The following excepts are taken from the history of Gristhorpe by Lady Diana Beswick. They feature many extracts from the diaries of William and George Beswick. The Beswicks have lived in the Manor house for over two hundred and fifty years.
Great storm : On 21st December, 1739 a "Great Breeze" began and lasted until 14th February. A strong North West wind prevailed. Several aged people were found dead on the roads by the extremities of the cold .. and a great many seamen left their limbs at sea... many shipwrecks."[Beswick diaries]
Rights of wreck : In 1744 William went down to Gristhorpe Bay to mark some wreckage. In accordance with the ancient foreshore rights, William made use of its resources. After a wreck, he would go into Gristhorpe Bay to mark the timber, he wanted, by slashing his initials into the wood. There are some of these at the manor at the present time.
On this occasion, he found two local men who unlawfully attempting to make off with timber, whereupon they attacked him, swearing and threatening to 'cleave him'. They nearly succeeded in drowning him, but William escaped and the two men were later summonsed. The warrant was signed by Richard Osbaldeston, Esq. They were bound over for a year. These men shall not be named as descendants of them both still live in the neighbourhood.
In 1665 Brian Beswick built the Manor farmhouse. During his life he had most of the cottages rebuilt in stone from the quarry on the cliff top. The roofs were thatched. Much of the timber in them would have been salvaged from wrecks which broke up on the shore. These cottages are the ones we know today, which form a pleasuring terraced sweep up the north side of Main Street, lying above the road and behind a grassy bank.
Man of war : One day in 1744 George writes, "a man of war off Flambro' signalled to a Filey fishing coble to heave to, for questioning, by firing a pistol. Instead, the coble crew merely doffed their caps... then the man of war grazed their bows with a cannon ball... this caused them to stop"
Kelp : In 1744 William went down to Gristhorpe Bay to mark some wreckage. In accordance with foreshore rights , William made use of its resources. He had kelp, a certain type of seaweed, brought up and spread on the land. This was said to be the first time it had been used as a manure and was the best.
Periwinkles and kilne : "18th May, 1744, Took a walk to Muston and stayed there a while. There was no fish to be bought so came home, got my dinner and went to the sands and to the wreck "Starr". Where I found our people at work, Thomas Gotton and his daughter Rachael(step Daughter) were gathering periwinkles and his other daughter Amy was at work filling one of the kilnes with wreck which was set on fire and burning briskly with a strong south west wind.
After they had gotten about two pecks of periwinkles we went to the kilne to help Amy and left the kilne burning. There was a great fleet of loaden ships computed to be upward of two hundred said of colliers steering southwards and a much less number sailing north(little Amy did not reach womanhood)".
Dancing and sports : Sports and horse racing took place on almost every village in the area as well as Filey and Cayton sands. They raced for saddles, bridles, and whips and the competition was keen. On 2nd June George Beswick writes
"Brother Robert and myself walked across land to Lebberston sports. There were great many people of all sorts and sizes belonging the neighbourhood. There was also a dove decked and adorned with ribbons of divers colours and other find trappings which was danced for by the country girls. This went to a Filey Las, tho' of right, it should have gone to Gristhorpe, to one who was reckoned to be the best dancer by most people. After the diversions out of doors were all over, the young men and the young women adjourned to the ale houses to conclude their sports indoors. Ale was one penny a flaggon." [George Beswick]
Privateers : "April 16th,1744. A strong northerly wind that made a rough sea. We heard firing of guns and ride to the cliffs. Colliers that were riding in FFyley Bay were firing at a little ship that passed which they took for a privateer...
...Tis talked that Mr Robinson of Buckton has ordered 6 pieces of cannon to be placed upon white cliff and that Squire Osbaldeston has ordered three at Ffyley as defense against our enemies. 150 soldiers stationed at Scarborough - their preservation at this perilous time" [George Beswick]
One would expect the seaside to be the only place where drowning happened. Coroners reports in Yorkshire in the early 14th century there was an excessive number of deaths by drowning, by falling off bridges, out of boats, into streams and down wells. It did not say much for the state of the roads.
Dangerous cliffs : At the begining of the 1900's the Staintondale hunt used to meet at the manor until during one chase, a stag leapt over the cliffs, followed by the hounds which were all killed. It was then considered too dangerous to continue hunting anywhere near the cliffs again.
Gunboat wrecked : The Mekong, a gunboat was wrecked in Gristhorpe Bay. All the crew were winched off by breeches buoy and were brought into the village where they were housed for a few days. The captain stayed at the manor House. His main concern after he knew everyone had survived was the loss of his false teeth.
Drowned man : Davina Whitby of Filey remembered a wreck in Gristhorpe bay when a drowned seaman was laid out in the Bull. She was a girl at the time and said that she had never before seen such a beautiful looking young man.
- The history of Gristhorpe by Lady Diana Beswick