CIAS Summer Events 2026
Please note that while we do not discourage non-members from attending our summer events, they are NOT covered by our Personal Accident cover insurance (through our membership of BALH) and they attend at their own risk. Also, it has come to our attention that members under the age of 16 and over the age of 80 are similarly NOT covered and would attend at their own risk.
16th May 2026
Sunday 10.30am
Middleton Tyas Copper Mines
Leader: : John Suter
A 2 mile walk with a possible extension to Merrybent Mine to view the remains of the copper mining at Middleton Tyas. For a brief period in the 1750s, the copper mines at Middleton Tyas were reputed to be among the richest in Europe. By the 1770s, however, the ore body had been exhausted, and all mining activity had ceased by 1779. Since then, the mining field has remained largely undisturbed, returning mainly to pasture. As a result, the surviving remains offer a rare and valuable example of an abandoned mid-18th-century mining landscape. In 1765, Gabriel Jars described the notoriously waterlogged mines as being “little more than fox earths.” The surviving features include the remains of a Newcomen pumping engine house dating from 1754, along with modifications to local stream courses designed to reduce the ingress of surface water. Contemporary accounts report that three reverberatory copper smelters were in operation, processing ore from the site. A substantial spread of copper slag—likely marking the location of one of these smelters—will form a focus of examination. Please email vicechair.ihs@yahs.org.uk for joining details.
13th June 2026
Saturday 10.30am
Land of Iron Collections Store
Leader: Angela List-Evans
Meet at Land of Iron, Mill Lane, Skinningrove, TS13 4AP
Join the Collections Manager at the Land of Iron for a behind the scenes talk and tour, hear about the origins of the collection and view the large number of items not currently on public display. Find out about the latest conservation projects and how the museum looks after the objects in their care. This visit will be limited to a maximum of 14 people, please email chris.twigg90@gmail.com if you wish to reserve a place.
25th July 2026
Saturday 10.30am
Glaisdale Railways
Meet at Glaisdale War Memorial (NZ 775054)
2.5 mile circular walk looking at the local remains of “Paddy Waddell’s Railway” (Cleveland Extension Mineral Railway), which never carried a train! Bring a packed lunch for a midday picnic on The Green. In the afternoon optional 3 miles circular along the trackbed of Glaisdale’s ironstone tramway on the moor to Postgate quarries and ironstone mine site. Wear strong footwear and a walking stick will be useful.
15th August 2026
Saturday 10.00am
Upleatham Ironstone Mine
Leader: Chris Twigg
Meet at Errington Woods Car Park (NZ 618202)
Following on from our February 2026 lecture, we shall first visit the scant remains of the West Winning, continuing to the Main Winning where bases of Hauling Engine and Waddle Fan can be found before reaching the East Winning where a second haulage engine was located. Stopping for lunch at the terminus of the Hob Hill aerial ropeway we will them retracing out steps back along the tramway. 3 miles circular along generally flat mines tramway. Wear strong footwear, can be muddy.
CIAS Autumn 2026 Lecture Programme
TBA
A record of our previous events can be viewed here