These photographs were taken as part of a short cycle ride from Portrack in which I was intent in finding out what the countryside was like behind Haverton Hill. The building in the first photograph was just off the end of Cowpen Bewley Road, where it runs into Cowpen Bewley Lane.
I did this ride without maps, but recollect crossing the line of the Stockton to Hartlepool railway, so perhaps some of the photographs have been taken off Wolveston Back Lane… I would guess that with the massive development and land drainage in this area, some of the farm buildings have disappeared. Perhaps Stocktonians can help?
It must have been a difficult are to farm as the land was low lying and the pollution from ICI could not have helped. The farmland looked very bleak compared to that around Portrack and Norton.
Photographs and details courtesy of Fred Starr.
Picture Stockton Archive 
The first photograph is the approach to Cowpen Bewley from the Haverton Hill road, looking north and the building on the left is the old village school which at that time would be used as an outward bound club. Picture two I would suggest is from the same camera position but looking in a westerly direction. Not quite sure about pic three but I think you have crossed the railway onto the Cowpen/Wolviston back lane and the buildings are Owington Farm which is now covered in houses. Yes the community forest project has helped make the area a much greener place.
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This was the school at Cowpen Bewley
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Hi I lived at 25 St Vincent street in the early 1960’s, my cousin Bobby Dale took me on an adventure down Cowpen Bewley Lane when I was about 5 he and his mate would have been about 11 or 12. My Dad Syd Swan had an allotment but so far I haven’t been able to find any pictures of them. I now live in Sydney Australia and am 66 years old.
The school you refer to, do you think that could have been the school I attended. I believe Haverton Hill does not exist today?
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About 10 years earlier there was nothing between Cowpen and Cowpen Bewley. We would cycle – age 10 – to Cowpen Bewley then take the level crossing into Wolviston Back Lane. Not far down, there was a track to the right that led to Greetham Creek and on to Greetham. From there it was only a short ride to the golden sands of Seaton Carew and a dip in the North Sea.
The big decision was whether to take a ride on the big dipper. Strange to think that parents only considered the big dipper posed a danger to children.
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Streetview ( https://goo.gl/rPs4FA ) shows a good match in 2009 for picture 1, the location of the phonebox, the telegraph poles and the buildings on the left haven’t changed. The area has got a lot greener with many more trees in view.
In picture 2 can I see industrial buildings in the background?
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I would say the second photograph was taken from Cowpen Bewley Road just before it enters the village from Haverton Hill where there is now a ‘pinch point’ in the road . We are looking WSW with the street lights of Cowpen Lane easily seen in the middle ground and then in the distance to the left are Kennedy Gardens and to the right St Michael’s School .
Slightly off topic but does anyone remember the Army camp on Cowpen Lane ? I think it may have been used by the TA and the camp entrance took the same line as Bentley Avenue does today .
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Cowpen Lane – I used to play near Bentley Avenue in the late forties not sure about being army camp, I remember buildings set below ground level all bared windows it could been for prisners.. I’m 76 years.
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Keep on going Peter!
Buildings set below ground level, with barred windows, may have been holding explosives
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