Book Review

Changing Marske-by-the-Sea

If you’re not closely familiar with Marske and its history, you may be tempted to perceive it as essentially a fishing village.

Regular images on television weather forecasts highlight the beach with boats in the foreground and Huntcliff in the distance. However, as this delightful publication demonstrates, it was other primary industries – agriculture and mining – that largely shaped its evolution. Agriculture came first, the gently sloping and fertilelandbeingconducivetomixedfarming.

Farming continues around the village but much of this land has been sold in the last sixty years to make way for housing and related facilities. Ironstone mining came along in the mid-19th century with the opening of UpleathamMineinErringtonWood,amileortwoinland. The mine was abandoned in 1923 but its impact on the districtisstillevidenttoday.

Changing Marske-by-the-Sea charts the development of the village and its vicinity with a wealth of images and supporting text. This edition is a progression from the firstone,publishedin2012.

Much of the focus is on the village centre, where a roundabout and several zebra crossings now take care of the movement of vehicles and pedestrians. This area has seen much renewal – some might suggest other words –since the 1950s and local resident Jack Anderson documented these radical changes with his camera. His photographs populate much of the book, with the effective ‘then and now’ contrasts from the same locationsinextensiveuse.

Several farmhouses and their outbuildings were once in the village, the present-day leisure centre and Co-op supermarkethavingbeenthesiteofFitzhugh’sFarm.The advent of ironstone mining brought about demand for more housing, to the extent that accommodation needed tobebuiltclosertothemineatwhatisnowNewMarske. All these changes are covered in detail, together with developmentsintransport,entertainmentandotherareas.

As with other communities, a key theme that underpins the story of Marske is the role played by property ownership.The Zetland Estate features regularly across the book, as does the Pease family of industrialists whohadCliffHousebuiltin1844asasummerresidence.

The sale of land – and buildings – shapes the future character of a community, something that’s still very relevant these days. Some landowners have a philanthropic dimension and the book demonstrates how Marskehasbenefitedinthisrespect.

Changing Marske-by-the-Sea comes strongly recommended to anyone with an interest in the developmentofthisvillageandsurroundingdistrict.

The book is available at Marske Shoe Repair Shop (next to Winkies Castle Museum), by emailing post@winkiescastle.co.ukorphoning01642472583.

John Roberts

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