Until 2002 when the property was rebuilt, Wilton Carr was in something of a time warp showing little change from when the Forge Valley Line closed in 1950.
This view was taken in June 1995, looking east from Cliff Lane. The railway would have been to the right hand side of the building. The North Eastern enamel sign was still on display at the time.
Wilton Carr Crossing
Half a mile south of Wilton village, the crossing at Cliff Lane was called Wilton Carr. Approached from the Pickering side, Wilton Carr preceded Ebberston Station by just under a mile. After closure, one of the level crossing gates was reputedly for several decades used by a local farmer to plug a gap in a nearby field fenceline. There was a well to the north east of the cottage.
The paintwork was possibly "oriental blue" applied by British Railways shortly before the line closed.
1891
Mr Matthew B. Sellars was platelayer at "Wilton Gate House" in 1891 and still there in 1911. His son "John W Sellars" was recorded as being a porter in 1891, possibly working at nearby Ebberston Station, or as it was named at the time "Wilton Station".
1918
Having previously occupied Allerston Crossing in 1911, the Postill family were at Wilton Carr by 1918, their fourth child being recorded as being born there. In 1921, Harland Postil was recorded as a platelayer living at Wilton Carr, while his wife Mary E. Postil's occupation was recorded as "home duties". By this date they had five children, the youngest being under a year old. In 1939 the Postill family were still living at Wilton Carr. Mary was recorded as the gate keeper and Harland was a permanent way labourer.
Jane Ethel Bond was gatekeeper at Allerston Gatehouse in 1939. After closure she bought Wilton Carr from British Railways. Her son, Deggy (Derek Arthur) Bond lived at Wilton Carr until around 2001 when he moved into a rest home in Thornton Dale. Shortly afterwards the cottage was modernised, but until then it had no form of electricity, the only toilet was still in the outhouse in the back yard and the only mains water was from an outside tap next to the back door.
Wilton Carr has since been extended and become a Caravan Club certified location caravan site, appropriately named "Wilton Gatehouse".