| Eston | |
The square in Eston with war memorial |
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Eston
Eston shown within North Yorkshire |
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| OS grid reference | NZ554187 |
|---|---|
| Unitary authority | Redcar and Cleveland |
| Ceremonial county | North Yorkshire |
| Region | North East |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | MIDDLESBROUGH |
| Postcode district | TS6 |
| Dialling code | 01642 |
| Police | Cleveland |
| Fire | Cleveland |
| Ambulance | North East |
| EU Parliament | North East England |
| UK Parliament | Redcar |
| List of places: UK • England • Yorkshire | |
Eston is a town within the Unitary Authority of Redcar and Cleveland, England. Within the Middlesbrough agglomeration it falls inside the Greater Eston initiative.[1] It is also in the historic county of the North Riding of Yorkshire and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire.
Eston is next to Normanby, Grangetown and Teesville, indeed several institutions in Teesville and Normanby have Eston in their name, such as Eston Sports Academy, Eston Cemetery and Eston Park School. It is included in the Redcar and Cleveland redevelopment initiative named Greater Eston.
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The land around Eston has been occupied since 2400 BC, but it was the discovery of ironstone in Eston Hills by industrialists from Middlesbrough (most notably Henry Bolckow and John Vaughan) in 1841, that saw Eston's development start, in 1850, from two cottages to a thriving mining town.[2] Miners' cottages, although altered, can still be seen in parts of Eston. The mining history of Eston was the subject of a film, A Century in Stone, which describes how the mines were responsible for making Teesside the iron and steel capital of the world. The film, by Craig Hornby of Pancrack Films,[3] not only sold out in local cinemas, but also across Australia.
The Teesside steel industry that was started from these mines, eventually produced the steel that built the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Steel making continues on the Tees now: the mines have been closed for more than sixty years though, after one hundred years of production. Teesside steel became part of the nationalised British Steel, which in turn became the Corus Group. It can be said that the town of Middlesbrough came into being only because of the Eston mines.
The town of Eston lies at the foot of Eston Hills,[4] a ridge around 200 metres (656 ft) above sea level, and a part of the Cleveland Hills. The same hills that overshadow Eston were used to warn of attack in the Napoleonic Era by a beacon, the remains of which can still be seen at Eston Nab. Eston Nab is also home to Bauer Teesside and their forest of aerials and transmitters - broadcasting local radio from this convenient high spot.
At only 242 metres (794 ft) above sea level at its highest point, Eston Hills are classed as Lowland heath.
Wildlife includes, lapwing, curlew, green woodpecker and linnet. There are various butterflies and dragonflies.[5]
The hills overlooking Eston are managed - for their wildlife, archaeology and amenity. Many people use the hills for walking, cycling and horse riding. There are several self-guided walk leaflets, which take in points of interest. These are available at the Flatts Lane Woodland Country Park Visitor Centre, Normanby, Redcar and Cleveland.
The Eston Hills provide access to the wider countryside via the public right of way network. The land owned or managed by the Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council is mostly bordered by farmland. Eston Nab commands an excellent view of the nearby Roseberry Topping, which stands higher at 320 metres (1,050 ft).
Eston Square, the curiously named shopping area on the main road passing through Eston, forms more of a triangle than a square. The square has a war memorial as its centrepiece - The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier - which shows the statue of a soldier atop a plinth. The plinth lists the names of local people who died during the World Wars.
Two sides the square are lined with traditional terraced shops, whilst the third side has the 1960s-built Eston Precinct parade of shops. Eston Square provides an important retail facility for a much wider area than just Eston itself. Whilst some of the shops are well maintained businesses, others, in the words of Redcar and Cleveland Council, "are in need of a facelift".[6] As part of Redcar and Cleveland Council's Greater Eston Regeneration, improvements are planned, including the part-demolition of the Precinct Shopping Centre and the building of a new supermarket.
The square has also been entered into the regional Northumbria in Bloom competition in recent years, with regular work being carried out by members of the Eston Residents Association.
Eston Cemetery is one of those places in the area which was probably named at the time of the Eston Urban District Council, which included Normanby. Nevertheless, Eston Cemetery can be said to be in Normanby.
Still in active use, it was established in 1863 and built as an extension to the church of St Helen, which has since been demolished. Names on the gravestones tell the story of the families whose daily lives created the history of the wider area throughout the twentieth century until the present.
Eston also includes the area of Whale Hill, which was built in the late 1950s to early 1960s. Whale Hill is a private residential estate. It includes a large private members' club and a row of shops, including a chemist, Post Office, supermarket, fish shop and a corner shop. The area also benefits from a large local community centre.
Eston has three major churches, two on the High Street[7][8] and one in Whale Hill.[9]
Christ Church, the Church of England church in Eston, is is the partner church to St. George's Church in Teesville. Christ Church is a traditionally designed church built in red brick. It features sixteen stained-glass windows in dressed sandstone settings that bring warm colourful light into the main body of the building; they are themed around saints.[10]
Similarly, St. Anne's Church, the Catholic church in Eston, is part of a larger parish, which includes the churches of St. Peter's, South Bank, St. Andrew's, Teesville and St. Mary's, Grangetown. The joint parish is served from, and carries the name of, St. Andrew's Parish. St. Anne's Church was built in 1970, although the Catholic community had existed as a distinct group for many years before that. Before the church was built a mass took place each Sunday at the Grangetown Royal British Legion Social Club.[11]
| N.W. | North | Teesport | N.E. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Ormesby | South Bank | Grangetown | ||
| West | Thorntree | Teesville | Whale Hill | East |
| Ormesby | Normanby | Eston | Lackenby | |
| S.W. | Nunthorpe | South | Bankfields | S.E. |