Roman coins have been found on at least 2, perhaps more, occasions at Whitburn. The OS have 2 entries for these, but as the findspots are vague it seems reasonable to conflate them. 1) Mid C17, in a sandhill on the coast. "A peckful...all Roman emperors...all of brass...about the bigness of half-crowns". 2) Perhaps the same as 1. Bronze coins of the Constantine family, with Maxentius, Licinius and Maximianus all recorded. 3) 1889, among "gravel taken from the harbour quarry top at Whitburn", two first brass coins, one of Trajan, the other of Hadrian. Dated C2-C4.

"The site of Hiram Maxim's experimental 'floating platform'", a cylinder, stood in water, which rose when gas was pumped in above the water, and fell when the gas was released. A standard naval gun was mounted on top of the cylinder and would be concealed while being loaded, and then rise out of the pit to fire. 1886-7 Constructed for the Inspector General of Fortifications for experimental trials. Proved to be too slow and was abandoned. 1894 Machinery and ironwork removed, pit filled. Listing description: concrete cylinder, 21 ft internal diameter, with western extension for approach tunnel. Interior shows runners for floating platform and entrance to tunnel. A replica has been constructed. Recorded by Phase 2 of the North East Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment. Recorded as subject to graffiti and debris. Under restoration by National Trust. Risk = high. Threat level 5.

In 1882 Lord Morley's Committee proposed two 10.4" BLs for a new battery at Frenchman's Point. In 1888 the RA and RE Works Committee revised this proposal to three 6" BLs. However nothing was done beyond puchasing the site. In 1900-05 the battery at Frenchman's Point was eventually constructed to "complement that at Tynemouth castle", and equipped with one 9.2-inch Mk X and two 6-inch Mk VII/CPII guns. 1905-14 it was surplus to requirements, and it was reduced to practice purposes only, but was brought back into service in 1914. 1922 the battery was dismantled and the site sold. 1940 the site was requisitioned, "and two naval 6-inch mounted in old emplacements by RM. Manned by 348 Coast Bty, 508 Coast Regt RA". It was camouflaged as seafront buildings. 1941-43 a new emplacement was constructed for three 7.5-inch Mk VI guns ex HMS Effingham. The existing pair of 6" guns were moved to Park Battery (HER 966). The new guns were mounted in July 1942, but were not fully operational until January 1943. For reasons that are unclear the battery was only operational for five months. In July 1943 the guns were dismounted and supplied to either Portugal or a Portuguese-speaking South American country and the site abandoned. The demise of the battery may have been due to the proposal to mount three radar controlled guns at Kitchener Battery (HER 4616) or the renewed Park Battery (HER 966). No accounts of a wireless station located. Recorded by Phase 2 of the North East Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment. Recorded as low risk. Extensive well preserved earthworks of coastal battery. Risk = low. Threat level 4.

In the latter part of the C19, during the quarrying of limestone on the east escarpment of the Cleadon Hills, near Whitburn Lizards, old sea-caves were uncovered. Five ft apart, the two caves were reported to be 140 ft above sea level, 15 ft from the top of the cliff, and to run west into the hill. As well as human bones (SMR 867), both caves contained animal bones. Mammals: horse, cow, sheep, dog, pig/wild boar, red-deer, roe, badger, fox, yellow-breasted marten, weasel, hedgehog, mole and water-vole. Birds: kestrel/merlin, gannet, great auk, razorbill etc. Shells The author of the original report did not think the contents of the cave were old because no tools, or bones of hyena and cave-bear had been found. Miket nevertheless included them in his prehistoric gazetteer. By the end of the century the site had been quarried away.

In the latter part of the C19, during the quarrying of limestone on the east escarpment of the Cleadon Hills, near Whitburn Lizards, old sea-caves were uncovered. Five feet apart, the two caves were reported to be 140 ft above sea level, 15 ft from the top of the cliff, and to run west into the hill. As well as animal bones (SMR 868), both caves contained human bones. Two lower jaws and some limb bones were found in one, five human skulls and other bones in the second. The position and arrangement of the bones was not recorded. The bones were not thought to be old because no tools, or bones of hyena and cave-bear were found with them. Miket nevertheless included them in his prehistoric gazetteer. By the end of the century the site had been quarried away.

"The antlers and bones of the Cervus Megaceros, or extinct Irish elk, occurred in a brickyard of Messrs R.W. Swinburne & Co., at South Shields, near which is the ancient Heortedun. They are now in the Sydenham Palace, and were found in a compressed stratum of dry peat, which lay beneath two feet of ordinary soil and a seam of clay twelve feet thick". The grid ref above is Miket's. He assumes these bones are prehistoric.

"Exhibited: By Mr John Graham, coroner for Chester ward:-... the skull discovered at the north end of Marsden bay; this with 105 other bones exhumed about 6 ft from high water mark, were covered with about 6 ins of soil and sea sand; 'the bones had been embedded a very long time - years - and were very friable; the skull was complete'". Miket suggests they might be prehistoric.

"During the construction of Tyne Dock in 1855, remains of red deer, together with two skulls of the Bos primigenius (the Urus of Caesar), a gigantic extinct ox, were found embedded at a depth of seven or eight feet in the silt".

Miket conflates two distinct entries here, but as the finds are - as usual - adrift, it probably doesn't matter very much. Trechmann wrote, "Near Westoe a well formed flake occurred on the top of the stack of limestone in Frenchman's Bay, entirely cut off from the rest of the coast line". Gibbs wrote, "Frenchman's Point...North boundary of Frenchman's Bay, in red clay. Flake and chips". Note Miket's grid reference is wrong.

Miket reports three separate discoveries here: these, and the references he cites have not been checked. 1. 7 flints, including core and scraper, found in 1965. 2. 54 flints, most unworked, found in 1966. 3. Scraper, point and several hundred pieces from a probable stack.