An early photoraph of East Crescent; with 1 East Crescent (also known as Cromwell House) in the left photograph and for a long time was home to the Lindsey family, Joe, Harold and Bernard the builders and their parents. The house got the name because Oliver Cromwell was suppose to have stopped there, the picture on the Arlington Hotel sign is that of Cromwell. The house is an early 18th Century dwelling which was once used by Roman Catholics as a secret place of worship, when their religion was proscribed, perhaps as Cromwell was the antithesis of Roman Catholics his name was used to describe a safe house? It once contained stained glass from Handale Priory and still includes stone taken from there (from Loftus Town Trail). John Stockwell tells us: ”Hugh W. Cook of Redcar writing of his meeting with the Dowager Marchioness of Zetland at Marske House in 1933, (‘The Cleveland Standard’: 07/01/1933) tells of ‘Some very fine stained glass window glass was also pointed out to me, some of which came from Cromwell’s House at Loftus’. John comments: ” If the original glass came from Handale this would perhaps explain the interest in acquiring it.” Holly Enticknap has happy memories having lived in the house and of :”A neighbour from number 3 called Dennis, sitting on his doorstep with his two dogs; one called ‘Rip'”.
Image courtesy of Eileen Hicks; also thanks to John Stockwell and Holly Enticknap for for the updates.
The Oliver Cromwell connection is not impossible. Cromwell did attempt to land troops at Marske in 1643 and there was a battle on Marske beach between Cromwell’s troops and an army of tenants raised by James Pennyman Ist Baronet Pennyman of Ormesby. James had just inherited Marske Hall from his half brother William 1st Baronet Pennyman of Maske. Both were staunch Royalists and military leaders and William had been appointed Governor of Oxford by the king but he died there of the plague in 1643 leaving James to support the Royalist cause.