Forgotten harbour

Forgotten harbour

Despite forecasts of severe snow and blizzards, we intended to take Mum's new caravan for a short test run this weekend to Hinderwell, on the edge of North Yorkshire. This is Port Mulgrave, about a mile away from Hinderwell and I remember it as a kid as my parents had a friend who live here. The harbour is almost gone now, but I remember my first trip out to sea from here, in a lifeboat my uncle had bought from Great Yarmouth. It was a bit of a family outing, though most of us kids and the women spent alot of time lent over the side throwing up.

The harbour was built in the mid 1800's when iron ore was found in the cliff face - well before the rich seams were discovered beneath Eston Hills. This seam only lasted a few years before it started to peter out. Another small seam was then opened in nearby Grinkle Park and the harbour continued to be used for several decades.

During World War I, the jetties and equipment were partially destroyed to prevent the harbour being used by the Germans for an invasion.

What's left of the jetties is still used by a handful of hardy fishermen.