Easby Moor

Easby Moor
Captain Cook's monument
Highest point
Elevation	324 m (1,063 ft)
Prominence	104 m (341 ft)
Geography
Location	North York Moors, England
Parent range	Cleveland Hills
OS grid	NZ590101
Topo map	OS Landranger 93

Easby Moor is a small hill located in the North York Moors national park within the Cleveland Hills, North Yorkshire, England. At the peak, at 324 metres (1,063 ft) above sea level, is a monument to Captain James Cook. The Cleveland Way runs over the moor. The moor overlooks the villages of Easby and Great Ayton.

The moor was the scene of an air crash during World War II. At 4:10 a.m. on 11 February 1940, a Hudson aircraft took off from Thornaby airfield, to search for German minesweepers operating off the Danish coast. Five minutes later the plane crashed on Easby Moor, killing three of the four crewmen and injuring the fourth. As ice had formed on the wings, the aircraft failed to gain sufficient height to clear the hill. The aircraft ploughed through a larch plantation before coming to rest. The gap in the plantation corresponds exactly with the Hudson's wingspan of 65.5 feet.

The aircrew who died were Flying Officer Tom Parker, Sergeant Harold Berksley and Corporal Norman Drury. Leading Aircraftman Athol Barker survived but was later shot down whilst flying over Germany. The four unexploded bombs that the Hudson carried were later detonated by the RAF, resulting in a pond.

Erected in 1827 by Robert Campion, a Whitby banker, the 60 ft (18 m) high monument bears a plaque with the following inscription:

In memory of the celebrated circumnavigator Captain James Cook F.R.S. A man of nautical knowledge inferior to none, in zeal prudence and energy, superior to most. Regardless of danger he opened an intercourse with the Friendly Isles and other parts of the Southern Hemisphere. He was born at Marton Oct. 27th 1728 and massacred at Owythee Feb. 14th 1779 to the inexpressible grief of his countrymen. While the art of navigation shall be cultivated among men, whilst the spirit of enterprise, commerce and philanthropy shall animate the sons of Britain, while it shall be deemed the honour of a Christian Nation to spread civilisation and the blessings of the Christian faith among pagan and savage tribes, so long will the name of Captain Cook stand out amongst the most celebrated and most admired benefactors of the human race.