88 



Saltholme, 600 acres ; Billingham, 300 acres; and Cowpen, 500 

 acres. In the year 1800, Mr. Bamlet reclaimed above 60 acres, 

 at Haverton Hill, afterwards called " Bamlet's Flats." 



On both sides of the river were, and still are, extensive 

 tracts of fine sand. That on the north side of the river was 

 called Seal Sand, and appears from an old chart, dated 1762, to 

 have had a channel all round it, the stream becoming divided 

 at a point about opposite ' Cargo-Fleet, or a little higher at 

 Samphire Point. The northern portion of the stream made a 

 wide detour, and eventually effected a junction with Greatham 

 Fleet to the east, and turning in a south-easterly direction, Avith 

 the southern arm of the stream (which is now the navigable 

 channel), at Seaton-Snook. Beyond, was a stretch of sand 

 called "The North Gare," and opposite, on the south side of 

 the river, " Bran Sand," or " South Gate," adjoining Tod Point, 

 from whence Avas, and still is (though in one or two places near 

 the estuary rather spoilt by slag banks, run out from adjoining 

 iron-works), a fine stretch of sand extending past Coatham, 

 Redcar and Marske to Saltburn — a distance of eight or ten 

 miles — covered at high tides, and fringed by grassy sand banks. 

 From Saltburn to Sandsend is a succession of Liassic Cliffs 

 capped with Oolite, and reaching its highest elevation at Rock- 

 clitfe, where it is 660 feet high, and which is said to be the 

 highest Cliff on the English coast. In places, the foreshore is 

 rocky, alternating with level stretches of sand. No doubt in 

 less populous times Seals lived and bred in suitable localities 

 along this coast, and Seal Goit, marked on the ordnance map, 

 derived its name from having been frequented by Seals. 



Returning to the upper reaches of the river, from Sam- 

 phire Point to Yarm, the course of the river was extremely 

 tortuous, and it is recorded that at times it took a vessel a week 

 to sail from the mouth of the river to Stockton. In modern 

 times the course of the river has been straightened at one or 

 two points by means of cuttings. In a map of the Acklam 

 estate, dated 1716, and also in a chart of the river dated 1832, 

 many islands or sand-banks are shown in the bed of the river 

 between its mouth and Stockton ; notably one opposite Middles- 

 brough seems to have been of considerable size. 



From this description of the river, its estuary, and the 

 adjoining sea coasts and surroundings, it will be seen that in less 

 populous times, and when the river (comparatively speaking) 

 was little used for shipping purposes, and with the fine stretch 

 of sand at the north side of the river, covered only at high 



