A Brief History of Kirklevington
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As an ancient parish, Kirklevington included the townships of Castle Leavington, Picton and Low Worsall, which became established as separate parishes in 1866. It formed part of the Stokesley RuralDistrict from 1894 to 1974, when it became part of the borough of Stockton.
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Early signs of habitation are proved by the discovery of a iron age beehive quern stone which has been dated to around 350 BC. See below.
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Roman pottery has also been found in gardens in Kirklevington
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Pieces from the Viking crosses, dating from 10th century, found in Kirklevington, which may have been the centre of a large Anglo-Saxon estate, are on display at Preston Hall Museum in Stockton on Tees. Traces of four fields of ridge & furrow marking the possible site of a deserted medieval village are to be found at Red Hall Farm. The local names of "Castle Hill" & "Castle Leavington " refer to a "castle" on the banks of the river Tees 1.25 miles ENE of the village, but still in the parish of Kirklevington. The castle, from which the township of Castle Leavington took its name, stood, according to tradition, on an eminence by the side of the river Leven, now called Castle Hill. This mound is evidently of artificial formation, and on its summit is a hollow entrenchment, but with no traces of any building.
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Top of Broken Cross
A more full history can be found starting on page 5 of the Community Plan. Please click here for Kirklevington and Castle Leavington Parish, published in June 2012.
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Early History of the Village of Kirklevington
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This Beehive Quirnstone, found in Kirklevington, is evidence that some 2000 years ago in Romano British times, cereal farming was taking place in Kirklevington, close to Saltergill Beck. The beehive quern stone was unearthed whilst ploughing. Cereal was fed in through the hole in the top a working model can be seen at the Kirkleatham hall Museum.
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Recent planning permission will result in development south of Green Lane within Kirklevington on a site of a Romano British settlement, said to be of regional importance. There is to be an archaeological survey of the site before building commences. The site is entirely within Kirklevington and was part of the Kirklevington Hall estate, arable farm land and pasture, and was managed for game. The largest field being "The Great Pasture" to be preserved within the Stockton green Infrastructure network plan as part of the designated 2004 strategic wild life corridor illustrated within the Tees Valley structure plan map.
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The land within Kirklevington and Castle Leavington is a principal aquifer being sand and gravel overlain with boulder clay.
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Fresh water springs such as the village water supply in Pump Lane were much valued until piped, treated water was introduced in the 20th century. The first supply being from Cod Beck, Osmotherley. The area was very attractive to early settlers, with the River Leven and Tees supplying fish, and the easy access to the ford at Yarm, a navigable river. The land was also away from the flood plain. Boulder clay on a principal aquifer retains moisture in droughts but when the aquifer is overfilled it results in ground water flooding which cannot be controlled by improving drainage.
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