Whitley Bay, Old Shaft (Ironstone)

Old Shaft (Ironstone) next to Whitley Links. Ironstone, shown on the first edition Ordnance Survey map of c.1860 was worked in galleries by monks during the 18th century, but the workings became uneconomical after the opening of the Cleveland ironstone mines in the early part of the 19th century. Spoil was dumped on the links at Whitley, but much was washed away by the sea. Many workings were filled in when the Interceptor sewer was constructed in the 1970s.