Kirkleatham
Encyclopedia
Kirkleatham is a village in the borough of Redcar and Cleveland
and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire
, England
. It is located approximately 4.5 mi (7.2 km) north/northwest of Guisborough
, and 3 mi (4.8 km) south of Redcar
. It is near the mouth of the River Tees
. Instead of a village, Kirkleatham could be classified as a collection of buildings that formed the Turner Estate, named for the Turner family who lived at Kirkleatham from 1661. Kirkleatham has one of the best collections of Georgian
-style buildings in England.
in 1669. He gave most of his fortune to found the Sir William Turner’s Hospital in June 1676. In present day, it is an independent almshouse
. Turner bequeathed a substantial amount of money to his great nephew, Cholmley Turner, a Member of Parliament
for Yorkshire
, 1727–1741, to establish a Free School, built in 1709, that now serves as the local museum. His estate established for the care of 40 people: ten old men, ten old women, ten boys, and ten girls. The office of governor or governess falls upon the owner of the estate. Management of the estate was the responsibility of a chaplain, a master, and a mistress.
Cholmley Turner added other Grade I listed buildings, the most notable being the Turner Mausoleum, in memory of his son, and adjoining the Church of St Cuthbert. It is a Grade I listed building on Kirkleatham Lane. The mausoleum was built in 1739–40 by James Gibbs, and restored with added internal cladding in 1839. Entered from the church, it is of Baroque style and of an octagonal plan with south and southwest sides that adjoin the church. It is a single story with a basement burial chamber. It contains the inscription, "This mausoleum was erected 1740 to the memory of Marwood William Turner Esquire the best of sons." Cholmley Turner also retained the architect James Gibbs for building of the chapel at the almshouses.
Cholmley Turner’s nephew Sir Charles Turner, 1st Baronet, of Kirkleatham, MP
for York from 1768 to 1783, continued building upon the estate. His achievement included remodeling Kirkleatham Hall, as well as providing for the further development of the hospital, school, and a library. He also built the adjoining village of Yearby
.
Kirkleatham Old Hall Museum functions as the local history museum for Redcar and Cleveland
. Opened in 1981, it became the Museum Service's headquarters. Five years later, a new building was opened, providing exhibition space and offices.
The finds from the only known Anglo-Saxon
royal burial site in north-east England are displayed in an exhibition at the museum. The artefacts were discovered in nearby Loftus
during excavations which took place between 2005 and 2007. Finds include pieces associated with a rare "bed burial" in which a decorated female body is laid out on a decorated wooden bed, accompanied by fine gold jewellery. The finds include a gold pendant, which would have belonged to a princess. as well as glass beads, pottery, iron knives, belt buckles and other objects..
The Kirkleatham Owl and Endangered Species Centre opened to the public in 1990 and is located on the grounds of Kirkleatham Old Hall. The centre is home to one of Britain's largest collections of owl
s, and is also home to hawks and vultures, a caracara
; a talking raven
, and a kookaburra
.
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 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
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is located approximately 4.5 mi (7.2 km) north/northwest of Guisborough
Guisborough
Guisborough is a market town and civil parish within the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England....
, and 3 mi (4.8 km) south of 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...
. It is near the mouth of the River Tees
River Tees
The River Tees is in Northern England. It rises on the eastern slope of Cross Fell in the North Pennines, and flows eastwards for 85 miles to reach the North Sea between Hartlepool and Redcar.-Geography:...
. Instead of a village, Kirkleatham could be classified as a collection of buildings that formed the Turner Estate, named for the Turner family who lived at Kirkleatham from 1661. Kirkleatham has one of the best collections of Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
-style buildings in England.
History
Kirkleatham is the birth place of Sir William Turner who was Lord Mayor of LondonLord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
in 1669. He gave most of his fortune to found the Sir William Turner’s Hospital in June 1676. In present day, it is an independent almshouse
Almshouse
Almshouses are charitable housing provided to enable people to live in a particular community...
. Turner bequeathed a substantial amount of money to his great nephew, Cholmley Turner, a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Yorkshire
Yorkshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Yorkshire was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England from 1290, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832...
, 1727–1741, to establish a Free School, built in 1709, that now serves as the local museum. His estate established for the care of 40 people: ten old men, ten old women, ten boys, and ten girls. The office of governor or governess falls upon the owner of the estate. Management of the estate was the responsibility of a chaplain, a master, and a mistress.
Cholmley Turner added other Grade I listed buildings, the most notable being the Turner Mausoleum, in memory of his son, and adjoining the Church of St Cuthbert. It is a Grade I listed building on Kirkleatham Lane. The mausoleum was built in 1739–40 by James Gibbs, and restored with added internal cladding in 1839. Entered from the church, it is of Baroque style and of an octagonal plan with south and southwest sides that adjoin the church. It is a single story with a basement burial chamber. It contains the inscription, "This mausoleum was erected 1740 to the memory of Marwood William Turner Esquire the best of sons." Cholmley Turner also retained the architect James Gibbs for building of the chapel at the almshouses.
Cholmley Turner’s nephew Sir Charles Turner, 1st Baronet, of Kirkleatham, MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for York from 1768 to 1783, continued building upon the estate. His achievement included remodeling Kirkleatham Hall, as well as providing for the further development of the hospital, school, and a library. He also built the adjoining village of Yearby
Yearby
Yearby is a village in the borough of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England....
.
Kirkleatham Old Hall
The Free School, built by Chomley Turner, is now known as Kirkleatham Old Hall and is a Grade II* listed building.Kirkleatham Old Hall Museum functions as the local history museum for 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...
. Opened in 1981, it became the Museum Service's headquarters. Five years later, a new building was opened, providing exhibition space and offices.
The finds from the only known Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
royal burial site in north-east England are displayed in an exhibition at the museum. The artefacts were discovered in nearby Loftus
Loftus, North Yorkshire
Loftus is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. It lies in a region between Saltburn-by-the-Sea and the North York Moors...
during excavations which took place between 2005 and 2007. Finds include pieces associated with a rare "bed burial" in which a decorated female body is laid out on a decorated wooden bed, accompanied by fine gold jewellery. The finds include a gold pendant, which would have belonged to a princess. as well as glass beads, pottery, iron knives, belt buckles and other objects..
The Kirkleatham Owl and Endangered Species Centre opened to the public in 1990 and is located on the grounds of Kirkleatham Old Hall. The centre is home to one of Britain's largest collections of owl
Owl
Owls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
s, and is also home to hawks and vultures, a caracara
Caracara
Caracaras are birds of prey in the family Falconidae. They are traditionally placed in the subfamily Polyborinae, but are sometimes considered part of their own subfamily, Caracarinae, or members of the true falcon subfamily, Falconinae...
; a talking raven
Raven
Raven is the common name given to several larger-bodied members of the genus Corvus—but in Europe and North America the Common Raven is normally implied...
, and a kookaburra
Kookaburra
Kookaburras are terrestrial kingfishers native to Australia and New Guinea. They are large to very large, with a total length of . The name is a loanword from Wiradjuri guuguubarra, and is onomatopoeic of its call...
.
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