Loftus, North Yorkshire

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Not to be confused with Lofthouse, North Yorkshire.
Loftus
250px
West Road, Loftus
Loftus is located in North Yorkshire
Loftus
Loftus
 Loftus shown within North Yorkshire
Population 7,988 (2011)[1]
OS grid reference NZ716185
   – London 210 mi (340 km)  S
Unitary authority Redcar and Cleveland
Ceremonial county North Yorkshire
Region North East
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town SALTBURN-BY-THE-SEA
Postcode district TS13
Dialling code 01287
Police Cleveland
Fire Cleveland
Ambulance North East
EU Parliament North East England
UK Parliament Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
List of places
UK
England
Yorkshire

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Loftus is a town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. The local council, a unitary authority, is Redcar and Cleveland. It lies in a region between Saltburn-by-the-Sea and the North York Moors. It was formerly known as Lofthouse.[2] The population of the Loftus ward of the Redcar and Cleveland unitary authority taken at the 2011 census was 6,382.[3]

History

Loftus is recorded as "Lcotvsv" in the Domesday book, from Laghthus meaning low houses.[4]

The Loftus area has been inhabited since at least the 7th century, and although folkloric evidence includes a house owned by Sigurd the Dane, who features in Macbeth as Siward, real evidence has been unearthed in recent times to support the picture of ancient settlement in the area.[citation needed]

The Methodist preacher John Wesley is known to have preached in Loftus.[citation needed] More recent history is dominated by the ironstone mining industry and many inhabitants that live in Loftus can trace lineage back to ironstone miners.[citation needed]

Anglo-Saxon royal burial site

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Main article: Street House Anglo-Saxon cemetery

The only known Anglo-Saxon royal burial site in north-east England is near Loftus.[5] Artefacts were discovered there from excavations which took place between 2005 and 2007. Finds include pieces associated with a rare bed burial in which a decorated female body is laid out on a decorated wooden bed accompanied by fine gold jewellery. The finds include a gold pendant, which would have belonged to a princess. as well as glass beads, pottery, iron knives, belt buckles and other objects. The finds, which date back nearly 1400 years were discovered by members of the Teesside Archeological Society, led by Dr Steve Sherlock, in a 109-grave site at Street House, Loftus.[6][7]

They are presently on show at the Kirkleatham Old Hall Museum.[8][9][10]

Loftus Town Hall

Loftus Town Hall was built by the Earl of Zetland, erected by a Thomas Dickenson of Saltburn, and was first opened in 1879. During the World Wars of 1914–1918 and 1939–1945 some of the rooms were commandeered for the war effort.[citation needed]

The Town Hall clock has faces north, east and west, but no face to the south as the residents of South Loftus were reluctant to contribute to the cost.[citation needed]

The Town Hall remained in the ownership of the Zetland family until 1948, when it was purchased by the former Loftus Urban District Council for £2000. In 1974 the ownership of the Town Hall transferred to the newly created Langbaurgh Borough Council, and eventually to Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council. In 1992 budget cuts threatened closure of the Town Hall, and Loftus Town Council moved into the building and took over responsibility for maintenance. Although the Town Council moved in 1996, it still organises functions in the Town Hall.[11]

Loftus Town Council area includes the settlements of Boulby, Carlin How, Cowbar, Easington, East Loftus, Liverton Mines, Liverton, Loftus, Scaling, Skinningrove and South Loftus.[12]

Loftus Leisure Centre

Tees Valley Leisure Limited, which was established in 1999 as an Industrial and provident society, provides a variety of leisure services on behalf of Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council operating for the benefit of the community as a non-profit distributing organisation. They took over the running of Loftus Leisure Centre, which had been opened in 1981 to provide the community with swimming facilities. The centre was improved with the addition of a sauna suite in 1985 and a fitness suite in 1998.[13]

Oddfellows Hall

The Oddfellows Hall, in Loftus, was built in 1874 as the offices and meeting place of the local Oddfellows society. Oddfellows were friendly or mutual societies, set up and organised by people from different guilds representing various trades. Other societies existed for single trades, but when there were not enough people from one trade, especially in smaller towns, societies would be formed from an "odd" mixture of people, so giving the name "Oddfellows". The Loftus Oddfellows would raise money for their members. The Oddfellows Hall was unused from the early 1990s. Tees Valley Housing Association have now taken over ownership of the building and converted it from a large meeting hall into eight self-contained flats.[14]

Geography

The two main churches in the town are St Leonard's (Church of England), and St Joseph and St Cuthbert (Roman Catholic). There are three primary schools: St.Joseph's RCVA Primary School,[15] Handale Primary School,[16] and Hummersea).

The Loftus and District Flower Club meets every third Monday at the town hall[17] Loftus has many facilities: Loftus Swimming Baths (where the swimming group, Loftus Dolphins, train), Loftus Youth Club, Loftus Army Cadets,[18] Scouts, Cubs etc. It also has a firestation and part-time police station.

Westfield House in Duncan Place is one of the largest private properties in Loftus. It was built in 1871 by the Pease family, who owned ironstone mines in the locality, for the then mine manager, Thomas Moore.

Loftus railway station opened in 1875, and closed to passengers in 1960. The line still operates through the station site, with freight services for Boulby Mine, and occasional passenger 'specials' for rail enthusiasts. The nearest open station is at Saltburn.

To the north of the village there is a disused nuclear bunker.[19] The bunker was opened in 1962 and closed 1968.

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Genuki article on Loftus
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Communigate: Loftus History
  5. ↑ BBC News 'Dramatic' ancient cemetery found, Tuesday, 20 November 2007
  6. ↑ This is Redcar and Cleveland, Issue 10, July 2011 – pages 18, 19.
  7. ↑ YouTube: NorthNewsTV – Kirkleatham Anglo Saxon Princess Treasure (Interview with Dr. Steve Sherlock)
  8. ↑ Redcar and Cleveland News: International demand for glimpse of saxon princess' treasure
  9. ↑ Kirkleatham Museum: Saxon Princess Exhibition
  10. ↑ YouTube: Kirkleatham Museum – Royal Anglo Saxon finds
  11. ↑ Redcar and Cleveland website: Loftus Town Hall
  12. ↑ Redcar and Cleveland website: Loftus Town Council
  13. ↑ Tees Valley Leisure: Loftus
  14. ↑ Redcar and Cleveland website: The Oddfellows Hall, Loftus
  15. ↑ Redcar and Cleveland Families Guide: St Joseph's Primary School
  16. ↑ Redcar and Cleveland Families Guide: Handale Primary School
  17. ↑ National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies (NAFAS): Loftus & District Flower Club
  18. ↑ [1] Cleveland Army Cadets]
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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