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Ironstone

Cleveland ironstone was mined and quarried from around 500BC, as evidenced by an ancient bloomery site (where malleable iron is produced directly from iron ore) on Levisham Moor. Large-scale working didn’t commence until around 1850, when coastal and moorland locations, such as Skinningrove and Rosedale, were exploited. As the steelworks developed, the tiny coastal village of Skinningrove became known as the Iron Valley. Ironstone from Rosedale was transported over the moors by rail to the blast furnaces in Middlesbrough. Huge quantities of coal had to be shipped to the area, as industry and commerce were hungry for the iron that was produced. The last local ironstone mine, at North Skelton, closed in 1964. The number of steelworks in Middlesbrough has greatly reduced, while Skinningrove only just manages to remain in production.

The Rosedale Ironstone Railway seen at the top of Rosedale Chimney Bank (Walk 30)

Fishing and whaling

The coastal towns and villages thrived on fishing, especially herring fishing, until stocks dwindled. In Whitby, mainly from the mid-18th to mid-19th centuries, the fishing fleets turned their attention to whaling. Whalers often spent months at sea and didn’t always return with a catch, but when they did, regular catches would bring great wealth to the town. Whale blubber was rendered for its oil, which was highly prized because when it burned it gave a bright and fairly soot-free light. Whenever the fishing settlements fell on hard times, smuggling provided an alternative form of employment, most notably at Robin Hood’s Bay.