Guisborough
Encyclopedia
Guisborough is a market town
and civil parish within the unitary authority
of Redcar and Cleveland
and the ceremonial county
of North Yorkshire
, England.
The civil parish of Guisborough has a population of 18,108 and includes the outlying villages of Upleatham
, Dunsdale
, and Newton under Roseberry
as well as Guisborough itself.
, from 1974 to 1996 part of the County of Cleveland and, at present, one of the major towns of the unitary authority
of Redcar and Cleveland
. Gighesbore is listed in the Domesday Book
and the ruined Gisborough Priory
dates back to the 12th century. The priory and Gisborough Hall
(16th century, demolished and rebuilt) are spelt without the first U. Some other old sites and names use that same spelling.
Some theories date the town back to the Roman occupation of Britain, where it may have been a military fortification. There are a few Roman artifacts from the area that support this, such as an elaborate ceremonial helmet, the Guisborough Helmet
, but the theory remains unproven.
Extensive residential development occurred during the 1960s and 1970s with the expansion of the chemical industry (at Wilton) and the steel industry (at Redcar).
Guisborough market, held every Thursday and Saturday with a few stalls attending on a Tuesday, has long been a focal point of the surrounding area. Originally selling cows and other livestock, the market has gradually developed into a hubbub of fruit and vegetable, clothes and flower stalls. The market is open from early morning to late afternoon on the recently restored cobbles that line Westgate, the principal shopping street.
Guisborough Museum, located behind Westgate's Sunnyfield House, regularly exhibits photos of Guisborough's history and inhabitants. There is a working watermill
at nearby Tocketts Mill.
is a Roman
cavalry
helmet found in 1864 near the town. It was originally fitted with a pair of protective cheek-pieces, which have not survived; the holes by which they were attached can be seen in front of the helmet's ear guards. It is lavishly decorated with engraved and embossed figures, indicating that it was probably used for displays or cavalry tournaments, though it may well have been intended to be worn in battle as well. The helmet was found in what appears to have been a carefully arranged deposition in a bed of gravel, distant from any known Roman sites. After it was recovered during road works it was donated to the British Museum
in London
, where it was restored and is currently on display.
' Anglican Church is home to the de Brus cenotaph. The church was possibly in existence in 1290, although the present chancel dates from the late 15th century. The present nave and interior have been greatly altered since then; the church, in its present form, is the result of a major re-building (1903–08), to a design by the architect Temple Moore
.
, the Victorian
mansion, was built in the Jacobean
style, in 1856. It is the former home of the family of Lord Gisborough
, the estate having been in the hands of the Chaloner family from just after the dissolution of Gisborough Priory until the 1940s. It is a Grade II listed building and serves as a hotel, as part of the Macdonald Hotels chain; it is a popular venue for wedding receptions.
schools, namely Belmont, Galley Hill, Highcliffe, St. Paulinus (R.C.) and Chaloner Primary, which was formed from the amalgamation of the former Northgate Junior and Park Lane schools. Laurence Jackson School
, at the eastern end of the town, is the only secondary school
and a Specialist Sports College; it celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2008.
Prior Pursglove College
is a sixth form college
in Guisborough teaching GCSE, A level and AS level students. The college is next door to St Nicholas' Parish Church and the ruins of Gisborough Priory
. It is situated on the former site of Guisborough Grammar School
, which it replaced as a result of restructuring. The Grammar School was originally founded by Robert Pursglove
, Prior of Gisborough Priory, as a charitable school for poor boys.
Between October 2008 and June 2009, Askham Bryan College of Agriculture
opened its Guisborough Centre, located on the same site as Prior Pursglove College. This consists of an animal management centre and a modern building, the Priory Centre, which is shared with Prior Pursglove College.
and the A173
. The A171 leads west to Middlesbrough
and east to Whitby
whilst the A173 goes south-west to Stokesley
and north-east as far as Skelton
where it joins the A174
coast road. Before the bypass was built, traffic on both of these had to pass through Westgate, the town's main street. Just outside the bypass to the north-east, a B-road heads north from the A173 to Redcar
. Another minor route out of the town, Wilton Lane, is a very windy almost single-track which leads north to the small village of Wilton
, whence one can either join the A174 or continue onto the ICI
Wilton chemical works. As well as these, there are two lanes that lead out of town into the hills; Hutton Lane which ends at Hutton Village, a tiny settlement built mostly for local mining, agricultural and estate workers, and Belmangate, an ancient funeral route.
Until 1964, Guisborough was also served by trains from Middlesbrough; the Middlesbrough & Guisborough Railway had its terminus at the now-vanished Guisborough station
. Prior to 1958 it was even possible to travel all the way to Whitby and Scarborough along the highly scenic North Yorkshire coast railway.
For those travelling on foot, the south of the town is bounded by the North York Moors National Park. Guisborough Forest, which is Forestry Commission
land, clothes the edge of the moors. Through the forest, the ground rises sharply, climbing from the plain below to the height of the moors behind. There are several rocky outcrops on this steep slope, including Highcliff Nab and the Hanging Stone. The woods are crossed by several rights-of-way, including the Cleveland Way
, though other paths and commission tracks are considered fair game for walkers. Beyond the woods, the ground levels out to form Gisborough Moor.
of Leeds
- and the Blackett Hutton steel works.
There are no longer any large employers in the town: Guisborough has become a commuter town
for nearby Middlesbrough
, with many people working in the chemical plant
s that are located around Teesside
.
Branch of the ESCO Corporation
open in Guisborough, as a Manufacturing Site, making the claws and buckets of 'Ground Engaging Tools', such as diggers.
On 15 January 2004, Guisborough was granted Fairtrade Town
status.
in memory of King George V
, and the town's football team Guisborough Town FC
plays on the King George V Ground, adjacent to the playing fields. There is also a swimming pool dating from 1968 located within the grounds. An eight-year campaign led by the late MP Dr Ashok Kumar secured an extensive refurbishment of the pool, which was completed between 2008-09. The Rugby Union Football club play in Durham/Northumberland II Division of the Northern Section of the leagues. Guisborough Cricket Club who play in the North Yorkshire South Durham Premier league in 2001 - 2004 won the league to equal the record of four successive league wins in a row. Guisborough have also had professionals such as Murray Goodwin, (Sussex and former Zimbabwe international) Desmond Haynes and Phil Simmons (both West Indian internationals), Imran Jan (Trinidad and Tobago), Sean Clingeleffer (Tasmania) and Greg Todd (Otago). The area adjacent to the playing field is also fitted with a small playground and a skate-park
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
and civil parish within the unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
of Redcar and Cleveland
Redcar and Cleveland
The borough of Redcar & Cleveland is a unitary authority in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England consisting of Redcar, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Guisborough, and small towns such as Brotton, Eston, Skelton and Loftus. It had a resident population of 139,132 in 2001, and is part of the Tees...
and the ceremonial county
Ceremonial counties of England
The ceremonial counties are areas of England to which are appointed a Lord Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as counties and areas for the purposes of the Lieutenancies Act 1997 with reference to the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England and Lieutenancies Act 1997...
of North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, England.
The civil parish of Guisborough has a population of 18,108 and includes the outlying villages of Upleatham
Upleatham
Upleatham is a village in the borough of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England.It has a small church, believed by some to be the smallest in the world. The village is located near New Marske, between Saltburn and Guisborough; there are a few rows of houses which...
, Dunsdale
Dunsdale
Dunsdale is a village in the borough of Redcar and Cleveland within the civil parish of Guisborough.-History:The Newcomen family, from nearby Kirkleatham, opened an ironstone mine in Dunsdale, in 1872. It exploited two pockets of ironstone left by glaciation...
, and Newton under Roseberry
Newton under Roseberry
Newton under Roseberry is a village in the borough of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. It is on the A173, between Great Ayton and Guisborough and is close to the base of Roseberry Topping....
as well as Guisborough itself.
History
For the last couple of centuries, Guisborough was part of the North Riding of YorkshireNorth Riding of Yorkshire
The North Riding of Yorkshire was one of the three historic subdivisions of the English county of Yorkshire, alongside the East and West Ridings. From the Restoration it was used as a Lieutenancy area. The three ridings were treated as three counties for many purposes, such as having separate...
, from 1974 to 1996 part of the County of Cleveland and, at present, one of the major towns of the unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
of Redcar and Cleveland
Redcar and Cleveland
The borough of Redcar & Cleveland is a unitary authority in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England consisting of Redcar, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Guisborough, and small towns such as Brotton, Eston, Skelton and Loftus. It had a resident population of 139,132 in 2001, and is part of the Tees...
. Gighesbore is listed in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
and the ruined Gisborough Priory
Gisborough Priory
Gisborough Priory is a ruined former Augustinian priory in the town of Guisborough, now in the borough of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. It was founded in 1119 as the Priory of St. Mary by Robert de Brus, 1st Lord of Annandale, an ancestor of the...
dates back to the 12th century. The priory and Gisborough Hall
Gisborough Hall
Gisborough Hall is a 19th century mansion house, now a hotel, at Guisborough, Redcar and Cleveland, England. It is a Grade II listed building....
(16th century, demolished and rebuilt) are spelt without the first U. Some other old sites and names use that same spelling.
Some theories date the town back to the Roman occupation of Britain, where it may have been a military fortification. There are a few Roman artifacts from the area that support this, such as an elaborate ceremonial helmet, the Guisborough Helmet
Guisborough Helmet
The Guisborough Helmet is a Roman cavalry helmet found in 1864 near Guisborough in Redcar and Cleveland . It was originally fitted with a pair of protective cheek-pieces, which have not survived; the holes by which they were attached can be seen in front of the helmet's ear guards...
, but the theory remains unproven.
Extensive residential development occurred during the 1960s and 1970s with the expansion of the chemical industry (at Wilton) and the steel industry (at Redcar).
Guisborough market, held every Thursday and Saturday with a few stalls attending on a Tuesday, has long been a focal point of the surrounding area. Originally selling cows and other livestock, the market has gradually developed into a hubbub of fruit and vegetable, clothes and flower stalls. The market is open from early morning to late afternoon on the recently restored cobbles that line Westgate, the principal shopping street.
Guisborough Museum, located behind Westgate's Sunnyfield House, regularly exhibits photos of Guisborough's history and inhabitants. There is a working watermill
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
at nearby Tocketts Mill.
Guisborough Helmet
The Guisborough HelmetGuisborough Helmet
The Guisborough Helmet is a Roman cavalry helmet found in 1864 near Guisborough in Redcar and Cleveland . It was originally fitted with a pair of protective cheek-pieces, which have not survived; the holes by which they were attached can be seen in front of the helmet's ear guards...
is a Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
helmet found in 1864 near the town. It was originally fitted with a pair of protective cheek-pieces, which have not survived; the holes by which they were attached can be seen in front of the helmet's ear guards. It is lavishly decorated with engraved and embossed figures, indicating that it was probably used for displays or cavalry tournaments, though it may well have been intended to be worn in battle as well. The helmet was found in what appears to have been a carefully arranged deposition in a bed of gravel, distant from any known Roman sites. After it was recovered during road works it was donated to the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where it was restored and is currently on display.
Saint Nicholas' Church
Saint NicholasSaint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas , also called Nikolaos of Myra, was a historic 4th-century saint and Greek Bishop of Myra . Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker...
' Anglican Church is home to the de Brus cenotaph. The church was possibly in existence in 1290, although the present chancel dates from the late 15th century. The present nave and interior have been greatly altered since then; the church, in its present form, is the result of a major re-building (1903–08), to a design by the architect Temple Moore
Temple Lushington Moore
Temple Lushington Moore was an architect working in the Gothic revival style.-Personal life:He was the son of Captain George Frederick Moore and Charlotte Reilly ....
.
Gisborough Hall
Gisborough HallGisborough Hall
Gisborough Hall is a 19th century mansion house, now a hotel, at Guisborough, Redcar and Cleveland, England. It is a Grade II listed building....
, the Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
mansion, was built in the Jacobean
Jacobean
Jacobean indicates the period of English history that coincides with the reign of James I of England :*Jacobean era*Jacobean architecture*Jacobean literature*Jacobean English...
style, in 1856. It is the former home of the family of Lord Gisborough
Baron Gisborough
Baron Gisborough, of Cleveland in the County of York, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1917 for the Conservative politician Richard Chaloner, who had previously represented Westbury and Abercromby in the House of Commons...
, the estate having been in the hands of the Chaloner family from just after the dissolution of Gisborough Priory until the 1940s. It is a Grade II listed building and serves as a hotel, as part of the Macdonald Hotels chain; it is a popular venue for wedding receptions.
Industrial Revolution
The town shared in the prosperity of the industrial revolution through its proximity to the ironstone mines of the North Yorkshire Moors. One of Teesside's leading ironfounders, Sir Joseph Whitwell Pease, chose Guisborough as the site of his country seat, the Alfred Waterhouse-designed Gothic revival Hutton Hall, situated at Hutton Lowcross. This house had its own station on the erstwhile Middlesbrough-Guisborough branch of the North Eastern Railway (closed in 1964).Education
The town is well served with primaryPrimary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
schools, namely Belmont, Galley Hill, Highcliffe, St. Paulinus (R.C.) and Chaloner Primary, which was formed from the amalgamation of the former Northgate Junior and Park Lane schools. Laurence Jackson School
Laurence Jackson School
Laurence Jackson School is a secondary school in Guisborough, North Yorkshire, England. It is in the Redcar and Cleveland local education authority. It is a community school, with a specialism in sport....
, at the eastern end of the town, is the only secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
and a Specialist Sports College; it celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2008.
Prior Pursglove College
Prior Pursglove College
Prior Pursglove College is a sixth form college in Guisborough in the local education authority of Redcar and Cleveland, North Yorkshire, England. The college has been an educational institution since its founder Robert Pursglove set up the grammar school there in the 16th century after helping...
is a sixth form college
Sixth form college
A sixth form college is an educational institution in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Belize, Hong Kong or Malta where students aged 16 to 18 typically study for advanced school-level qualifications, such as A-levels, or school-level qualifications such as GCSEs. In Singapore and India, this is...
in Guisborough teaching GCSE, A level and AS level students. The college is next door to St Nicholas' Parish Church and the ruins of Gisborough Priory
Gisborough Priory
Gisborough Priory is a ruined former Augustinian priory in the town of Guisborough, now in the borough of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. It was founded in 1119 as the Priory of St. Mary by Robert de Brus, 1st Lord of Annandale, an ancestor of the...
. It is situated on the former site of Guisborough Grammar School
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
, which it replaced as a result of restructuring. The Grammar School was originally founded by Robert Pursglove
Robert Sylvester (Pursglove)
Robert Pursglove was an English sixteenth-century bishop.-Life:He was born in Tideswell, Derbyshire the son of Adam Pursglove; his mother's name was Bradshawe. By a maternal uncle, William Bradshawe, he was sent to St Paul's School, London, where he spent nine years. After a short spell at St...
, Prior of Gisborough Priory, as a charitable school for poor boys.
Between October 2008 and June 2009, Askham Bryan College of Agriculture
Askham Bryan College
Askham Bryan College is a specialist landbased college based in Askham Bryan, York, England. It also has centres in Thirsk, Bedale, Harrogate, Guisborough, Bradford, Wakefield Scarborough and Penrith....
opened its Guisborough Centre, located on the same site as Prior Pursglove College. This consists of an animal management centre and a modern building, the Priory Centre, which is shared with Prior Pursglove College.
Access
Two main roads cross at Guisborough, the A171A171 road
The A171 is a road in England that links the North Yorkshire towns of Middlesbrough and Scarborough. Locally it is known as The Moors Road.It takes the following route*starts at Middlesbrough, heads south*turns east at Nunthorpe*past Guisborough...
and the A173
A173 road
The A173 is a major road in North Yorkshire, England. It runs from Stokesley to Skelton....
. The A171 leads west to Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
and east to Whitby
Whitby
Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a combined maritime, mineral and tourist heritage, and is home to the ruins of Whitby Abbey where Caedmon, the...
whilst the A173 goes south-west to Stokesley
Stokesley
Stokesley is a small market town and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Leven. Stokesley is located about two miles south of the boundary of the borough of Middlesbrough and ten miles south of Middlesbrough town centre. Stokesley is located...
and north-east as far as Skelton
Skelton-in-Cleveland
Skelton-in-Cleveland is a small town in the civil parish of Skelton and Brotton in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire in the North East of England. It is situated at the foot of the Cleveland Hills and about east of Middlesbrough. Skelton is...
where it joins the A174
A174 road
The A174 is a major road in North Yorkshire, England. It runs from Thornaby-on-Tees to Whitby....
coast road. Before the bypass was built, traffic on both of these had to pass through Westgate, the town's main street. Just outside the bypass to the north-east, a B-road heads north from the A173 to Redcar
Redcar
Redcar is a seaside resort in the north east of England, and a major town in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire. It lies east-northeast of Middlesbrough by the North Sea coast...
. Another minor route out of the town, Wilton Lane, is a very windy almost single-track which leads north to the small village of Wilton
Wilton, Redcar and Cleveland
Wilton is a small village in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England.-Geography:It is located between Redcar and Eston at the base of Eston Hills - to the east of Eston Nab. The village is noted for its golf course and castle, Wilton...
, whence one can either join the A174 or continue onto the ICI
Imperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries was a British chemical company, taken over by AkzoNobel, a Dutch conglomerate, one of the largest chemical producers in the world. In its heyday, ICI was the largest manufacturing company in the British Empire, and commonly regarded as a "bellwether of the British...
Wilton chemical works. As well as these, there are two lanes that lead out of town into the hills; Hutton Lane which ends at Hutton Village, a tiny settlement built mostly for local mining, agricultural and estate workers, and Belmangate, an ancient funeral route.
Until 1964, Guisborough was also served by trains from Middlesbrough; the Middlesbrough & Guisborough Railway had its terminus at the now-vanished Guisborough station
Guisborough railway station
Guisborough railway station was the terminus of the Middlesbrough and Guisborough Railway. It served the town of Guisborough in North Yorkshire, England. The station was opened on 25 February 1854 and closed, along with the entire Nunthorpe-Guisborough branch, on 2 March 1964.The station had a...
. Prior to 1958 it was even possible to travel all the way to Whitby and Scarborough along the highly scenic North Yorkshire coast railway.
For those travelling on foot, the south of the town is bounded by the North York Moors National Park. Guisborough Forest, which is Forestry Commission
Forestry Commission
The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for forestry in Great Britain. Its mission is to protect and expand Britain's forests and woodlands and increase their value to society and the environment....
land, clothes the edge of the moors. Through the forest, the ground rises sharply, climbing from the plain below to the height of the moors behind. There are several rocky outcrops on this steep slope, including Highcliff Nab and the Hanging Stone. The woods are crossed by several rights-of-way, including the Cleveland Way
Cleveland Way
The Cleveland Way is a National Trail in ancient Cleveland in Northern England. It runs 110 miles from Helmsley to Filey, skirting the North York Moors National Park.-History:The trail was opened in 1969...
, though other paths and commission tracks are considered fair game for walkers. Beyond the woods, the ground levels out to form Gisborough Moor.
Economy
The two main employers in the town used to be "The Shirt Factory" - towards the end of its working life this clothing factory was acquired by Montague BurtonMontague Burton
Sir Montague Maurice Burton founded Burton, one of Great Britain's largest chains of clothes shops....
of Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
- and the Blackett Hutton steel works.
There are no longer any large employers in the town: Guisborough has become a commuter town
Commuter town
A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential, from which most of the workforce commutes out to earn their livelihood. Many commuter towns act as suburbs of a nearby metropolis that workers travel to daily, and many suburbs are commuter towns...
for nearby Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
, with many people working in the chemical plant
Chemical plant
A chemical plant is an industrial process plant that manufactures chemicals, usually on a large scale. The general objective of a chemical plant is to create new material wealth via the chemical or biological transformation and or separation of materials. Chemical plants use special equipment,...
s that are located around Teesside
Teesside
Teesside is the name given to the conurbation in the north east of England made up of the towns of Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar, Billingham and surrounding settlements near the River Tees. It was also the name of a local government district between 1968 and 1974—the County Borough of...
.
Branch of the ESCO Corporation
ESCO Corporation
ESCO Corporation is a manufacturer of engineered metal wearparts and components for industrial applications – including mining, construction, power generation and aerospace. Since 1913, the privately held company has been headquartered in Portland, Oregon, USA, and currently has more than 4,500...
open in Guisborough, as a Manufacturing Site, making the claws and buckets of 'Ground Engaging Tools', such as diggers.
On 15 January 2004, Guisborough was granted Fairtrade Town
Fairtrade Town
Fairtrade Town is a status awarded by a recognized Fairtrade certification body describing an area which is committed to the promotion of Fairtrade certified goods...
status.
Sports and recreation
Guisborough has a King George's FieldKing George's Fields
A King George's Field is a public open space in the United Kingdom dedicated to the memory of King George V ....
in memory of King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
, and the town's football team Guisborough Town FC
Guisborough Town F.C.
Guisborough Town F.C. are an English football club based in Guisborough, Redcar and Cleveland. They were founded in 1973 and currently play in the Northern League Division One. Their home ground is the in Guisborough....
plays on the King George V Ground, adjacent to the playing fields. There is also a swimming pool dating from 1968 located within the grounds. An eight-year campaign led by the late MP Dr Ashok Kumar secured an extensive refurbishment of the pool, which was completed between 2008-09. The Rugby Union Football club play in Durham/Northumberland II Division of the Northern Section of the leagues. Guisborough Cricket Club who play in the North Yorkshire South Durham Premier league in 2001 - 2004 won the league to equal the record of four successive league wins in a row. Guisborough have also had professionals such as Murray Goodwin, (Sussex and former Zimbabwe international) Desmond Haynes and Phil Simmons (both West Indian internationals), Imran Jan (Trinidad and Tobago), Sean Clingeleffer (Tasmania) and Greg Todd (Otago). The area adjacent to the playing field is also fitted with a small playground and a skate-park
Notable people
- Alan Stewart, Motorcycle racer who won the 350cc British championship 1977
- Bob ChampionBob ChampionRobert "Bob" Champion MBE was born in Guisborough, in the north of England, on 4 June 1948. He is an English jump jockey who won the 1981 Grand National on Aldaniti. His triumph was made into a film Champions, with John Hurt portraying Champion...
, jockeyJockeyA jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
who won the 1981 Grand NationalGrand NationalThe Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...
, despite having recently been diagnosed with cancer - Sean GreganSean GreganSean Matthew Gregan is an English professional footballer. A defender, he has played in all of the top four leagues in England.- Early career :...
, footballer - Lawry LewinLawry LewinLawry Lewin, sometimes credited as Lawrence Lewin in Guisborough, Redcar and Cleveland, England is a British television actor best known for playing the role of Rossiter in both parts of the Doctor Who Christmas special, The End of Time.-Biography:It was reported in June 2009 that Lawry had landed...
, actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity... - Rod LiddleRod LiddleRoderick E. L. Liddle is an English print, radio, and television journalist.He is an associate editor of The Spectator, and former editor of BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he is the author of Too Beautiful for You , Love Will Destroy Everything , and co-author of The Best of Liddle Britain...
, former BBC news editor - Selina ScottSelina ScottSelina Scott is a British newsreader, journalist, television producer and presenter.- Background and early life :Scott was born in Scarborough, North Riding of Yorkshire in 1951, the eldest of five children...
, former newsreader and The Clothes ShowThe Clothes ShowThe Clothes Show is a British television show about fashion that can currently be seen weeknights on Really. It was formerly broadcast on BBC One from 1986 to 2000.-BBC series :...
presenter. She was head girl at Laurence Jackson School - Mark BentonMark BentonMark Benton is an English actor, perhaps most famous for his roles as Eddie in Early Doors and Howard in Northern Lights.-Life and career:Benton was born in Guisborough, in the North Riding of Yorkshire, England....
, actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity... - Robert de Brus, 1st Lord of AnnandaleRobert de Brus, 1st Lord of AnnandaleRobert I de Brus, 1st Lord of Annandale was an early 12th century Norman baron and knight, the first of the Bruce dynasty of Scotland and England...
(died before 1138), Norman baron and knight, founded the Bruce dynasty of Britain - John BulmerJohn BulmerJohn Robert Leopold Bulmer was an English first-class cricketer, who played in the 1891 Roses match at Bradford Park Avenue, for Yorkshire County Cricket Club in 1891...
, cricketer - Richard MilwardRichard MilwardRichard Milward is an English writer born in Middlesbrough, in 1984. His debut novel Apples was published by Faber and Faber in 2007. He has also recently published his 2nd novel Ten Storey Love Song....
, author - Willie Applegarth, athlete
- Ralph GaudieRalph GaudieRalph Gaudie was an English footballer who played as a centre forward. His playing career is often mixed up the career of his brother, Richard Gaudie, who played for Aston Villa....
, footballer - James CoppingerJames CoppingerJames Coppinger is an English professional footballer who currently plays as an attacking midfielder for Doncaster Rovers.-Early career:...
, footballer, currently playing for Doncaster Rovers - Thomas WardThomas Ward (author)Thomas Ward was an English author who converted to Catholicism.-Biography:Thomaw was born at Danby Castle near Guisborough in Yorkshire, in what is now modern day Redcar and Cleveland, just south of the River Tees, in 1652, as the son of a farmer and educated as a Presbyterian at Pickering School...
(1652–1708), author who converted to CatholicismCatholicismCatholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole.... - Mark RobinsonMark RobinsonMark Robinson may refer to:Politics*Mark Robinson *Mark Robinson *Mark Robinson *Mark Allan Robinson , Canadian political activistSports...
(born 1981), footballer, currently playing for York City - Alan RamageAlan RamageAlan Ramage is an English first-class cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club, Northern Transvaal and the Minor Counties....
, cricketer - Joseph WhiteheadJoseph WhiteheadJoseph Whitehead was a Canadian railway pioneer and political figure. He represented Huron North in the 1st Canadian Parliament as a Liberal member....
, Canadian railway pioneer and political figure - Walter of Guisborough, medieval chronicler
- Katy LivingstonKaty LivingstonKaty Livingston is a British modern pentathlete who has competed at the Olympic Games.-Early life:...
(born 1984), modern pentathlete