Cleveland Leasing

Did You Know?

Cleveland, on the North East coast, is one of England's smaller counties, created in 1974 - it was previously part of the North Riding of Yorkshire. The name Cleveland means 'Cliff Land' and describes the County well, with the dramatic Cleveland Hills and spectacular coastal cliffs.

A non-metropolitan county of Cleveland was created in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, named after the historic region, but not covering it all, and also including land north of the River Tees in County Durham. It was situated around the Teesside urban area and included Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Hartlepool and Redcar. 

Cleveland has a significant industrial heritage arising from its central role in the 19th century iron boom that led to Middlesbrough growing from a hamlet into a major industrial town in only a few decades. The Cleveland Hills, in the southern part of the district, were key suppliers of the ironstone that was essential to the running of the blast furnaces alongside the River Tees.

Cleveland was for many years also the name of a constituency for the House of Commons. The Cleveland constituency had been created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, by the division of the North Riding constituency, and was succeeded by the Cleveland and Whitby for the February 1974 general election.

The area is extremely varied geographically. The Tees estuary is highly industrialised and urbanised. Much of the remainder of the lowland parts of Cleveland is farmland. East Cleveland marks the northern end of the chain of cliffs that runs along the North Yorkshire Heritage Coast. South is extremely hilly, forming the escarpment of the North York Moors.

The River Tees flows through the county and, away from the industrial centres, Cleveland can boast of some beautiful scenery and is well known to walkers for the Cleveland Way National Trail.

Saltburn Smugglers Heritage Centre, illustrates when this coastline was a haven for smugglers in the 18th century. During Victorian and Edwardian times Cleveland was the most important area of ironstone mining in England.

East Cleveland is home to the popular seaside town of Saltburn-by-the Sea. Saltburn developed as a Victorian resort and still retains its pier, the only one in North East England. The pier is linked to the town by a cliff lift, opened in 1884 it is the oldest remaining water balanced tramway in Britain.