108 



It would appear that the manufacture of salt is an old industry 

 on the Tees, though operations appear to have been confined to 

 the surface in former times. Brewster thus refers to it in his 

 ' History of Stockton ' : - ' Near the mouth of the Tees, on 

 Seaton and Greatham Marshes, anciently were very considerable 

 salt works. Traces of these works are still to be seen, and have 

 the appearance of breastworks and fortifications. By an 

 inquisition post mortem (an 36, Hatfield, 1380), it appears that 

 Robert, sou of Marm. de Lumley, Knight, died seized of 25s. 

 rent and one quart of salt issuing out of three messuages and one 

 saltwork in the tenure of John de Carrowe in Seaton. And by 

 another inquisition of the same kind (an 15, Langley, 1421), 

 that Arnisia, the widow of Thomas de Elmedon, died seized of a 

 quarter part of the manor of Seaton, consisting, among other 

 things of a saltwork value 2s., another saltwork, and a fourth 

 part of a saltwork, and the passage of the river Teese. The 

 farms in the parish of Greatham, bordering upon the marshes, 

 holden by leases under the Master and Brethren of the Hospital 

 of God in Greatham, are covenanted to pay a stipulated number of 

 bushels of salt as an acknowledgement to the hospital, which, of 

 course, are now commuted for a money payment.' In Burton's 

 Mon. Ebor. it is stated that the canons of Guisborough possessed 

 considerable saltworks here : and in the Cott. MS. before quoted, 

 is the following reference to salt and other minerals : — ' As the 

 Tyde comes in, \t bringethe a small wash Sea-cole, which is 

 imployed to the makinge of Salte, and the fuell of the poore 

 fisher Townes adjoininge : the oylie sulphurousness beinge mixed 

 with the salte of the sea as yt floweth, and consequently hard to 

 take fyre, or to keep in long without quenchinge, they have a 

 meanes, by making small vaults to passe under the hearthes, 

 into which, by fore-setting the wynde with a board they 

 force yt to enter, and so to serve instede of a pair of bellows, 

 which they call in a proper word of art, a blowcole. The shells, 

 sand, and sea-rock serve instead of marie to enrich the land, 

 which is fruitfull of itself, but much bettered by the neighbour- 

 hood of the Sea, making the good husbands of the lowe towns 

 fatt in purse and merry in the hearte. Within the sea-marke on 

 oone syde lyeth a rock of excellent plaister, cankered by the salte 

 water ; but if it werr searched from sande, yt is probably that it 

 would prove pure alabaster.' 



On the north side of the river at Canoe Point, near to Greatham 

 Fleet, are a series of low shelving banks or cliffs of sand and 

 gravel, four or five feet high, grassed over on the top ; the face 



