The Holwick Scars are one of upper Teesdale’s most prominent geological features, beloved of photographers and here our regular contributor, Northern Perspectives, uses his drone to capture the drama of the cliffs.
Holwick Scars, upper Teesdale, by Northern Perspectives
They were created about 295m years ago when magma from the Earth’s core forced its way, at 1,000C, through holes in the soft limestone which had been laid down about 360m years ago. A mere 10,000 years or so ago during the last Ice Age, a glacier scoured its way down Teesdale, removing the softer stone on its sides and revealing the scars – an ancient northern word for a rocky cliff face.
The Strathmore Arms at Holwick in 2015
The soil at the foot of the scars is fertile. Follow the road eastwards towards the distance and find the big clump of trees that surround the former Strathmore Arms pub.
Between the trees and the foot of the cliffs is the site of Well Head, a surprisingly large settlement that seems to have been occupied since before Roman times up to the Black Death around 1350.
The Strathmore Arms, Holwick
Another pandemic, Covid, caused the closure of the pub. It had been opened, in a 17th Century building, by Thomas Lee in 1890, although a petition against it was signed by 68 Holwick residents and sent to magistrates. It was a slow post day and the petition arrived 24 hours after magistrates had granted Mr Lee his licence.
The pub was named after the local landowner, Lord Strathmore, who didn’t object.
Nor did Cosmo Bonsor, a director of the Bank of England and Conservative MP for Wimbledon, who was building Holwick Lodge as a base for his shooting parties.
The lodge, and the pub, were visited by many well-to-do shooters and visitors, including royalty. Edward VII and Prince Charles came for private weekends; the Queen Mother, a member of the Strathmore family, visited on a public occasion in 1975.
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However, the most famous visitor to Holwick was probably former Home Secretary Lord William Whitelaw in 1984. Out on the moors, he slipped while shooting a grouse, and peppered the backside of his host, Sir Joseph Nickerson. Not fatally.
Joe Cogdon and Helen Osbourne in The Strathmore Arms, Holwick, in 2003
The Strath was a fabulous, remote retreat, but Northern Perspectives’ picture shows how it was in the middle of nowhere – not even the nearest metropolis of Middleton-in-Teesdale can be seen in the picture.
Northern Perspectives
Northern Perspectives is a Durham photographer who uses the latest drone technology to shed new light on our wonderful and historic landscapes. To see more of his remarkable work, including his aerial videos, search “Northern Perspectives” on Facebook.