Marske-by-the-Sea is positioned between Redcar and Saltburn on the east coast. On a recent visit I discovered a hidden treasure at Marske: Winkies Castle Folk Museum.
The Museum is a small, old cottage named after a cat called Winkie who made the place his castle. Inside this charming, historic building is a collection of items from times gone by, gathered by Winkie’s owner (a local cobbler named Jack Anderson).
Jack bought the cottage to stop it being demolished and founded the Museum in 1975. If you look at any of the shoes that Jack made, you’ll realise why he preferred to be known as a master shoe maker rather than a cobbler.
Since Jack passed away, Winkies Castle has been run by volunteers who will show you around the cottage and small courtyard with its wash house and “netty” (toilet).
A modern touch screen shows old photos of the area, and an audio-visual room runs a 15 minute DVD giving more historic details and an overview. Entry is not expensive and I think most age groups would find this a place of interest.
Marske can be accessed not only by road and rail but also by walking along the beach (at low tide) from either Redcar or Saltburn. However you get to Marske, take time to savour Winkies Castle as there is a lot to take in.
Grid Reference: NX 63 22