IN 1804 the township of Tocketts belonged to the township of Guisborough, but even in the 1960s not many people knew of the existence of Tocketts.

The Domesday Book described Tocketts as waste land which had been raided by William the Conqueror. Eventually new settlers moved in to farm the land and in medieval times there was a hall and a working water mill. The owner of the mill was surprisingly called Mr Tockett.

There were several owners of Tocketts Mill as the years rolled by and various descriptions of activity there were recorded. In 1792 the miller was John Marr who paid a rental of £24 annually for the mill.

He milled many cereal crops grown on his own rented land including wheat, rye, beans, peas and oats.

Tocketts became busy over the next 100 years or so as the millers extended their catchment area to other farms on both sides of the valley.

The last miller at Tocketts was William Seaton who lived there with his family for 72 years until milling by water was superseded by the large steam powered mills at Stockton and Yarm.

However, there was a last fling for the water-powered mill during the First World War when farmers would continue to have their grain milled at Tocketts, with payment often taken ‘in kind’, something the steam powered mill owners would not understand.

The mill struggled on after the war, buying in flour to mix and screen for use in bread making. After the Second World War the mill was reduced to grinding pig meal but when, in 1960, problems with the mill wheel and water supply occurred it served a death sentence on milling at Tocketts Mill.

In 1983 the derelict mill was taken over by the Cleveland Building and Preservation Trust (CBPT). After much needed restoration the mill reopened as a working museum in 1983 and was now in partnership with South Park Sixth Form College and the Jobline Agency as well as the CBPT.

The restored mill is a delightful engineering experience and is available for viewing over four floors as a working mill. It is open to the public on Sundays and bank holidays.


Your route

Leave Guisborough Market Place away from the town in a westerly direction. At the traffic lights go straight ahead then take the left turn after the garage. Continue along to a T-junction, then go left signed to Great Ayton. Cycle along through Pinchinthorpe and Newton-under- Roseberry and soon you arrive at Great Ayton.

Bear right at the roundabout to cycle into the town. Cross the bridge, then immediately leave the main road to go straight ahead (left) signed to Easby.

Grand view now of the Cleveland Hills in front of you but soon you must go left at the T-junction signed to Easby. Continue along through Easby now following signs for Kildale.

A few ascents and descents with sharp corners to keep you on your toes as you head for Kildale and Commondale.

Pass straight through Kildale following signs for Commondale and Castleton. The scenery changes now from the domineering Cleveland Hills to the moor that we know so well. If you do know the moors well you will expect steep hills and this is what you have for the next few miles. Very steep descents and ascents all the way to Commondale where there are public toilets in the village.

Climb the steep hill out of the village onto the top of the moor to a T-junction. Turn left here onto a good, wide road soon to pass Lockwood Beck Reservoir on the left to another T-junction. Take care here as you go left onto the busy A171 signed to Teesside and Guisborough, then just after you pass the reservoir turn right at a well-marked junction signed to Skelton, Lingdale and Stanghow.

The scenery changes again as you ride along through Lingdale with good views now across to the coast. Steep hills once more with sharp corners then you arrive at Skelton.

Go left at the ‘T’ junction to join the A173 through Skelton and in about a mile beware of sharp corners and a steep descent. Continue along for about another mile, then turn right at the sign for Tocketts Mill and caravan site.

After the mill continue along the A173, straight ahead at the roundabouts then shortly turn left to return to Guisborough Market Place.


The facts

Distance – 25miles/40km

Terrain – Easy with the odd steep ascent and descent

Best maps – OS Landranger 93 and 94

Start/grid ref – Guisborough Market Place, grid ref: 614160

Refreshments – Guisborough and pubs along the way. Café/pub at Tocketts Mill

Public toilets – Guisborough, Great Ayton, Commondale and Tockets Café

Gazette & Herald: Gazette cycle ride at Guisborough