Ward: Marton

Shopping » Charity/Voluntary » Ward: Marton

About Ward: Marton

Marton — officially Marton-in-Cleveland — was a village in the North Riding of Yorkshire, which is now within the town boundaries of Middlesbrough, in the borough of Middlesbrough and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. Originally, the parish of Marton extended down to the River Tees; but, with the expansion of Middlesbrough, the parish became progressively smaller. Marton is near the North York Moors, and is served by Marton railway station, which is on the Esk Valley Railway Line between Middlesbrough and Whitby. Attractions include Stewart Park, a large public park gifted to the people of Middlesbrough by councillor Dormund Stewart in 1928, where several species thrive, and a large collection of trees.

In more recent times, Marton has seen a development as part of the conurbation of Middlesbrough; additions include housing near the Country Club, and Retirement Housing at the top end of Marton by the Southern Cross Pub. The local pub is the Rudd's Arms, opposite the Marton Hotel and Country Club on Stokesley Road and next to the Marton Cricket Club.

The famous explorer and navigator Captain James Cook was born to James and Grace Cook in a clay-built cottage in the village of East Marton in 1728, and he lived for a short time in the village, until the family moved to Great Ayton.[1] A contemporary drawing of the village by George Cuit has revealed the cottage to have had significantly deteriorated by as early as circa 1788, a precursor to it being levelled by new local landowner, Bartholomew Rudd, in the 1790s. It was nearby where the original manor house Marton Lodge eventually stood, to which Rudd made many alterations; it burned down in 1832.

In 1853, the ruin and the land that is now the park were bought by the Middlesbrough ironmaster H. W. F. Bolckow. He built a new hall, which, after serving for a short period of time as a museum, was destroyed during demolition by fire in 1960, after standing empty for several years. The site is now home to the Captain Cook Birthplace Museum, opened in 1978; in addition to viewing the large collection of Cook-related objects at the museum, tourists may visit a granite urn erected by Bolckow in 1858 on the site of the demolished Cook cottage.

There is no record of the foundation of St Cuthbert's Church, but there is evidence that it is from 12th century Norman. At that time the overlords of Marton were the de Brus family, ancestors of Robert the Bruce of Scotland. They had founded Guisborough Priory in 1119, and succeeding generations of the family bestowed gifts of land and property on this and other religious houses in the area. The church at Marton was one of those gifts to Guisborough, given before 1187.

In 1540 when the Priory was dissolved by King Henry VIII, all the property belonging to the Priory reverted to the Crown. In 1545 the living of Marton was granted to the Diocese of York where it remains to this day.

In the 1840’s a major refurbishment took place, mainly financed by J.B. Rudd, the local squire. A later pen portrait in the Parish magazine tells us that the Church was “restored, widened, and lengthened so that it became, from a little whitewashed, flat ceilinged, sash-windowed, dilapidated edifice with only two aisles and one transept, into the present beautiful building”.[2]

Captain Cook was baptised at St. Cuthbert's Church. The church is now ornamented with a stained-glass window commemorating Cook

Other notable persons who lived in the parish of Marton include Bolckow's business partner John Vaughan, who lived at Gunnergate Hall until his death in 1868; Sir Raylton Dixon, a Middlesbrough shipbuilder; Henry Cochrane, an ironmaster; and Agnes Spencer, the wife of the founder of Marks and Spencer.

Marton is also the base for a junior football club, Marton F.C., which was founded in 1982 and for which Jonathan Woodgate, David Wheater , and Stewart Downing, subsequent Middlesbrough F.C. professional footballers respectively, once played.

At the central area of Marton are the shops, called Marton Shops. This consists of two convenience stores, Spar and One Stop, a post office, a florist, several bakeries, a butchers, separate male and female hair salons, dentists practice, sandwich shop, chemist and a betting shop. There are also a chinese takeaway, fish and chip shop and pizza shop. As of recent, there is an Indian restaurant.

Marton Library is located on Laurel Road, just behind the shops

Marton railway station is located on the outskirts of Marton near to Ormesby and Stewarts Park. Although Gypsy Lane railway station is located in Nunthorpe, it is closer to most residents than Marton Station. Northern Rail operate limited services between Middlesbrough and Whitby calling at both of these stations and recent improvements mean there are more trains to Middlesbrough continuing to Newcaslte and Hexham.

Shopping & Business » Charity/Voluntary » Ward: Marton