trees has been planted, in memory of John, in the middle of the field by people who wanted to commemorate his life and his love of, particularly, the northern end of the country park. The field has also been seeded as a wildflower meadow.

There are two ponds and a wetland area on the field, the oldest and smaller of the ponds being an old bomb crater from the second world war. The larger pond is a more recent addition and was dug out by machine as a wildlife habitat.

To the northern edge of the meadow is the bridleway linking from the walkway through to Brierley Wood and beyond.

Stoney Field

A central feature of the site is a new sculpture designed in ancient style, formed by a circle of timbers reflecting the past, present and future of the area.

In total, 8,500 young trees have been planted, which will mature rapidly to form a blanket of woodland. New paths have been formed as well as one being surfaced to allow cycle users access to the countryside more easily.

Contact the Rangers at Wynyard Woodland Park on (01740) 630011 for further information.

Tilery Wood

In 2002 Stockton Borough Council purchased two adjoining woodland areas of approximately 188 acres on the boundary between Stockton and Sedgefield, known as Tilery and Brierley Woods. These woodlands are a 35 year old conifer plantation of mostly Scots pine, Corsican pine and Lodgepole pine with a few pockets of broad-leaved trees.

Tilery Wood was planted by the Forestry Commission who leased the land from the Wynyard Estate for a 40 year period until 1987. The Wynyard Estate, owned by the Londonderry family, was subsequently sold to Cameron Hall Developments (the company founded by property tycoon Sir John Hall) in 1988.

Although only acquired by the park in 2002 Tilery Wood has had the route of the walkway running through it since the original Castle Eden Walkway Country Park was formed. About 100 metres past the northern edge of Pickard’s meadow the walkway deviates from the route of the former railway line and takes an westerly turn through the heart of Tilery Wood emerging at the car park on the A689.

One of the most notable features of Tilery wood is a large wooden forestry hut that was built in 1974 by the Forestry Commission with help from the local Billingham Campus school. It is currently used for school groups and public events. Next to the hut is a pond with ecological significance as it is a breeding site for great-crested newts over the summer months. For this reason we discourage people from pond dipping in this pond as it is illegal to catch or handle a great-crested newt without the relevant licenses.

Thorpe Wood

Thorpe Wood was purchased in 1984 to improve the recreational, amenity and educational value of what was then the Castle Eden Walkway. It is also an example of ancient woodland, a very rare habitat in the North of Teesside.

Thorpe Wood is a mixed woodland of 46 acres and was designated as a local nature reserve in 1985 due to the scarcity of this type of habitat in Teesside and the local rarity of some of the species it contains. The main woodland pathway passes through the wood from northwest to southeast, alongside of which are two artificially created ponds. The wood is also home to two charcoal kilns, used in the management of the woodland, and the story teller’s seat which is a key part of our sculpture trail and a focus for story telling events on the park as a whole.

It is a popular walk with visitors as it is not very far from the main visitors centre area, encompasses lots of interesting things to see at all times of the year and is circular bringing you back almost to where you started.

History

The earliest known record of this wood dates back to 1719 when a land exchange occurred involving Thorpe and Fulthorpe woods. The northern part of the woodland is subsequently shown on an estate map dated 1777 when it was in the ownership of John Tempest. The boundaries were as present with the exception of the break caused by the construction of the railway. The rest of the Wood lies in the adjoining estate of Thomas Davison (to the west of the railway line). The whole of Thorpe Wood is then shown in the Tithes map for Thorpe Thewles of 1844 and in the earliest ordnance survey map of 1859. The boundaries are constant in all of these plans and are irregular, with the woodland covering the steep valley sides. From this evidence it is safe to assume that the woodland is ancient and this is backed up by the study of the flora in 1987.

In all probability the woodland was managed during the Middle Ages as coppiced woodland with standards (trees allowed to grow to full maturity). The coppiced trees would have been cut on a rotation and used for fencing, repairs of farming equipment, fire wood etc, with a number of trees left to grow into standard trees which would have eventually been felled for timber (used, for example, in house construction). The trees both coppiced and standard were re-grown from the stumps of the previous crop. Where a glade occurred it would normally have been filled by natural regeneration.

From the 17th century there was often a modification in traditional coppiced management to include new planting. In fact Thorpe Wood is referred to as a plantation in the tithes map of 1844, suggesting that it had at some time been planted and was being managed as high forest rather than coppice.

The timber crop was clear felled around the time of the First World War and thus the area was neglected. Re-growth occurred but the clear felling gave opportunity for extensive invasion by sycamore, which in parts of the wood is now the dominant tree. The re-growth was then thinned out in the 1960s and new planting took place, under a Forestry Commission dedication scheme, consisting of a mix of soft woods and hard woods. Today the main task is still to slowly remove the conifers and sycamore and to replace them with more native species. Evidence still exists of coppicing and several of the species could even be descendants of the original wood.

History

Introduction
History Geology & Folklore
Folklore
Castle Eden Railway
North Eastern Railway
Grindon Church History
Early Neolithic & Bronze Ages
Iron Age
Iron Age Settlement
Roman Occupation
Parish of Grindon
Wynyard Hall
Londonderry Reign
Wynyard Hall Training
Wynyard Road Names

Introduction

From here you can discover information on the historical context of the park and it’s locality in the neighbouring landscape and the area of Teesside as a whole.

Discover the history of the railway, to which Wynyard Woodland Park owes its origins. Learn about the Iron Age settlements and Roman occupation in the vicinity as well as the history of the Christian era.

Information about the geography, geology, neighbouring landowners and the Wynyard Estate and the notable landmarks in the area can also be found in this section.

If you’re interested in some of the quirky and spooky stories about the district then see our folklore details.

History Geology & Folklore

The site of the Castle Eden Branch of the North Eastern Railway spans an area rich in history and folklore.

As far back as 200BC there were Iron Age settlements in the area and some exciting excavations have been carried out to find out how these people lived.

One notable example is the excavation at Thorpe Thewles. Situated in the boulder clay foothills of the Durham plateau the geology of the area lends itself to the preservation of these early structures.

In the 1100’s villagers in Grindon and the surrounding area worshiped at the small church dedicated to St Thomas a’Becket, this church was replaced in 1849 by a new church in Thorpe Thewles. The church of St James in Thorpe Thewles stands on the site of this early church.

The railway opened in 1877 and operated for 91 years until its closure in 1968 carrying both freight and passengers. Royalty has visited Thorpe Thewles station on a number of occasions when visiting the grand home of the Londonderry’s, Wynyard Hall.

Numerous stories of hauntings surround the area and the ghost of a murdered station master is said to roam the Station House Visitor Centre.

Folklore

Over the years there have been many reports of a large black cat on the northern end of the walkway and some farmers have reported sheep carcasses in trees. From the sightings the animal appears to fit the description and behaviour of a Black Panther although they may also tie in with sightings of the Durham Puma. These reports may not be as far fetched as they would at first appear as many large cats were kept as pets in the 1970’s and it is not beyond the realms of possibility that some have subsequently escaped or been set free.

The outlying village of Bishopton is one of only two locations in Britain where fairies have been ‘officially’ recorded. Exactly what was seen is unclear and it may just be an inferred sighting from the charming stories associated with fairy rings, caused by the growth of fungus from a common centre. It is also traditionally the burial place of Northumbrian fairies.

There are several tales of ghosts and haunting to do with the old Thorpe Thewles station house and the surrounding area:

The Station Master’s Ghost.

During the First World War the station master at Thorpe Thewles was murdered one night. A group of immigrant workers in the vicinity were suspected, but nothing was ever proved. Since then there have been numerous sightings of his ghost in the building as well as that of a small girl in more recent years.

The Grey Lady of Wynyard Hall.

It seems that a lady was drowned in the lake outside the hall some time ago and that a ghostly apparition of her form has been reported on many occasions since. It has been suggested that the more recent appearances have been due to the cleaning and redevelopment that has gone on, after years of neglect, disturbing her spirit. One employee of the estate is said to have had a dramatic confrontation with the apparition on the Lion Bridge close to the hall, when his dogs held back, snarling as the ghostly lady in grey passed by on his evening walk. In 1981 other members of staff recalled several strange episodes of doors slamming shut in ground floor rooms without rational explanation and on another occasion a door to the kitchen or larder area that swung open of it’s own accord to reveal an ice-cold atmosphere.

The Hound of Blakeston Lane.

In 1871 a careless dog unwittingly led a pack of foxhounds over the edge of a deep quarry to their deaths. It has since been reported that it’s ghost has reappeared at the same spot to avoid any unfortunate repetition.

The Ghosts of Grindon church.

A former vicar of the church of Saint Thomas a Becket recalled stories of ghosts and apparitions seen at the site, in an interview in 1972. The church was closed at the start of the 20th century and is now in private hands so there are sadly no contemporary sightings.

Further Reading

The Castle Eden Branch of the North Eastern Railway – Alan Betteney
Norton’s Iron Road – C Fox, Norton Heritage Trust

Acknowledgements

Alan Betteney
J W Armstrong Trust

Grindon Church History

The first mention of a church at Grindon was in 1131. It has been suggested that this church was a single cell chapel, however it seems more likely that it was built to a similar plan to the present church. Evidence for this can be seen in the foundations of the nave, which are of a different construction to the walls, suggesting a rebuilding on old foundations. The chancel arch, which is reputed to be the oldest part of the church, was incorporated in the new building

This rebuilding was done by Hugh Pudsey, who was Bishop of Durham from 1154 to 1197. The architectural style of the nave dates it to about 1200 or slightly earlier. Various historians have suggested the year 1190. The church is dedicated to St.Thomas of Canterbury (St.Thomas a Becket). This is quite an early dedication, as St. Thomas a Becket was canonised in 1172.

The Master of Sherburn Hospital was patron of the church and received the tithes. He was also given other lands in the Parish of Grindon (at Thorpe Thewles and Whitton).Sherbum Hospital was endowed by Bishop Pudsey in 1181 .Other lands in the parish were given to Finchale Priory which was founded by St. Godric in 1104.He died in 1170.The first vicar of Grindon mentioned is a man named Gamel in 1194. These facts help confirm the approximate date of the church. Little else is known of the early history of the church.

The next recorded development, is the addition of the chapel early in the 14th century. This chapel would most probably be a chantry chapel, that is, a chapel endowed by a wealthy person, in return for which the priest would regularly say mass and pray for the donors welfare in life or soul in death.

In later times the chapel was known as the Fulthorpe Porch, this suggests it was given by the Fulthorpe family, who were at that time Lords of the Manor of Fulthorpe in the Parish of Grindon.

The following extract from a will helps date the chapel: -"Alan Langton by will of 1311 (proved 1316) desires burial in the porche of the parish church of Grindon, before St. Peters altar on the south side of the said church." This means the chapel must have been built by 1511.

An inventory of church goods was carried out throughout the Bishopric of Durham in 1555.The entry for Grindon states: -One chalice with a paten (plate for bread),parcell gilt(partly guilded),two bells above the church, a hand bell and one sacring bell.

The next major development was in 1788,when, according to Surtees, the church was almost completely rebuilt. A porch was built around the south door, the north door was blocked up, the outside wall of the chancel was built up in brick, and the lead roof was replaced by slate. Also at that time a fireplace was constructed in the south-east comer of the nave, as part of the Wynyard pew, for the benefit of the owners of Wynyard who worshipped at the church. It is also likely that at least the nave was paneled in wood at this time; holes are still visible in the walls of the nave, which could have held the wood panelling. The capacity of the church at this time was said to be 120 persons seated.

Hutchinson said in 1794 of Grindon church, "The church is a small edifice standing in an open field and requires no particular description further than there is a porch therein called Fulthorpe porch but contains nothing remarkable or curio".

Surtees gives details of the tithes, "the Master of Sherburn has the great tithes and the tithes of wool and lamb. The vicar is generally entitled to the hay tithes and all other tithes throughout the parish except no hay tithes from Whitton or Spittle Meadow in Thorpe".

Surtees goes on to say "the glebe (lands associated with the church) consists of two closes, one in front of the parsonage, the other adjoining on the west. In all, with the churchyard, 14 acres. Also a farm at Mordon Moor House in the Parish of Sedgefield purchased with Queen Anne 's Bounty and containing 45 acres". The lands around the church are shown on a map of John Tempests Thorpe Farm dated 1777.

At this time a carriage road was used by the owners of Wynyard to travel the two miles from Wynyard Hall to the church, although no longer a road, the track can still be traced particularly where it was a tree-lined avenue. Unfortunately many of the trees have now gone.

The main Sedgefield to Stockton road passed near the church before joining Blakeston Lane, on to Norton, then to Stockton. This road was probably replaced by a Turnpike road following the line of the present main road(A177) sometime in the late 18th or early 19th centuries.

By about 1840 the church was again in a dilapidated state, and in need of considerable renovation, but since the road now bypassed the church and the main centre of population of the parish was now in the village ofThorpe Thewles, it was decided to build a new church in Thorpe Thewles. This church was completed in 1849 and Grindon church was then closed and left to crumble away, although the churchyard remained in use for a number of years by families who had burial plots.

The church has deteriorated since then. By ~ 1905 the east, wall had collapsed and the roof disappeared, otherwise the church was complete. Since then the chancel arch and many of the walls have gone and the process of decay continues.

A Tour Of The Church Of St.Thomas Of Canterbury - Grindon

The church stands in its own grounds a short distance from the track from the Sedgefield -Stockton road to Grindon Cottages.

Porch & Doorways

The church is entered by the south porch which was added at the time of the re-building in 1788.The original south doorway dates from c . 1190 and consists of a round arch of two moulded orders and hood mould springing from angle shafts with carved capitals and bases,the inner order continues to the ground. Unfortunately very little remains of the details of the doorway.

Directly across the nave is the north doorway which has been blocked in,again probably at the time of the re-building of the church in 1788.This doorway is very simple with a single stone lintel It may have been used as an entrance by one of the local landowners, possibly the owner of Moor House to the north west of the church.

The north door of a church was often known as the "Devils Door" because the north side of the church was often used to bury unbaptized and excommunicated people.

The Nave

The nave dates from c. 1190 and is built in large stone blocks, inner and outer blocks being separated and filled with rubble masonry. There were two lancet windows on the south side of the nave, one on north side and one in the west end. The only one now complete is in the west wall under the bell tower, which contained two bells. These windows all had their heads made from two stones without hood moulds and were 14 inches wide with an internal splay.

Two later windows at the east end of the north and south walls are profitably 18th century replacements for former lancet windows; they are now in a very ruined condition.

In the southeast angle of the nave are the remains of an arched brick fireplace, which was part of the 18th century Wynyard pew used by the owners of Wynyard Hall.

Where the foundations have been cleared, stonework is visible which is different to the main structure of the nave walls, which suggests that the walls were built on older foundations when the nave was completed c. 1190.

Along the walls of the nave can be seen a series of holes which probably were used to support wood panelling in stalled during the 18th century. The walls were originally plastered but only very small areas of this plaster remain, and they show no evidence of the decoration that was commonly; found in churches of this age. The chancel arch, which was the oldest part of the church, dating from the early 12th century, has almost completely disappeared. It was semi-circular in shape, of a square order without hood mould, springing from chamfered imposts, which ran back along the wall for some distance.

The chancel appears to have been at least partially rebuilt in 1788. The jambs of the north window appear to be very old, possibly part of the original building. On the south side of the chancel was a small round headed window with a wide internal splay, which also appears to be original. To the east of this was a two light square-headed window, most probably inserted when the chapel was erected. The east window has completely collapsed and no description of it exists.

The altar slab was of Tees marble and is now in Thorpe Thewles church. There were two steps up to the altar pace but nothing remains of this. Surtees says there was an altar tomb dedicated to Catherine Rusdon a servant of John Tempest. This stone can still be seen in the church grounds and bears the following inscription: - "To the memory of Catherine Rusdon who was a servant in the family of John Tempest Esqr. forty five years, died 9th March 1784 aged 76yrs".

Chapel

The chapel was built in the early 14th century, probably as a chantry chapel by the Fulthorpe family who were Lords of the Manor at this time. It was known at a later date as the Fulthorpe Porch.

The chapel was separated from the chancel by a pointed archway of two chamfered orders dying into the wall at the springing and is built of rubble masonry. The piscina is in the usual position on the south wall and is still visible.

The church was originally roofed in lead, but was replaced by a slate roof when the church was rebuilt in 1788.

In the centre of the church were two blue slabs laid close together. One of the slabs had a cross, the other had a sword suspended from a cross below which was a cross Moline. This Moline cross was the arms of the Fulthorpe family. Six feet below these slabs were found two oak coffins.

Hutchinson said there was a stone coffin, which had the name Roger de Fulthorpe on it. This coffin is now in Thorpe Thewles churchyard; alongside it is a 12th/13th century font also from the church at Grindon.

It is possible that an effigy of a knight in Norton church, which has been identified as being of Roger de Fulthorpe, may well have been in Grindon church originally. The coat of arms on the knight's shield has been altered to that of the Blakiston family. The effigy may well have been admired by the Blakiston family, misappropriated by them and removed to Norton church.

Another gravestone still visible in the church grounds is that of Joseph Middleton one of the Vicars of the Church who died in 1816, also his wife and family.

Credits

FORDYCE - History & Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham
HORTON - The Story of Cleveland
HUTCHINSON - History & Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham
NORTON HERITAGE GROUP - Norton A Village Story -Part II
SOWLERA - History of the Town & Borough of Stockton-on-Tees
SURTEES - History & Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham
SURTEES SOCIETY - Various Publications
SYKES - Local Records of Northumberland & Durham Victoria History of the Counties of England, Durham
RICHMOND - Local Records of Stockton & Neighbourhood

Early Neolithic & Bronze Ages

Early Man in Grindon

Generally the Mesolithic Period (8,600-3,700 BC) has shown some evidence of occupation in County Durham particularly towards the coast although no signs have been found in the parish. At this time the people were hunters following the migration of animals such as red deer and reindeer. The main evidence of occupation comes from finds of stone axe heads, and round Cairns and barrows. The nearest finds have been on the coast around Seaton Carew.

The Neolithic Period

The Neolithic Period (3,700-2, 300 BC) really marks the beginning of farming, as we know it today. Arable farming was brought over from the continent although there is again little evidence of any activity within the parish; indeed most of the recorded sites are south of the River Tees.

The nearest find was of a polished stone axe in Fairfield, Stockton, with other finds at the coast, which appears to have been an attractive location for early man.

The Bronze Age

There have been many finds of Bronze Age (2,300-800 BC) artifacts particularly in the Cleveland Hills and again around the coast at Hartlepool.

Yet again there is no evidence of activity in the parish. However this lack of finds does not necessarily mean the parish did not have a small population at this time.

It is likely that early man did live and hunt in the area but no remains have yet been found from this period.

Iron Age

Until very recently there was little evidence of settlements of the period known as the Iron Age (800 BC-70 AD). Since 1960 a number of sites have been discovered particularly on the Cleveland Hills and at Catcote near Hartlepool. Even more recently in the 1970's sites have been found by aerial photography at Longnewton, Wolviston, Ingleby Barwick and Thorpe Thewles.

The first real evidence of man's activities in the parish were discovered in 1976 as a series of crop marks in a field near the A177 Durham road a little to the north of Thorpe Thewles village. An excavation of the site was done by Cleveland County Archaeology Section in 1980 and has given an insight to the life at that time.

Prior to the finds mentioned above there was little evidence of man's activity in the area. This may be because much of the area was still covered with Forests, which at this time consisted of mainly climax oak and lime. Areas that were cultivated would be the less dense woodlands on the hilltops rather than the more wooded valley bottoms.

The settlement at Thorpe Thewles originally consisted of an enclosure surrounded by a ditch. A bank probably inside the ditch would be topped by a wooden fence or & hedge. This would keep the livestock safe from predators but would not deter armed raiders.

The main house had its own drainage ditch and was quite large made from wooden stakes with interlaced withies all covered with a mixture of clay, leaves, straw and animal hair. This was known as wattle and daub. The roof would be conical in shape, thatched on wooden rafters.

A second phase was very similar but was made of puddled clay with straw and hair bonding with no wood in the walls. The third phase was found to be thoroughly burnt but whether by accident or on purpose cannot be said.

These three phases lasted 70 - 100 years.

Other buildings were found inside the enclosure and the number of buildings increased with time as the settlement expanded. Eventually the settlement had expanded from what was probably a farmstead to a small village.

Evidence has shown that as well as crops such as wheat and barley animals were also kept, cattle and sheep were reared although they were breeds, which are now either extinct or very rare. These animals would provide meat and milk as well as leather, bone, horn and wool. In addition cattle could be used to pull the plough and all the animals would provide manure as a fertilizer. Pigs were also kept and horses similar to the Exmoor pony, which could be used for ploughing or for transport.

Other activities on the site included spinning of wool, manufacture of pottery and metalworking. Milling of the corn required the use of stones known as querns, which would be imported from the Pennines or North Yorkshire Moors.

This settlement appears to have been abandoned at about the time of the Roman occupation of northern Britain unlike many similar sites throughout the country, which were occupied into and beyond the Roman occupation of Britain. It may be that the settlement was abandoned for a more sheltered location in the valley closer to running water, possiblv to the present site of Thorpe Thewles.

Iron Age Settlement

The Iron Age Settlement, situated on the east side of the A177 at Thorpe Thewles was first noticed by Leslie Still who photographed the area from an aeroplane back in 1976 having seen some pronounced markings in a field of ripening barley. Enclosures of this type are relatively common in the North East of England but the site at Thorpe Thewles is larger than most covering an area of about 7000 square metres. The site dates to about 50BC.

Between 1980 and 1982 Cleveland County Archaeology Section excavated over 50% of the site.

The ditch forming the enclosure was over 3 metres wide and 2 metres deep and the spoil from this had been used to form a bank, probably on the inside. The bank would have been capped with either a stout wooden fence or a thick hedge to protect the community’s livestock. The prevailing wind would probably have been from the north-west as it is today so the entrance was placed at the southern edge.

The central building is large and complex and there is evidence that the house had three phases of building. A drainage ditch, over 2.6 metres wide surrounds the house. Initially this house would have been grouped with one or two ancillary buildings but most of the interior of the enclosure would probably have been used to coral livestock.

Later expansion of the site, with additional buildings being built meant that the bank was pushed back into the ditch and the area became much more open. The ditch was completely filled in and the settlement no longer resembled a defended farmstead but was more like a village in size. The positioning of post-holes and the shape of the ditch shows that these buildings were circular in shape called round houses.

The most common animals kept on the site were cattle for beef, milk, leather, bone, horn and manure. They would also have been used to pull a simple plough or ard.

The spinning of wool is evident as a small number of spindleworls were found. Soay sheep, a strain of sheep still found on the remote Scottish island of St Kilda, is thought to be the closest relative to the sheep that were found in the Iron Ages. Their wool, which is plucked rather than shorn occurs in two colours, fawn and brown. This enabled simple tartan patterns to be woven on simple upright looms. An attractively decorated bone implement, thought to be a weaving shuttle, was found on the site close to two odd post holes that may well have held the upright supports for a loom.

Iron Age horses resembled modern Exmoor ponies in appearance. They could have been used to pull ploughs, chariots and carts. Three horse skulls were discovered at Thorpe Thewles along with many other animal bones.

Fragments of pottery vessels have been found. Other vessels made of wood and leather would also have been used but these being perishable no longer exist. The pottery is very crude, made of local clay and fashioned by hand into simple shapes before being fired in a bonfire or simple pit-kiln. Some finer quality vessels with turned out rims to support a wooden lid were used for cooking.

The settlement would have been largely self-sufficient but some items would have been acquired through barter or exchange. Corn grinding equipment would have been imported as there was no suitable local stone to make them. Wheat and barley would have been ground using a quern stone. Two types of quern stone were found on the site.

The earlier form is the saddle quern, this is a simple flat stone with a saddle shaped depression on the top-side in which the grain is ground using a smaller top stone. The beehive quern that replaced this is in two halves of equal diameter.

The top stone is bun shaped with a central conical hopper to hold the grain that falls down a hole to the grinding surface. It is held in place by a metal pivot that fits into a central hole in the bottom stone. The upper stone has a further socket to place wooden pegs for the handles used to rotate the upper stone. The beehive quern was introduced into Northern England in the 1st century BC and marks a technological advance in the processing of cereals.

Very few items of Iron Age jewellery have been found but a few pieces were found at Thorpe Thewles including a silver ring, two examples of brooches used to fasten clothing and a beautiful piece of gold jewellery thought to be part of an ear-ring. The photograph shows a modern reproduction of the earing on the right.

Get more information

More information about this period in our history can be found in the publications below and reports produced by Tees Archaeology or visit the Tees Archaeology web site (www.teesarchaeology.com).

Acknowledgements

Peter Rowe, Tees Archaeology

Joyce Scott

Roman Occupation

In the north of England the Roman occupation took much longer to have any effect on the people and landscape. The initial occupation covered the southern parts of England and a pact was made with the Brigantia, the tribe that occupied the north. This pact however did not last and the north was invaded in AD71.

This would probably have little effect on the people of Grindon at least for some time. Eventually the Roman tax gatherer and the army-recruiting officer would appear, but there would be a ready market for farm produce, and profits could be made from the trade with the Romans.

In the earlier part of the Roman occupation (100-120AD) some forts were built tc try to suppress the uprisings of the native peoples. Eventually Hadrian's Wall was built to control the people to the north. Forays by the Roman army into Scotland left some of the forts south of Hadrian's Wall deserted which left the way open for the Brigantes to attack and destroy many of these forts.

There is little evidence of effects of this violence in the immediate area of the Tees lowlands; indeed there is little evidence of military activity at all in the area. The major Roman Road ran from York and crossed the Tees at Piercebridge and then on to the Hadrian's Wall. Another road ran from York crossing the Tees at Middleton-one-Row (Pountney's Bridge) then on to Sedgefield and following the line of the A177 road to the fort at Chester-le-Street.

A number of probable Roman roads crossed the Tees further downstream. The one crossing at Yarm could possibly have run north into Grindon joining the existing road at Sedgefield.

Another crossing the river between the present sites of Stockton and Middlesbrough would go to the coast at Seaton Carew and possibly branch off to Sedgefield. At present there is no evidence to confir in 1848m the existence of any of these roads.

A few Roman artefacts have been found around the River Tees and indeed Roman coins were found in the parish at Whitton.

Parish of Grindon

The parish slopes gently from the northwest to southeast from a height of 250 feet to 50 feet at the southern boundary, Thorpe Beck.

The parish of Grindon lies in the geological area known as the Tees Lowlands. The underlying structure in this area is of Triassic deposits (195-225 million years old). During the last ice age a great thickness of ice was formed over the Tees Lowlands by glaciers flowing into the area from the Pennines, the Cheviots and Scandinavia. These glaciers contained large quantities of rock debris and boulders suspended in the ice. Indeed one such boulder can still be seen in the village of Sadberge, a few miles west of Grindon.

About 13,000 BC the climate warmed up and the ice melted. The rock debris was deposited as coarse boulders known as boulder clay with patches of gravel occurring.

Then a lake formed in the Tees Lowlands. This was fed by streams flowing from the residual glaciers in the west, which brought in finer sediments to be deposited on the lake floor.

Sea Level rose so that by 7,500 BC the British Isles were cut off from mainland Europe, the North Sea eroding the coastline to its present position by about 5,000 BC.

The deposits formed during this change are known as laminated clays made up of thin layers of fine sand and clays. These clays have a maximum depth of 10 metres (30 ft.) but thin out rapidly away from the River Tees petering out completely at between 17 and 25 metres (50-80 ft.) above sea level.

The deposits of sand and gravel often form workable deposits, which have frequently been exploited in the parish, particularly around the Thorpe Beck area.

The very fertile agricultural land of the parish is a result of this geology.

After the last Ice Age when the ice had retreated a covering of grasses and herbs spread in from the south and east followed by a variety of trees. First pine and birch followed by hazel, elm and oak with alder arriving by about 3000 BC. This heralded the first arrival of man.

Wynyard Hall

A short summary of the history of Wynyard Hall and the Londonderry Family taken from the book by Brian Masters

The name Wynyard originally meant ‘enclosed meadow’ from two anglo saxon words, win (meadow) and geard (enclosure). The name turns up in the 13th century as Wyneiard and in the 14th as Wynhyard. The current spelling came about in the 16th century.

There has been a substantial mansion house on the site of Wynyard Hall from as early as the 1200’s when, owned by the crown, it was inhabited by the de Chapell family. When the last of the male line died the de Chapell daughters became co-heirs. The widow re-married John de Denthorpe who gave his share of the property to Sir Henry de Lisle in 1283. The property was passed down through successive Durham families. Passing in marriage to another family when the male line died out.

Henry de Lisles brother inherited the property and his daughter succeeded him. She married Alan de Langton who is described as lord of Wynyard in a document dated 1311. The property ceased to be owned by the crown and the Langtons acquired the separate portions establishing themselves as the sole occupiers.

In 1438 the property was inherited by Sibyl daughter of William Langton who conveyed it in marriage to Sir Roger Conyers.

Little is known about the size of the manor house but the property must have been of a substantial size as the Conyers secured a chaplain for the service of the Wynyard household in 1454.

Ralph Claxton inherited the property in 1524 when he married William Conyers daughter Sybilla.

The estate was split three ways when William Claxton shared the estate between two daughters and a granddaughter. It was later brought back together again when a wealthy Newcastle merchant Alexander Davison purchased all portions.

The Davisons lived at Wynyard between 1633 and 1737 when the house was sold to Thomas Rudd who later sold it on to John Tempest in 1742 for £8,000.

The senior John Tempest died in 1776 and his successor, John Tempest had an only son John Wharton Tempest who died in a riding accident in 1793 aged 21. The direct line of the Tempests at Wynyard died with him and when John Tempest died in 1794 he passed the estate on to his nephew Sir Henry Vane the son of his sister Francis. A condition of this was that he take the name Tempest and he became known as Sir Henry Vane-Tempest. Sir Henry died in 1813 at Wynyard and the estate passed to his 13 year old daughter Frances Anne. Frances married a soldier and diplomat Charles William Stewart in 1819. His father, Robert Stewart, was the 1st Marquess of Londonderry. His half brother Robert, the famous Foreign Secretary Lord Castlereagh, succeeded as 2nd Marquess. On his death in 1822 Charles succeeded to the title and became 3rd Marquess of Londonderry.

In 1822 The Marquess and Marchioness saw work commence on the Wynyard mansion. Phillip Wyatt the architect was chosen to build a completely new house but he chose to retain the central part of the old building that became to entrance hall. The new part of the building was constructed in a simple Grecian style using stone from the family quarry at Penshaw ( part of the Tempest inheritance). Once the mansion was inhabitable, though by no means complete it was celebrated by one local newspaper as ‘the most splendid mansion in the north of England’.

Sadly the work was not completed for in 1841 a fire broke out in the conservatory which destroyed the entire house together with the valuable paintings, furniture and stained glass work.

Wyatt did not live to rebuild Wynyard but architects such as John Dobson and Ignatius Bonomi used his designs in the reconstruction. The house was completed in 1846.

The Tempests entertained at Wynyard on a grand scale. Royalty, prime ministers, foreign dignitaries and many others were frequent visitors.

On the death of the 3rd marquess in 1854, the title of 4th Marquess passed to Frederick the eldest son of his marriage to Francis Anne. Frederick resided at Mount Stewart in Ireland. During her years of widowhood, Francis Anne commissioned the building of a sepulchre in memory of her husband. She died at Seaham in 1865.

The 4th Marquis died without an heir in 1872 and his half brother Henry Lord Vane became the 5th Marquis. He resided at the property in Wales that he acquired on his marriage to Mary Cornelia.

On his death in 1884 Henry was succeeded by his son, Charles who became 6th Marquis of Londonderry.

The new Marquis and his Marchioness Lady Theresa Chetwynd-Talbot loved Wynyard Park and had a close relationship with their tenants. Queen Victoria created the Marquess, a Knight of the Garter for his services as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

Lord Londonderry died of pneumonia at Wynyard Park in 1915, his wife died in 1919.

Charles Stewart Henry their son became the 7th Marquis and together with his wife Edith entertained many important guests at Wynyard. Mr & Mrs Winston Churchill, Mr Harold and Lady Dorothy Macmillan, The Prince of Wales, later King Edward V111. The Duke and Duchess of York, later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1934. The present Queen stayed at Wynward, as Princess Elizabeth in 1947. Lord and Lady Londonderry had four daughters and a son, Robin who succeeded to the title of 8th Marquis in 1949. He married Romaine, who until becoming Lady Castlereagh and Lady Londonderry worked in a beauty salon in London.

The 8th Marquis spent most of his time at Wynyard which at the time was being used as a teachers training college.

Wynyard was not tended as it should have been and became run down and forgotten. The 8th Marquis died in 1955 and was succeeded by his 18 year old son who was the youngest ever Marquis of Londonderry.

The 9th Marquis renovated the house and park. When the work was completed in 1963 Wynyard Hall was called ‘ the most splendid 19th century mansion house in the county’ by Nicholas Pevsner.