Above, another view of Hall Garth Park, Hornsea (s,p,b,), this time of the north-west corner of the Park and shows an area of wetland that is left unmown as habitat. Along the far side of the wetland area a stream runs which defines the northern edge of the Park and the bottom of the adjoining period house’s gardens (s.p.b.). At the moment I am preparing an article on George Poulson’s description of Hornsea (History of Holderness, 1840) – one thing he produces evidence for is that the stream that once (medieval times) drained the Mere to the sea became blocked by storm-deposited sand and gravel, following which a new, natural, drainage channel emerged a few hundred yards to the south, this still in evidence. As the stream at the edge of Hall Garth Park clearly has eroded valley sides I am wondering if this is the remnant of that original drainage channel?
The Hull – Hornsea railway line passed through eight rural stations after Sutton (s.p.b.) and before reaching Hornsea. With this now being the quickest route along-which to walk or cycle between Sutton and Hornsea it follows that the proximity of one to another hardly gave the trains time to get speed-up. Most of these station sites were out-of-village sites which would have involved passengers and/or freight from those villages having to travel up to a mile to catch the train. This was not unusual for rural rail-lines.
After Sutton the next station was to the east of Swine village, this being a Crown estate when the railway was running and still so today ( see the M.Phil. thesis in the articles and publications section of this website). Next stop Skirlaugh, another out of village station, now with a small parking area beside the busy road leading from Ganstead to Leven. Next Ellerby station, here the shallow cutting evidencing the Holderness post-glacial undulations.
(to be continued)