Port Mulgrave, its rust and history

Sitting in the old port area, at the end of the ruined pier are the remains of a possible portable crane or winch. The bottom left photo is a coil of metallic cable no doubt used for the winch now on its last legs of existence –a solid rusted mass. The top right shows what I imagine to be the top of another winch nearer to the old tunnel that brought the workers and ore here from nearby dwellings and quarries.
The harbour was constructed by Sir Charles Palmer in 1856-57 at a cost of £45,000. Initially the harbour exported ironstone to Jarrow on Tyneside to supply Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company Limited Later ironstone was sent to blast furnaces by the River Tees When the mine at Rosedale Wyke began to run out Sir Charles Palmer established Grinkle ironstone mine 3 miles (4.8 km) to the east near the hamlet of Dalehouse and in 1875 a narrow-gauge railway line was built to the mine. The ironstone wagons from Grinkle Mine were taken over bridges then through a tunnel under Ridge Lane down a mile long inclined tunnel on a ropeway powered by a steam engine situated by the east pier then emerging in the cliff side 30 ft above sea level. The railway wagons were then led onto a gantry with bunkers on the east harbour wall ready for loading the ironstone directly into ships in the harbour.

See the tunnel photo for the full history.


Enjoy full screen.