CAN you give me information about the large mound alongside the A171 Whitby road between Guisborough and Scaling Dam? I have often wondered about its history as I have driven past. - Colin Watson, Coundon.

THE mound is located on Moorsholm Moor, on the south side of the A171. It is called Freebrough Hill and resembles ancient sites like Silbury Hill and Glastonbury Tor. Naturally, the site inspires local folklore and there are historical claims associating it with King Arthur. It is also claimed that this is where Celts and Picts threw huge rocks at each other. There is no doubt the hill was known to ancient people as demonstrated by the evidence of numerous ancient tumuli in the neighbourhood. Freebrough Hill is, however, a completely natural formation. It rises to 821 feet and is formed by an Oolitic cap left behind when glaciers eroded the surrounding, softer rocks.

IT IS suggested that now Cleveland County has gone, the Home Office should disband Cleveland Police, and Durham Constabulary should take over in Hartlepool and Stockton as they used to do. Isn't the land between Tees and Tyne represented by the Lord Lieutenant of County Durham? - J Martin, Sedgefield.

THE traditional counties of England have long histories and most survived until 1974 when there were major boundary changes and new counties were created. Conurbations often straddled county boundaries around river estuaries like the Tyne and the Tees and boundary changes had to be made to meet their needs. Teesside, for example had grown from numerous rural settlements into a mass of towns and suburbs, some of which lay in the ancient Yorkshire district called Cleveland while others like Stockton, lay in County Durham. In the interest of administrative efficiency and cultural unity, the various parts of Teesside were amalgamated as the County Borough of Teesside and after 1974 became, along with Hartlepool, the new County of Cleveland. On Tyneside, Newcastle and neighbouring parts of Northumberland were amalgamated with those parts of Tyneside across the Tyne in County Durham. Sunderland, though distinct from Tyneside, was also added to this new county, named Tyne and Wear.

The new counties were shortlived - Cleveland and Tyne and Wear were abolished on April 1, 1996. More recently, Darlington separated from Durham County but unlike Teesside, still uses County Durham as part of its postal address.

The Queen's representative north of the Tees is the Lord Lieutenant of County Durham, while south of the river it is the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire. There is still a Lord Lieutenant for Tyne and Wear. Northumbria Police covers Tyne and Wear along with Northumberland. Durham Constabulary covers Durham County and Darlington but not Teesside, which is covered by Cleveland Police, although Cleveland County no longer exists.

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