R. lofthouse: the river tees. 



3 



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

 the Tees, though operations appear to have been confined to the sur- 

 face 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 breast- 

 works and fortifications. By an inquisition post mortem (an° 36, 

 Hatfield, 1380), it appears that Robert, son 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, 142 1), 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 2 s., 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 salt- 

 works here; and in the Cott. MS. before quoted, is the following 

 reference to salt and other minerals : — 'As the Tyde comes in, yt 

 bringethe a small wash Sea-cole, which is imployed to the makinge of 

 Sake, 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 liard 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 neighbourhood 

 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 

 were searched from sande, yt is probable 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 of these reveal 

 a large mixture of shells, chiefly cockles, mussels, and whelks, at a 

 depth of about 18 inches from the surface, which would almost 



Jan, 1887. 



