Situated on the former Loftus ironstone mine, Land of Iron showcases the impact and significance of the industry for the UK. It was the first ironstone mine to open in Cleveland in 1865 and one of the last to close in 1958.

The project included establishing a new team as well the creation of: 

• a retail area 

• conservation and collections rooms  

• flexible education and exhibition spaces 

• a permanent gallery 

Important industrial heritage 

Under its new name, the museum holds the largest collection of objects and archives relating to ironstone mining in the country. This includes a First World War commemorative quilt made by local women, paintings by Stan Binks and the largest object in the collection – a horse-drawn ambulance. 

In addition to the revamped museum, visitors can journey back in time by 150 years to explore the buildings and tunnels that once made up Cleveland’s third largest ironstone mine.

Land of Iron was also the name of a project run by the North York Moors National Park Authority, which was part-funded by the Heritage Fund. It aimed to showcase the fascinating ironstone and natural heritage of the moors. Land of Iron will continue this mission by displaying objects found on archaeological digs in future exhibitions.