Guisborough facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Guisborough
Town
The town hall and Market Cross • Guisborough Priory • Gisborough Hall
Guisborough
Population	16,979 (town 2011)
OS grid reference	NZ610159
• London	255.1 miles
Civil parish	Guisborough
Unitary authority	Redcar and Cleveland
Ceremonial county	North Yorkshire
Region	North East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	GUISBOROUGH
Postcode district	TS14
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 54°32′06″N 1°03′23″W / 54.5350°N 1.0563°W / 54.5350; -1.0563

Guisborough (pronounced GHIZ-bər-ə) is a lively market town in North Yorkshire, England. It's part of the Redcar and Cleveland area. The town is located just north of the beautiful North York Moors National Park. A famous landmark nearby is Roseberry Topping, a distinctive hill between Guisborough and Great Ayton.

What's in a Name? Guisborough's History

The name Guisborough has a bit of a mystery! Experts say it's "difficult" to figure out exactly where it came from.

The second part of the name, -borough, likely comes from an old English word burh. This word meant 'town' or 'fortification'. Sometimes, the name was also linked to -burn, meaning 'stream'.

The first part, Guis-, might come from an old Norse personal name, Gígr. If this is true, then Guisborough could mean "Gígr's town". It's interesting that the town's name is spelled differently from Gisborough Priory and Gisborough Hall, even though they are in the same town.

Who Lives Here? Guisborough's Population

In 2011, the town of Guisborough and its nearby areas like Upleatham and Dunsdale had a population of 17,777 people. About 16,979 of these people lived right in the town itself.

A Look Back: Guisborough's Past

Ancient Times: Roman Guisborough

The amazing Guisborough Helmet

Some historians think Guisborough might have been a military base during the Roman times. A few Roman objects have been found here, like the fancy Guisborough Helmet. However, we don't have full proof yet.

The Guisborough Helmet is a special Roman cavalry helmet. It was found near the town in 1864. This helmet is beautifully decorated with engraved figures. It was probably used for displays or tournaments, but it might have been used in battles too. It was found buried carefully in gravel, far from other known Roman sites. After it was found, it was given to the British Museum to be cleaned up and shown to the public.

Medieval Guisborough: Priories and Records

The ruins of Gisborough Priory

The town was first mentioned in a very old book called the Domesday Book in 1086. It was called Gighesbore back then.

The impressive ruins of Gisborough Priory date back to the 12th century. This was a large monastery where monks lived and worked.

Victorian Era: Industry and Grand Houses

During the Industrial Revolution, Guisborough grew because it was close to ironstone mines in the North York Moors. One important iron producer, Sir Joseph Whitwell Pease, built his country home, Hutton Hall, near Guisborough.

Gisborough Hall, now a hotel

Gisborough Hall is a large Victorian house. It was built in 1856 by the Chaloner family. Today, it's a Grade II listed building and has been turned into a hotel.

Recent History: Changes and Growth

The Guisborough railway station closed in 1964. In the 1960s and 1970s, many new homes were built in Guisborough. This was because the chemical industry in Wilton and the steel industry in Redcar were growing, and people needed places to live.

How Guisborough is Run: Local Government

Guisborough Town Council
Type
Type	Town Council
Meeting place
Sunnyfield House

Guisborough Town Hall

Since 1996, Guisborough has been part of the Redcar and Cleveland area. This is a unitary authority, meaning it handles all local government services.

The Guisborough Town Hall was built in 1821. It used to have market stalls on the ground floor and a meeting room upstairs. In 2015, the local council bought the building. It was renovated and reopened in April 2022. Now, it hosts tea afternoons and other community events.

Places of Worship: St Nicholas Church

St Nicholas Church

The Anglican Church of St Nicholas is a historic church in Guisborough. It might have had a church building as early as 1290. The oldest part of the current church is from the late 1400s. The church was largely rebuilt between 1903 and 1908.

Getting Involved: Community Life

Chaloner Street

Guisborough is home to the East Cleveland Explorer Scout Unit for young people aged 14–18. They do activities like the The Duke of Edinburgh's Award and many adventure activities. There's also the 3rd Guisborough Scout Group for younger scouts.

For those who love cycling, there's a group of volunteers who build mountain-bike trails in the local forest. Musicians can also join an open mic night every Wednesday.

Learning in Guisborough: Education

The Waterhouse Building at Prior Pursglove College

Guisborough has several primary schools: Belmont, Galley Hill, Highcliffe, St Paulinus, and Chaloner Primary.

Laurence Jackson School is the only secondary school in town. It's also a Specialist Sports College.

Prior Pursglove College is a sixth-form college for students studying for their GCSEs and A levels. It's located next to the church and priory ruins. The college replaced the old Guisborough Grammar School, which was founded in 1561.

Askham Bryan College of Agriculture also has a centre in Guisborough. It has an animal management centre and a modern building that it shares with Prior Pursglove College.

Getting Around: Transport in Guisborough

Roads: Connecting Guisborough

An Arriva X56 Bus to Middlesbrough

Two main roads meet in Guisborough. The A171 goes west to Middlesbrough and east to Whitby. The A173 goes south-west to Stokesley and north-east towards Skelton. Before a bypass was built, the A171 went right through the town's main street, Westgate.

Paths: Exploring the Outdoors

The Guisborough Branch Walk, a path on an old railway line

The southern part of Guisborough borders the North York Moors National Park. Guisborough Forest, managed by Forestry England, covers the edge of the moors. The land rises steeply through the forest to the moors behind. You can find rocky spots like Highcliff Nab here. Many paths and tracks are open for walkers, including parts of the Cleveland Way. Beyond the woods, the land flattens out into Gisborough Moor.

Railway History: Guisborough Station

The site of the former Guisborough railway station, now a car park

Until 1964, Guisborough had its own railway station. Trains ran from Middlesbrough to Guisborough. Before 1958, you could even travel from Guisborough to Whitby and Scarborough along the scenic coast railway.

Working and Shopping: Guisborough's Economy

Guisborough has a market on Thursdays and Saturdays, with a few stalls on Tuesdays. It used to sell animals, but now it's a general market with fruit, vegetables, clothes, and flowers. The market is held on the old cobbled street of Westgate, which is the main shopping area.

Guisborough Museum, located behind Sunnyfield House, shows photos and stories about the town's history.

One important employer in the past was The Shirt Factory, which closed in 1999. Guisborough is also a commuter town for people who work in nearby Middlesbrough and the chemical plants around Teesside.

In 2004, Guisborough became a Fairtrade Town. This means the town supports fair prices and good working conditions for producers in developing countries.

Fun and Games: Sport in Guisborough

The King George V Ground

Guisborough Town FC is the local football club, founded in 1973. They play their home matches at the King George V Ground.

Next to the football club, you'll find King George's Fields. This is a playing field with a playground and a skate park. There's also a swimming pool, built in 1968, which was refurbished in 2008–2009.

Guisborough Rugby Union Football club also plays in a local league.

Guisborough Cricket Club plays in the NYSD cricket league. They've had some famous international players join them in the past.

Staying Informed: Media in Guisborough

You can get local news and TV programmes from BBC North East and Cumbria and ITV Tyne Tees.

Local radio stations include BBC Radio Tees, Capital North East, Smooth North East, Heart North East, and Zetland FM. Zetland FM is a community radio station based in Redcar.

The town is also served by local newspapers like TeessideLive and The Northern Echo.

Famous Faces: Notable People from Guisborough

• Willie Applegarth (1890–1958), an Olympic athlete who ran track and field.
• Mark Benton (born 1965), a well-known actor.
• Robert de Brus, 1st Lord of Annandale (died before 1138), a Norman knight and founder of the Bruce family.
• Bob Champion (born 1948), a jockey who won the Grand National horse race in 1981.
• James Coppinger (born 1981), a professional footballer.
• Rod Liddle (born 1960), a journalist who went to school in Guisborough.
• Katy Livingston (born 1984), an Olympic athlete in modern pentathlon.
• Selina Scott (born 1951), a newsreader and TV presenter.

Weather Watch: Guisborough's Climate

Guisborough generally has warm summers and fairly mild winters. On average, the area gets about 650mm of rainfall each year.