


News & Events
Community , Settlement and Place
In the timeline of the greatest events in the history of chemistry, Aristotle is credited with a proposal on the use of distillation to desalinate sea water in 350 BCE (Khordagui H.K. - 1999)
He would not have been aware that a small community working on a hill top in East Cleveland over 3000 years earlier were routinely desalinating sea water by thermal evaporation.
This community, identified as being the earliest in Western Europe to engage in commercial salt production also represented the early stage growth of a settled community in our region.
Salt extraction and processing represents the connecting thread of Community , Settlement and Place within Loftus Parish from the early Neolithic period to the present day.
The process of converting Alum shales Into Octahedral salt crystals provided employment , new horizons and hope to many who almost lost it through loss of work and the experience of famine elsewhere. Its principle use as a carrier for wool dye was instrumental in providing significant added value to wool enabling it to become highly desirable in world markets.
The young Geologist , Lewis Hunton , who first identified a reliable indicator of the age of rock strata that contained similar fossil deposits no matter where they appeared has provided insight into geological strata formations throughout the world.
This continuum of strata connects Polyhalite , a multisalt fertiliser , discovered in seams deep underground in Salzburg , Austria by Friedrich Stromeyer in 1818 to seams deep underground Boulby. The extraction and processing of this salt into essential fertiliser for food production world wide will be a major contributor to our community , settlement and place for years to come.
Loftus is currently undergoing a major infrastructural investment through a grant from the Future High Streets Fund. This investment , the first on this scale for over a century , brings about a transformational step forward which will enable residents , visitors and business leaders to advance their visions and reach out to new horizons in a world now adapting to the criteria required to combat climate change.
L.A.W.G. are proud to be a strong supporting partner to the Town and Borough Councils in delivering the scheme and assisting in preparing the way forward for the benefit of all who live , work and visit in Loftus Parish area.
Reference
Khordagui H.K. (1999) Desalination. In: Environmental Geology. Encyclopedia of Earth Science. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-4494-1_78
Volunteer for Loftus. Join us in the new community woodland park!
AII you need to bring is sturdy footwear and clothes you can get mucky! There is a range of activities but the main purpose is to develop the woodland for Loftus residents. Come and join us - meeting point Loftus Leisure Centre car park.

Wednesday 13th October Mike, Community Woodland 9.30-1pm
Thursday 21st October Mike, Community Woodland 9.30-1pm
Thursday 27th October Mike, Community Woodland 9.30-1pm
Thursday 4th November Mike, Community Woodland 9.30-1pm
Wednesday 10th November Mike, Community Woodland 9.30-1pm
Thursday 18th November Mike, Community Woodland 9.30-1pm
Wednesday 24th November Mike, Community Woodland 9.30-1pm
Thursday 2nd December Mike, Community Woodland 9.30-1pm
Wednesday 8th December Mike, Community Woodland 9.30-1pm
Thursday 16th December Mike, Community Woodland 9.30-1pm
Break for Christmas
Thursday 13th January Mike, Community Woodland 9.30-1pm
interested in becoming a regular volunteer ?
Please send your details to
Marshall Best- marshallbest@icloud.com 07484324446
Natalie Whitworth- natalie.whitworth@groundwork.org.uk 07577344731
Upcoming activities in the new community woodland park
Come and join us for some woodland activities for all the family !
Every Friday _ 1.15pm | Weekly health walk group, meet outside Loftus Town Hall - Marshall B
Thursday 5th August, 10am-12 | Come to your senses - Jo Mead
Tuesday 17th August, 10am-12 | Magical themed event - Natalie W
Thursday 19th August* 1-4pm | Bio Blitz ( free t shirt ! ) - Natalie W
Tuesday 24th August, meet outside | Guided Heritage Walk to an archaeological dig at an early Neolithic site,
Loftus Town Hall for 11am start | to receive information from Dr Stephen Sherlock-Marshall Best
Thursday 26th August, meet outside | Guided Heritage Walk to Loftus Alum Quarry with Geologist Alan Simkins
Loftus Town Hall, for a 10.30am start | 4,5 miles- Marshall Best
Saturday 11th September 10.30-12 | Wild Food Walk - Natalie W
Saturday 11th September 1-2.30pm | Wild Food Walk - Natalie W
September | Bat Walk - Loftus Town Council
October Pumpkin Walk | Halloween Weekend
To book onto the activities please contact Jo Mead, Natalie Whitworth, or Marshall Best
Loftus events on Heritage Open Days Friday 10th September and Saturday 11th September 2021
We are pleased to advise that our 2021 Heritage Open Day events will include
Friday 10th September Loftus Town Hall starting 7.30pm
Update on current investigations at Western Europes earliest commercial salt making processing facility near Street Houses by Dr.S.Sherlock
The exciting revelation of commercial salt processing in the early Neolithic period ushering in the transition from hunter gatherers to a settled economically active community brings many new dimensions to what we now know as Place and Settlement .
This transformation brought food preservation ,production of dairy products and livestock management.
Dr.Sherlock will bring us the latest information to be shared in our community
Saturday 11th September Loftus Town Hall 10am to 12 noon
John Lord , specialist Flint Knapper will demonstrate the ancient art of flint knapping and we will have the opportunity to examine the stones used and replicas of the flint discovered at the early Neolithic site. We shall also be informed of the sources of many of the flint stone found at the site.
Saturday 11th September Loftus Town Hall - depart 1pm
Free guided Walk to early Neolithic site near Street Houses. Dr.Sherlock will meet us on arrival and inform the group of the current understanding of the beginnings of salt processing in Western Europe
Walkers are requested to wear sturdy boots, bring light refreshments and have waterproof clothing if needed.
Loftus Market Place is served by Arriva X4 and 5 buses.
No booking needed ; for more information phone 01287 641000 or e-mail

Loftus ACORD Walking Group receive £2,129 in funding
Loftus ACCORD Walking Group outside Loftus Co-op, receiving a cheque for £2,129 from the Co-op's Local Good Causes Scheme. The funding will be used towards the local Community Woodland Project, with our partners from Beyond Housing, Groundworks Northeast, Loftus Town Council and Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council.
Dear Friends,
Just a line to advise that Dr.Steve Sherlock will present a review of his current studies at the Saltern site near Streethouses this year in Loftus Town Hall on Friday 7th October starting at 7:30 pm. Since our last visit on Sunday 4th September, the Archaeologists received a visit from the “Digging for Britain “ team led by Professor Alice Roberts. A video of this visit was taken and will be presented on National T.V. in 2023.
Friday 7th October 2022
Please note, no Wellbeing Walk on December 2nd 2022. (Chistmas lunch)
December 25th 2022 Light up Loftus, Loftus Market Place.
The Christmas Lights will be switched on at 5.30pm
there will be hot dogs, roast Chestnuts, soup and mulled wine etc available in the Market Place
and refeshments and entertainment in the Town Hall