Kirkleatham

Coordinates: 54°35′00″N 1°05′00″W / 54.583333°N 1.083333°W / 54.583333; -1.083333

Kirkleatham is a village in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. It is located approximately 4.5 mi (7.2 km) north/north-west of Guisborough, and 3 mi (4.8 km) south of Redcar. It is near the mouth of the River Tees. Instead of a village, Kirkleatham could be classified as a collection of buildings that formed the Turner Estate, named for the Turner family who lived at Kirkleatham from 1661. Kirkleatham has one of the best collections of Georgian-style buildings in England.

History

Kirkleatham is the birthplace of Sir William Turner who was Lord Mayor of London in 1669. He gave most of his fortune to found the Sir William Turner’s Hospital in June 1676. In present day, it is an independent almshouse. Turner bequeathed a substantial amount of money to his great nephew, Cholmley Turner, a member of parliament for Yorkshire, 1727–1741, to establish a Free School, built in 1709, that now serves as the local museum. His estate established for the care of 40 people: ten old men, ten old women, ten boys, and ten girls. The office of governor or governess falls upon the owner of the estate. Management of the estate was the responsibility of a chaplain, a master, and a mistress.