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Stokesley

Stokesley is a small market town and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Leven. Stokesley is located about two miles south of the boundary of the borough of Middlesbrough and ten miles south of Middlesbrough town centre. Stokesley is located between Middlesbrough, Guisborough and Northallerton, in a farming area. Local attractions for visitors include nearby Great Ayton, Captain Cook's monument, Roseberry Topping and the North York Moors.

History

Stokesley was first granted a charter to hold fairs in 1223 by Henry III. The Pack Horse Bridge, crossing the River Leven from the riverside walk, dates from the 17th Century. Renowned for its large range of building types, the latter construction within Stokesley of sundry fine Georgian architecture is thought to have contributed much to its later character. Other prominent historical features around the town include the Mill Wheel, thought to represent the site of a mill recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. The famous survey, by William the Conqueror, also contained the first written record of "a church and priest" in Stokesley. Its equivalent today, The Church of St Peter and St Paul, is located just off the market 'Plain' and has woodwork carved by the Mouseman of Kilburn.^[1]

Visitors to Stokesley today will find an intact historic High Street, lined with many independent small shops and restaurants. Other facilities include a Leisure Centre with a swimming pool, a medium-sized supermarket, show-ground, camping site, Health Centre, Library, Police Station and Fire Station. The town also has five pubs. Stokesley is also the home of Quorn, produced by Marlow Foods, and reputedly has some of the finest butcher's shops in the whole of North Yorkshire.^{[citation needed]}

The inaugural meeting of the Stokesley Agricultural Society was held at the Golden Lion Hotel, now Chapters Hotel, in 1859. This boutique hotel was also used as the local law courts for the area being ideally placed between Middlesbrough and Northallerton.

There is a weekly market held on a Friday in the main square called the 'Plain'.

A four day fair takes place every September in the town center. The fair spans the full length of the high street and rides such as the Equinox, the Extreme, Vertigo and various Crows rides attend. The fair always begins on a Wednesday evening and runs until the Saturday, opening all day on the Saturday due to the annual agricultural show which takes place on the showground.^[2]

Transport

Stokesley is served by the Arriva service 29 from Middlesbrough every 30 minutes and the 81 from Marske Estate every 60 minutes.

There are regular Moorsbus services on Service M2 (Danby-Stokesley-Helmsley) & Service M9 (Stokesley-Osmotherley) - these buses run on Sundays from Easter to October, and daily during the school summer holidays

Hutchinson's run irregular services 82 (Stokesley-Yarm) and 83 (Stokesley-Seamer & Newby).

Abbott's of Leeming run hourly service 80/89 to Northallerton & Romanby via Osmotherley

On Fridays only there is also a bus to Kildale. On Wednesdays only the 27 runs to Whitby via the Esk Valley.

The nearest railway station is Great Ayton.

Education

Historic schools include the Preston Grammar School in College Square: now a Pizza Takeaway. This school existed until 1908^{[citation needed]} and was closed for failing to reach the standards of an inspection. In general children who passed exams at 11 years old, then went to Yarm Grammar School, with some Catholic pupils going to Middlesbrough under the old system.

A Primary School on the current site was created in 1908, and then extended in 1973.

A Secondary school was opened in 1958 for pupils between 11 and 18, which originally was categorised as "Secondary Modern" and became a "Comprehensive School" in the 1970s. Later a Sixth Form College was incororated. Alumni of the Secondary School include Labour politician Alan Milburn, 1988 Olympics runner Louise Stuart and Sky Sports News journalist and presenter, David Jones.