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Published: August 20th 2017
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The inscription on the end wall of the hall read “Knowledge will bring you the opportunity to make a difference”. We never had such words of wisdom when we made our foray into the big world of what they now call Post 16 education. I peered around what else had changed in the world of Prior Pursglove College in the last 40 years or so. The hall had been completely rebuilt and was faced with a cedar cladding. A fingerpost at the entrance pointed towards such the Waterhouse Building and the Coverdale Building, indicating that there had been an overall increase in size. The core of the College buildings are part of what was the old Guisborough Grammar School and as such, is a listed building. The new sections had been completely remodelled and extended. I noted rather alarmingly that they had built on the old football pitch, so yet another of the scenes of my great goals of former years was covered in concrete. The field at the Junior School in the North East Premier Seaside resort has suffered a similar fate recently. The old classrooms where I had my form room was now the Coverdale Building. I could see
no reason why the former lead singer of Whitesnake and Deep Purple should be honoured, (apart from hailing from the North East Premier Seaside Resort) but research shows that it is named after the creator of the English translated bible. You learn something new every day. I took a couple of photographs of the old Common Room, which for all I know is still the Common Room. I never frequented the place much, but I am sure nostalgic memories will come flooding back if the Man from Montreal reads my latest ramblings.
I had a couple of hours to kill, so I set off round the town centre. As well as the blog generating some potential interest among current residents of the
Les Habitants, I had a request from elsewhere in Canada for a low down on Guisborough. I’ll call this blog my first commission. The logical place to start was at the Priory next door to the College. I was ashamed to say that I had been here every day for 2 academic years, but never actually set foot in the Priory grounds. You could even see it from some of our classes. The Priory is
now looked after by “Friends” on behalf of English Heritage and grants free entry Wednesday through Sunday. The Priory was originally founded in 1119 and prospered until the whims of Henry VIII brought an end to the monastic system. The Priory succumbed to the Kings men in December 1540 and was one of the last to do so in the country. At the time it was the fourth richest monastic house in Yorkshire, apparently with an annual net value of £626. The buildings were largely destroyed and the stone used elsewhere in town, but the large east end window of the Church was left standing. It is now the symbol of the town and there is a good vista from the fields outside the grounds. The Priory and estates were acquired by the Chaloner family in 1550 and they were behind the preservation of the east window. They created a garden area in part of the grounds in the 18
th century and the rest was largely absorbed into their family lands. The Grammar School – now the Sixth Form College - was founded by a Robert Pursglove who remained loyal to the King after the dissolution.
The
Chaloner family were the top dogs in town from Tudor times all the way through to the 1940s. They originally resided at the “old” Guisborough Hall on Bow Street. The Priory lands provided them with great wealth, initially from agriculture and then with the first phase of industrialization, Thomas Chaloner Junior, established one of the first alum works in England. The town also prospered with the discovery of iron ore in the local hills and one of the railway founders, Joseph Pease, established his country seat at Hutton Hall outside the town. In 1825, the “old” Guisborough Hall was demolished and the Chaloners went upmarket. The “new” Guisborough Hall was built on the road towards Whitby and the North Yorkshire Moors. It is now a hotel and a popular wedding venue. I would wander into the grounds for old times sake later in the day.
The area around the College is largely unchanged, but some of the businesses have changed names. The Priory Fish Shop had a for sale sign outside. Perhaps Sixth Form College kids don’t buy as many chips these days? The Rabbit & Onion across the road was now a wine bar “and eatery”
and the Yorkshire Bank has now left town. The bollards were outside St Nichols Church to create space for a funeral later in the day. The 1821 Grade II listed Town Hall is now unoccupied. It was originally a meat market and latterly a solicitors office. The tastes and choice of alcoholic establishments in Guisborough has moved on in the last few years. It used to be awash with proper old pubs, albeit some of them not exactly noted as being on the over friendly side. The Buck has gone. The Black Bull is now a gastro pub and the Seven Stars had been re-christened and is more in the cocktails and dreams establishment sector. A wine bar called The Monk had opened. Westgate was the usual bustling self. It wasn’t market day, but the previous time I had been there suggested the number of stalls were well down on years gone by. I walked down Bow Street past the Fox to the bottom of Belmangate. If the Anchor had been open, I would have been straight in for a pint of Sam Smiths. I have undertaken that route many times over the years, but never noticed that the original
town Police Station was directly over the road. The year plaque was over the door. The Guisborough Cricket Club is immediately behind the pub. The impressive looking ground was all locked up. They are stalwarts of the North Yorkshire & South Durham League, but they don’t have players of the calibre of Desmond Haynes anymore. His popularity extended further than the boundaries by all accounts! Kids these days just turn n the satellite TV In our day, you could watch West Indian Test players a few miles away in the next town......and they think Twenty 20 has only been invented recently!
I walked back up to Westgate and got a haircut. A Turkish barbers no less. Wine bars, cocktail bars and now international hair establishments. Sunnydale House is now the Guisborough Museum. It was originally the home of the Land Agent for the Chaloner Estate. The Registry Office has been demolished and replaced by a Wetherspoons – The Ironstone Miner. The outdoor terrace at the front was packed in the afternoon sun. I listened to an old guy wax lyrical about the merits of taking every evening meal in the establishment. It saved washing up
and meant he only needed to shop for a “few bits and his cereal” in Morrisons. A series of fine old houses line the next upper part of Westgate. I walked up past the old Ambulance Station to the King George V recreation area. The swimming baths look so small. I am not sure whether it is this stretch of water or the sea that is responsible for my dislike of aquatic pastimes to this day. The football ground was looking pristine. There was no game on and I haven't visited for a couple of season. The new season is underway and after the reprieve from relegation to Northern League 2, optimism has returned. It is a shame that the fixtures were already released when that reprieve came and so there will be no Boxing Day battle with the Mount Pleasant gang this festive season.
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Rainyb
Lorraine Brecht
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