News and Events
Meetings in 2018
January - The History of Haddon Hall and its families. A talk by Mandy Coates, local historian
Mike Woffenden introduced Mandy to the first meeting of the year.
Haddon Hall is often described as the best example of a medieval manor house in the country. Mandy explained that Haddon means ‘heather covered hill’. She described the families associated with Haddon: the Peverils post Norman Conquest, the Vernons from 1170, the Manners from 1565 until the present day. The house has never been sold, always passing down through the generations. She also described how the various buildings comprising the Hall were developed over time. The lecture was accompanied by a series of slides.
The earliest known history of Haddon is that William the Conqueror gave William Peveril, possibly his illegitimate son, the extensive lands of Derbyshire and its surroundings including the manor of Haddon. Peveril built watchtowers on this land e.g. the east end of Haddon, Peveril, Bolsover, Wingfield Manor and Nottingham Castle. Haddon passed into the hands of the Vernon family when Sir Richard Vernon married the then heiress in 1170. The manor of Haddon was then protected by a wall after Prince John gave his permission in 1194. The majority of the hall was built by the Vernon family.
In 1563 Dorothy Vernon married John Manners, the second son of the Earl of Rutland. Local legends talk of an elopement. The Manners family are still the owners today.
Mike thanked Mandy for such an interesting talk about this well known local estate. An excellent turnout showed that there is still a great deal of interest in this topic and thanks to Mandy’s talk we are all much wiser as to its history.
February: Open or Common Field Systems: A talk by Jan Stetka, Local Historian, Bakewell
Jan Stetka has had an interest in the local history of Bakewell for over two decades with a major interest in the Anglo-Saxon period. This talk was a comprehensive description of Anglo-Saxon methods of managing water-flow and farming in a sustainable manner that made the most of the natural geography of the area and allowed the population to thrive.
Jan began by pointing out a major contrast between the Roman and Anglo-Saxon occupations of England. Despite a lengthy occupation, the Roman language, Latin, never became commonplace among the native population (clergy excepted) whereas the language of the Angles and Saxons rapidly became accepted. Clearly there was an attraction to these settlers, which Jan attributed to their advanced knowledge of sustainable agriculture.
The settlers had been using the plough (not then known in England) for over 500 years and had developed the “Ridge and Furrow” system of ploughing. Examination of old Anglo-Saxon texts also showed a sophisticated knowledge of animal husbandry with recommendations that at least six species of any animal should be bred so that susceptibility to illness and infection would be minimised.
As the name implies, the “ridge and furrow” ploughing system produced alternating ridges and ditches in parallel formation across farmland. These are still visible in many areas today and can be seen locally south of Bakewell. The present fields, however, are poor reflections of their former state when the height difference between the top of the ridge and the bottom of the furrow could be as much as 10m. The system had three advantages.
Ploughing was critically dependent on a supply of oxen, which, in turn, required a plentiful supply of hay. Fortunately, the Anglo-Saxons were also skilled in the development of hay meadows produced by careful mixing of water from rivers, hot springs and cold springs and allowing this to run through fields bordering rivers but at such a slow rate that the flow allowed all the valuable minerals and nutrients to settle on the fields. Such a system was developed just south of the centre of Bakewell, stretching down to Burton Meadows (the area occupied by the present Agricultural Centre and beyond). The land was managed so that water flow fell by only an inch over a distance of a whole field and the temperature was such that the land for over a mile south of Bakewell never freezes. This allowed six separate crops of hay each year in Anglo-Saxon times. Jan explained that more crops of hay fed more oxen to allow more ploughing to sustain more people to pay more tax!
This whole system worked so well locally that the area became known as the “Bathing Meadow” from which the present name of Bakewell is ultimately derived and Domesday Book records that Bakewell had the largest area of meadowland in the Peak District at the time of the Norman Conquest. This then was sufficient to sustain 500 people (100 families) but the meadowland expanded progressively until ca1300 when it stretched to the surrounding hilltops - 13 times the area used for crops today. With the Black Death, the population halved, the open fields were enclosed and there was a progressive change to pastureland as tending to cattle and sheep was less labour-intensive than ploughing.
After this masterly exposition, Jan posed the question of why the Anglo-Saxons chose this area for their settlement? The geography of the area explains this. Evidence from a geographical study of river terraces in the Wye, Derwent and Hope valleys in the 1960s showed that the land changed its level several times as a result of glaciation. Accordingly, the course of the river Derwent had varied many times and at one point joined the Wye at Bakewell before rerouting to its present course. Accordingly, the river valley in which Bakewell sits is particularly wide at this point. Together with the hot springs this created the unique conditions to allow the production of the extensive meadowland. The Anglo-Saxons must have been able to identify features in the landscape that indicated its suitability without the modern scientific methods available to today’s geographers - yet another example of the sophistication of that time giving the lie to many stereotypes of “primitive” man!
David Dalrymple-Smith, on behalf of all those present, thanked Jan for such an informative and interesting talk.
March: Recent Developments in Archaeology in the Peak District - A talk by Ken Smith, former Cultural Heritage Manager for the P D N P.
Ken emphasised that the Peak District is a wilderness, but farmed and managed, with crop growing in the fertile valleys, stock grazing on the uplands, and grouse shooting on the moorlands. The area has always been subject to man-made impacts, despite its remoteness. Archaeology can shed light on this past activity and he illustrated this with a variety of recent examples from across the area.
In the Upper Derwent Valley, two aspects have recently come to light.
Ken`s focus then moved to Chatsworth Park. A recent archaeological survey of that area for Inheritance Tax purposes had shown the site of the demolished cottages in the old Edensor village, removed by the Sixth Duke to avoid being seen from the House when the Park was remodelled by Capability Brown. (They ran alongside the road between the cattle grid adjacent to the Cavendish Institute and the junction of the driveway down to the House. The occupants were rehoused in new dwellings up the hill around the church). The survey also revealed a couple of Bronze Age burial mounds on the hillside up above the Garden Centre at Calton Lees.
The weir at Calver was then discussed. The constant flow of fast water had gouged out a hole in the middle of the weir. This threatened the structure collapsing, which would adversely affect the wetlands above the bridge, plus the filling of the leet to Calver Mill. So the Peak Park Cultural Heritage Department had helped a local consortium to raise funds to repair the historic structure, including a new fish ladder for any salmon.
Next Ken touched on the recent excavations at Fin Cop, which had been assisted by local people, especially school children. Test pits and trenches revealed a large number of skeletons, subsequently identified as belonging to women and children. The gruesome explanation was some form of massacre of the people who occupied the fortification up there, possibly after their fighting menfolk had been slain in a nearby tribal battle.
Ken then moved on to the subject of Stanton Moor. This was a popular place for walkers, cyclists and campers with the possibility of conflict between recreation and preservation of ancient stone circles, the most prominent of which was that known as the Nine Ladies. The Peak Park Cultural Heritage Department had recently planted trees strategically to encourage visitors to stick to the established pathways rather than generally wandering. The area had previously supported a conifer wood, but that had been felled to provide wood for the trenches in the First World War.
Ken`s next subject was the Ecton Copper Mine. His department had cleared out the old Engine House to facilitate viewing. They had cleared a walkway along the adit into the mine from the level of the River Manifold. The mine had been surveyed and its historical operation worked out. The underground excavations were enormous and at one time it stood as the largest copper mine in the world. There was even a boiler house 300 foot underground, with three coal-fired boilers used to operate the steam pumps which extracted water from the workings. It was now possible for people to undertake a limited tour of the mine.
Lastly, he touched upon historic farmhouses throughout the Peak. Before the 18th century most of these would have been constructed largely of timber, but thereafter many were stone. His former department has recently been assisting farmers in siting new modern barns sympathetically against these historic farmsteads, especially when surrounded by ancient field systems.
Ken`s talk was very well received by the members of the group, who were pleased to have been brought up to date on the work of his former department, and the Chairman thanked him warmly.
April: Visit to the Peak District Mining Museum, Matlock and Temple Mine
Our first visit of the 2018 programme was an organised group tour of this museum. Our guide was extremely well informed and entertaining. He explained that lead mining in the local area dates to over 2500 years ago, was firmly established by the Romans and expanded rapidly in the 1600s and again during the industrial revolution. At times, it was the most productive lead producing area in the world. Production continued until well into the 20thcentury.
He then explained the evolution of the practical and legal aspects of the industry, showed how the processes involved changed over time and explained something of the life of the miners - contrasting this with that of the distributors and mine-owners. Despite the apparent hardships of the miners there were very few fatalities and life expectancy was twice that of town-dwellers.
We then saw a small proportion of the thousands of items and relics of the lost industry exhibited, explained and interpreted in the museum. The main exhibit was the Wills Founder Water Pressure Engine, designed by the Cornish engineer Richard Trevithick and built by Abraham Darby in Coalbrookdale in 1819. This engine is one of the largest designed by the famous engineer and uses the pressure of falling water to pump water from deep underground. Equalling this was the massive collection of mineral specimens collected from around the world and donated to the museum by Professor Howie. We also saw more general exhibits of the heritage and history of the Matlock area.
Following this tour, we were shown into the Temple Mine, used to extract lead and fluorspar, and situated just 200yds or so away. Here we saw mine workings from the 1920s and 1950s with some evidence of mining from over 200 years ago. Equally fascinating was an interpretation of the geological processes that formed the surrounding landscape millions of years ago.
The whole tour would not have been as interesting without the knowledge of our guide who was warmly thanked for his efforts. The visit was well worth the modest price of the entry fee, especially as the tickets allow a further free visit within the year!
May: “Doctoring in Derbyshire: The life and work of Dr Wrench” - a talk by Dr Carol Beardmore, De Montfort University.
This was the second “Open Lecture” given on behalf of our Group in Baslow Village Hall and open to the general public. An impressive turnout of over 70 attended.
David Dalrymple-Smith, President of the History Group, introduced Dr Beardmore. She had taken up history as a second career and after a BA and MA, her PhD research into family life and the community aspects of social history led her to the discovery of the diaries of Dr Edward Mason Wrench in the library of Nottingham University. Dr Wrench had been a General Practitioner in Baslow and Physician to the Duke of Devonshire from 1862 until his death in 1912. A larger than life character, he dominated village life and was meticulous in keeping a daily diary about his activities, interests and ideas.
Dr Beardmore began her talk by explaining why the diaries were important. They provide an almost unique perspective on:
Dr Beardmore has, so far, digitised about two-thirds of the diaries that vary between twelve and eighty thousand words each and amount to over 800,000 words in total so far. No mean feat, as the handwriting is dreadful (typical of a doctor?) and at times difficult to decipher.
She summarised Wrench’s early life. He was born in London, the son of a Rector, trained as an “Accoucheur” (male midwife) at St Thomas’s Hospital and then as a surgeon (1854) before joining the army. After periods in the Crimea (where he met Florence Nightingale) and India he returned to the UK in 1860 and married in 1861. With promotion within the army uncertain, he decided to take up General Practice and through word of mouth learned of a vacancy in Baslow, Derbyshire in a practice run by a Mr Cordell, Physician to the Duke of Devonshire, who had been ill for some time and whose practice had been declining. He visited the area, bought the practice straight away for a sum of £450 payable in two instalments (the average at the time being about £600) and started within three weeks. The diaries indicate that he had patients in an area covering Buxton, Bakewell and towards Chesterfield as well as the villages immediate around Baslow.
To be a successful GP in those days required the establishment of a personal reputation and this, in turn, was dependent on the development of wide social and professional networks. The diaries show Dr Wrench to be extremely adept at this. Very quickly he developed a good working relationship with a neighbouring GP, Dr Grantham, links to the Sheffield Medical Association and was appointed to a number of medical boards. Within the community, he established “Penny Readings” monthly in all of the villages where children and parents were able to develop reading skills under his supervision. He became a churchwarden and within a short time was able to hold a “Conversazione”, a gathering of 45 scientific thinking individuals who shared their experiences, inventions and theories. He was an innovator, being one of the first GPs to use a stethoscope on a regular basis.
By 1865, he regarded his efforts as successful when he was invited to dine at Chatsworth by the Duke of Devonshire, although the diaries show that the association with the aristocracy was a mixed blessing. For example, in 1887 he accompanied Lord Edward Cavendish to Cannes when he was recovering from a lung abscess and was able to take an extended holiday in Europe. Other travels followed, on some of which his family accompanied him. But extended periods away sometimes compromised his practice and payment by the Duke was often considerably delayed.
Nevertheless, Wrench soon had a thriving practice with diary entries showing income tax returns indicating an annual income around £1000pa when an average GP’s income might be £400-£600pa. He also billed the majority of his patients annually, an indicator of a professional practice at the highest level of society.
The diaries also show Wrench as an entrepreneur and a great innovator, and not only in his medical practice. For example, he
It is also clear from the diaries that family life played an important role. He was devoted to his children and had constant worries about their health and behaviour (his eldest son was constantly in debt). His wife, Anne, was an important contributor to his social networking as well as helping with accounts, taking messages and running the household, all at a time when her husband was always on call for emergencies and could be away for days on end attending complex midwifery cases or with the Duke. Wrench prioritised his professional duties but did not neglect his family.
Life was not always easy. Anne had seven children and several miscarriages (the diaries do not go into great detail); they were looking after the daughter of a brother-in-law away in the army; and their three eldest daughters all died in their 20s from tuberculosis. Dr Beardmore explained that the diaries express Wrench’s grief so vividly that they are difficult to read - she was in tears in the library when she read them.
Dr Beardmore then turned to other aspects of Wrench’s medical and scientific work. She described the types of medical conditions with which he had to work - maternity, surgical cases, TB, accidental injuries, infectious disease and so on. She showed that he was a skilled and innovative doctor. For example:
The diaries also show some less appreciated aspects of medicine at the time. For example mental health, where Wrench certified many people including his own uncle, and substance abuse, where opiate and laudanum use was rife. Wrench was also active in Community Health lecturing on temperance and general heath and giving the early Ambulance Services information on First aid.
Over time, it seems that Dr Wrench’s medical and scientific experiences led him to challenge his original religious beliefs. He was heavily influenced by Darwinism and other scientific developments and eventually described himself as agnostic because he could not reconcile his own experience with Church teaching. His wife became a confirmed atheist.
Dr Beardmore ended her talk by mentioning the time capsules left by Dr Wrench hidden in Park House and beneath the monuments on the gritstone edges. She concluded that the diaries are an important part of the history of medicine; show the extent to which GPs of the day carried out complicated surgery, reveal just how important the family was in Victorian society and fill gaps in our knowledge of the interaction between family and community.
During an animated question and answer session, Dr Beardmore expanded on Wrench’s ties with Chatsworth and Baslow life emphasising that he was given free range of the Chatsworth estate, developed into an expert on the art works there and travelled extensively. He also was responsible for the Wellington monument, putting on a sports day at the Hydropathic Establishment, organising a march-past for volunteer regiments at Chatsworth and kicking off the first-ever football match in Baslow. He also found time to record the weather every day. It is clear that there is a great deal more to explore within the diaries.
Mike Woffenden, Chair of the History Group, on behalf of everyone present, thanked Dr Beardmore for her comprehensive and erudite presentation. It is also worth noting that ten of Dr Wrench’s descendants covering four generations were present at the talk, some of whom had never previously met. They were seen to be readily sharing contact details - family history in action!
Mike Woffenden introduced Mandy to the first meeting of the year.
Haddon Hall is often described as the best example of a medieval manor house in the country. Mandy explained that Haddon means ‘heather covered hill’. She described the families associated with Haddon: the Peverils post Norman Conquest, the Vernons from 1170, the Manners from 1565 until the present day. The house has never been sold, always passing down through the generations. She also described how the various buildings comprising the Hall were developed over time. The lecture was accompanied by a series of slides.
The earliest known history of Haddon is that William the Conqueror gave William Peveril, possibly his illegitimate son, the extensive lands of Derbyshire and its surroundings including the manor of Haddon. Peveril built watchtowers on this land e.g. the east end of Haddon, Peveril, Bolsover, Wingfield Manor and Nottingham Castle. Haddon passed into the hands of the Vernon family when Sir Richard Vernon married the then heiress in 1170. The manor of Haddon was then protected by a wall after Prince John gave his permission in 1194. The majority of the hall was built by the Vernon family.
In 1563 Dorothy Vernon married John Manners, the second son of the Earl of Rutland. Local legends talk of an elopement. The Manners family are still the owners today.
Mike thanked Mandy for such an interesting talk about this well known local estate. An excellent turnout showed that there is still a great deal of interest in this topic and thanks to Mandy’s talk we are all much wiser as to its history.
February: Open or Common Field Systems: A talk by Jan Stetka, Local Historian, Bakewell
Jan Stetka has had an interest in the local history of Bakewell for over two decades with a major interest in the Anglo-Saxon period. This talk was a comprehensive description of Anglo-Saxon methods of managing water-flow and farming in a sustainable manner that made the most of the natural geography of the area and allowed the population to thrive.
Jan began by pointing out a major contrast between the Roman and Anglo-Saxon occupations of England. Despite a lengthy occupation, the Roman language, Latin, never became commonplace among the native population (clergy excepted) whereas the language of the Angles and Saxons rapidly became accepted. Clearly there was an attraction to these settlers, which Jan attributed to their advanced knowledge of sustainable agriculture.
The settlers had been using the plough (not then known in England) for over 500 years and had developed the “Ridge and Furrow” system of ploughing. Examination of old Anglo-Saxon texts also showed a sophisticated knowledge of animal husbandry with recommendations that at least six species of any animal should be bred so that susceptibility to illness and infection would be minimised.
As the name implies, the “ridge and furrow” ploughing system produced alternating ridges and ditches in parallel formation across farmland. These are still visible in many areas today and can be seen locally south of Bakewell. The present fields, however, are poor reflections of their former state when the height difference between the top of the ridge and the bottom of the furrow could be as much as 10m. The system had three advantages.
- It allowed for variations in weather conditions - in very sunny years, crops at the tops of the ridges might be scorched but those on the sides and the bottom of the furrow would be healthy, whereas in very wet years, crops at bottom of the furrow would be flooded but those on the sides and at the top would be fine. So, year-in, year-out, a crop would be guaranteed.
- The deep furrows allowed for good drainage of the land.
- The parallel furrows, about 10m across, allowed for fair allocations between different individuals
Ploughing was critically dependent on a supply of oxen, which, in turn, required a plentiful supply of hay. Fortunately, the Anglo-Saxons were also skilled in the development of hay meadows produced by careful mixing of water from rivers, hot springs and cold springs and allowing this to run through fields bordering rivers but at such a slow rate that the flow allowed all the valuable minerals and nutrients to settle on the fields. Such a system was developed just south of the centre of Bakewell, stretching down to Burton Meadows (the area occupied by the present Agricultural Centre and beyond). The land was managed so that water flow fell by only an inch over a distance of a whole field and the temperature was such that the land for over a mile south of Bakewell never freezes. This allowed six separate crops of hay each year in Anglo-Saxon times. Jan explained that more crops of hay fed more oxen to allow more ploughing to sustain more people to pay more tax!
This whole system worked so well locally that the area became known as the “Bathing Meadow” from which the present name of Bakewell is ultimately derived and Domesday Book records that Bakewell had the largest area of meadowland in the Peak District at the time of the Norman Conquest. This then was sufficient to sustain 500 people (100 families) but the meadowland expanded progressively until ca1300 when it stretched to the surrounding hilltops - 13 times the area used for crops today. With the Black Death, the population halved, the open fields were enclosed and there was a progressive change to pastureland as tending to cattle and sheep was less labour-intensive than ploughing.
After this masterly exposition, Jan posed the question of why the Anglo-Saxons chose this area for their settlement? The geography of the area explains this. Evidence from a geographical study of river terraces in the Wye, Derwent and Hope valleys in the 1960s showed that the land changed its level several times as a result of glaciation. Accordingly, the course of the river Derwent had varied many times and at one point joined the Wye at Bakewell before rerouting to its present course. Accordingly, the river valley in which Bakewell sits is particularly wide at this point. Together with the hot springs this created the unique conditions to allow the production of the extensive meadowland. The Anglo-Saxons must have been able to identify features in the landscape that indicated its suitability without the modern scientific methods available to today’s geographers - yet another example of the sophistication of that time giving the lie to many stereotypes of “primitive” man!
David Dalrymple-Smith, on behalf of all those present, thanked Jan for such an informative and interesting talk.
March: Recent Developments in Archaeology in the Peak District - A talk by Ken Smith, former Cultural Heritage Manager for the P D N P.
Ken emphasised that the Peak District is a wilderness, but farmed and managed, with crop growing in the fertile valleys, stock grazing on the uplands, and grouse shooting on the moorlands. The area has always been subject to man-made impacts, despite its remoteness. Archaeology can shed light on this past activity and he illustrated this with a variety of recent examples from across the area.
In the Upper Derwent Valley, two aspects have recently come to light.
- First,the water level in Howden Reservoir was recently lowered for repairs by the Water Board. This revealed remnants of cremated bone, and investigation showed the site of a Bronze Age burial mound that had been submerged beneath the water. These mounds had always been thought to be sited on hilltops, but this discovery has prompted the theory that they were constructed by Bronze Age people throughout the landscape, and it is simply that the lower ones have been obliterated by farmers clearing and ploughing over the centuries, leaving only the hilltop ones remaining to modern view.
- Second, recent timber felling in the woodlands planted along the valley sides of the Upper Derwent, has revealed a multitude of platforms for charcoal burning, which had previously been obscured by the trees and undergrowth. Clearly before the reservoirs were constructed in the early 20th century, charcoal production had been a major activity, supplying charcoal to the nearby Sheffield steel industry, as the product was used as a furnace fuel from the 18th century onwards until being replaced by electric arc furnaces in the 20th century.
Ken`s focus then moved to Chatsworth Park. A recent archaeological survey of that area for Inheritance Tax purposes had shown the site of the demolished cottages in the old Edensor village, removed by the Sixth Duke to avoid being seen from the House when the Park was remodelled by Capability Brown. (They ran alongside the road between the cattle grid adjacent to the Cavendish Institute and the junction of the driveway down to the House. The occupants were rehoused in new dwellings up the hill around the church). The survey also revealed a couple of Bronze Age burial mounds on the hillside up above the Garden Centre at Calton Lees.
The weir at Calver was then discussed. The constant flow of fast water had gouged out a hole in the middle of the weir. This threatened the structure collapsing, which would adversely affect the wetlands above the bridge, plus the filling of the leet to Calver Mill. So the Peak Park Cultural Heritage Department had helped a local consortium to raise funds to repair the historic structure, including a new fish ladder for any salmon.
Next Ken touched on the recent excavations at Fin Cop, which had been assisted by local people, especially school children. Test pits and trenches revealed a large number of skeletons, subsequently identified as belonging to women and children. The gruesome explanation was some form of massacre of the people who occupied the fortification up there, possibly after their fighting menfolk had been slain in a nearby tribal battle.
Ken then moved on to the subject of Stanton Moor. This was a popular place for walkers, cyclists and campers with the possibility of conflict between recreation and preservation of ancient stone circles, the most prominent of which was that known as the Nine Ladies. The Peak Park Cultural Heritage Department had recently planted trees strategically to encourage visitors to stick to the established pathways rather than generally wandering. The area had previously supported a conifer wood, but that had been felled to provide wood for the trenches in the First World War.
Ken`s next subject was the Ecton Copper Mine. His department had cleared out the old Engine House to facilitate viewing. They had cleared a walkway along the adit into the mine from the level of the River Manifold. The mine had been surveyed and its historical operation worked out. The underground excavations were enormous and at one time it stood as the largest copper mine in the world. There was even a boiler house 300 foot underground, with three coal-fired boilers used to operate the steam pumps which extracted water from the workings. It was now possible for people to undertake a limited tour of the mine.
Lastly, he touched upon historic farmhouses throughout the Peak. Before the 18th century most of these would have been constructed largely of timber, but thereafter many were stone. His former department has recently been assisting farmers in siting new modern barns sympathetically against these historic farmsteads, especially when surrounded by ancient field systems.
Ken`s talk was very well received by the members of the group, who were pleased to have been brought up to date on the work of his former department, and the Chairman thanked him warmly.
April: Visit to the Peak District Mining Museum, Matlock and Temple Mine
Our first visit of the 2018 programme was an organised group tour of this museum. Our guide was extremely well informed and entertaining. He explained that lead mining in the local area dates to over 2500 years ago, was firmly established by the Romans and expanded rapidly in the 1600s and again during the industrial revolution. At times, it was the most productive lead producing area in the world. Production continued until well into the 20thcentury.
He then explained the evolution of the practical and legal aspects of the industry, showed how the processes involved changed over time and explained something of the life of the miners - contrasting this with that of the distributors and mine-owners. Despite the apparent hardships of the miners there were very few fatalities and life expectancy was twice that of town-dwellers.
We then saw a small proportion of the thousands of items and relics of the lost industry exhibited, explained and interpreted in the museum. The main exhibit was the Wills Founder Water Pressure Engine, designed by the Cornish engineer Richard Trevithick and built by Abraham Darby in Coalbrookdale in 1819. This engine is one of the largest designed by the famous engineer and uses the pressure of falling water to pump water from deep underground. Equalling this was the massive collection of mineral specimens collected from around the world and donated to the museum by Professor Howie. We also saw more general exhibits of the heritage and history of the Matlock area.
Following this tour, we were shown into the Temple Mine, used to extract lead and fluorspar, and situated just 200yds or so away. Here we saw mine workings from the 1920s and 1950s with some evidence of mining from over 200 years ago. Equally fascinating was an interpretation of the geological processes that formed the surrounding landscape millions of years ago.
The whole tour would not have been as interesting without the knowledge of our guide who was warmly thanked for his efforts. The visit was well worth the modest price of the entry fee, especially as the tickets allow a further free visit within the year!
May: “Doctoring in Derbyshire: The life and work of Dr Wrench” - a talk by Dr Carol Beardmore, De Montfort University.
This was the second “Open Lecture” given on behalf of our Group in Baslow Village Hall and open to the general public. An impressive turnout of over 70 attended.
David Dalrymple-Smith, President of the History Group, introduced Dr Beardmore. She had taken up history as a second career and after a BA and MA, her PhD research into family life and the community aspects of social history led her to the discovery of the diaries of Dr Edward Mason Wrench in the library of Nottingham University. Dr Wrench had been a General Practitioner in Baslow and Physician to the Duke of Devonshire from 1862 until his death in 1912. A larger than life character, he dominated village life and was meticulous in keeping a daily diary about his activities, interests and ideas.
Dr Beardmore began her talk by explaining why the diaries were important. They provide an almost unique perspective on:
- An unbroken period of rural life spanning 50 years
- Family life in the Victorian era challenging many myths about that society
- The extent of experimentation and innovation in surgical techniques in the very earliest phases of “modern” medicine
- A sense of how medical professional and patient expectations changed
Dr Beardmore has, so far, digitised about two-thirds of the diaries that vary between twelve and eighty thousand words each and amount to over 800,000 words in total so far. No mean feat, as the handwriting is dreadful (typical of a doctor?) and at times difficult to decipher.
She summarised Wrench’s early life. He was born in London, the son of a Rector, trained as an “Accoucheur” (male midwife) at St Thomas’s Hospital and then as a surgeon (1854) before joining the army. After periods in the Crimea (where he met Florence Nightingale) and India he returned to the UK in 1860 and married in 1861. With promotion within the army uncertain, he decided to take up General Practice and through word of mouth learned of a vacancy in Baslow, Derbyshire in a practice run by a Mr Cordell, Physician to the Duke of Devonshire, who had been ill for some time and whose practice had been declining. He visited the area, bought the practice straight away for a sum of £450 payable in two instalments (the average at the time being about £600) and started within three weeks. The diaries indicate that he had patients in an area covering Buxton, Bakewell and towards Chesterfield as well as the villages immediate around Baslow.
To be a successful GP in those days required the establishment of a personal reputation and this, in turn, was dependent on the development of wide social and professional networks. The diaries show Dr Wrench to be extremely adept at this. Very quickly he developed a good working relationship with a neighbouring GP, Dr Grantham, links to the Sheffield Medical Association and was appointed to a number of medical boards. Within the community, he established “Penny Readings” monthly in all of the villages where children and parents were able to develop reading skills under his supervision. He became a churchwarden and within a short time was able to hold a “Conversazione”, a gathering of 45 scientific thinking individuals who shared their experiences, inventions and theories. He was an innovator, being one of the first GPs to use a stethoscope on a regular basis.
By 1865, he regarded his efforts as successful when he was invited to dine at Chatsworth by the Duke of Devonshire, although the diaries show that the association with the aristocracy was a mixed blessing. For example, in 1887 he accompanied Lord Edward Cavendish to Cannes when he was recovering from a lung abscess and was able to take an extended holiday in Europe. Other travels followed, on some of which his family accompanied him. But extended periods away sometimes compromised his practice and payment by the Duke was often considerably delayed.
Nevertheless, Wrench soon had a thriving practice with diary entries showing income tax returns indicating an annual income around £1000pa when an average GP’s income might be £400-£600pa. He also billed the majority of his patients annually, an indicator of a professional practice at the highest level of society.
The diaries also show Wrench as an entrepreneur and a great innovator, and not only in his medical practice. For example, he
- Set up the Baslow Gas and Coking company
- Bought shares in Indian railways
- Generated additional income from loans within the family and work with the Bakewell Union, vaccinations and as a factory inspector
- Was creative in educating his children (for example in foreign languages and sign language) to ensure they had chances of good employment
It is also clear from the diaries that family life played an important role. He was devoted to his children and had constant worries about their health and behaviour (his eldest son was constantly in debt). His wife, Anne, was an important contributor to his social networking as well as helping with accounts, taking messages and running the household, all at a time when her husband was always on call for emergencies and could be away for days on end attending complex midwifery cases or with the Duke. Wrench prioritised his professional duties but did not neglect his family.
Life was not always easy. Anne had seven children and several miscarriages (the diaries do not go into great detail); they were looking after the daughter of a brother-in-law away in the army; and their three eldest daughters all died in their 20s from tuberculosis. Dr Beardmore explained that the diaries express Wrench’s grief so vividly that they are difficult to read - she was in tears in the library when she read them.
Dr Beardmore then turned to other aspects of Wrench’s medical and scientific work. She described the types of medical conditions with which he had to work - maternity, surgical cases, TB, accidental injuries, infectious disease and so on. She showed that he was a skilled and innovative doctor. For example:
- In a case of placenta praevia (a condition where the placenta attaches to the womb covering the cervix and is delivered during labour before the baby leading to severe haemorrhage and almost certain intrauterine death) Wrench had to do a craniotomy on the baby to produce a rapid delivery and save the mother’s life
- There is a record in the British Medical Journal of a Caesarian Section that he performed
- He was prepared to amputate above the knee in an unusual case of arterial aneurysm behind the knee, despite never having previously performed the operation
- In 1871 he carried out one of the first skin grafts in this country only months after the technique had been described in France. The graft was from a father to a daughter and was successful
- In 1879 he passed the Fellowship examination of the Royal College of Surgeons (unusual for a GP even today)
- He regularly performed post mortems when possible as an aid to understanding more about their medical conditions and as a lesson in anatomy
The diaries also show some less appreciated aspects of medicine at the time. For example mental health, where Wrench certified many people including his own uncle, and substance abuse, where opiate and laudanum use was rife. Wrench was also active in Community Health lecturing on temperance and general heath and giving the early Ambulance Services information on First aid.
Over time, it seems that Dr Wrench’s medical and scientific experiences led him to challenge his original religious beliefs. He was heavily influenced by Darwinism and other scientific developments and eventually described himself as agnostic because he could not reconcile his own experience with Church teaching. His wife became a confirmed atheist.
Dr Beardmore ended her talk by mentioning the time capsules left by Dr Wrench hidden in Park House and beneath the monuments on the gritstone edges. She concluded that the diaries are an important part of the history of medicine; show the extent to which GPs of the day carried out complicated surgery, reveal just how important the family was in Victorian society and fill gaps in our knowledge of the interaction between family and community.
During an animated question and answer session, Dr Beardmore expanded on Wrench’s ties with Chatsworth and Baslow life emphasising that he was given free range of the Chatsworth estate, developed into an expert on the art works there and travelled extensively. He also was responsible for the Wellington monument, putting on a sports day at the Hydropathic Establishment, organising a march-past for volunteer regiments at Chatsworth and kicking off the first-ever football match in Baslow. He also found time to record the weather every day. It is clear that there is a great deal more to explore within the diaries.
Mike Woffenden, Chair of the History Group, on behalf of everyone present, thanked Dr Beardmore for her comprehensive and erudite presentation. It is also worth noting that ten of Dr Wrench’s descendants covering four generations were present at the talk, some of whom had never previously met. They were seen to be readily sharing contact details - family history in action!
June - Visit to William Lennon's Boot Factory, Stoney Middleton
This boot factory in Stoney Middleton was founded in 1899 by William Lennon, an orphan originally from Chorlton, Manchester. It is now a fourth generation family business, run by two of William’s great grandchildren. At one time there were at least 6 such manufacturers in the village. In 1904 William bought a redundant water powered mill in Stoney Middleton and the factory remains there over a hundred years later.
The tour of the factory was a revelation, like stepping back in time. Many of us had walked past the factory without realising what was happening behind a rather inconspicuous green door. Originally the factory made leather working boots. When the market became more difficult due to cheap imports, rather than trying to compete, the family decided to continue making their top quality boots. This has proved a wise decision; thanks to the internet orders are received from around the world and their boots have become an iconic brand worn by celebrities. Their range also includes walking boots and classical cycling shoes. We were very interested to hear that after a request from a local man for army boots akin to those from World War One, they found the original WW1 lasts, and are now making these boots again for use by re-enactment societies etc.
We were shown the complete manufacturing process beginning with selecting the leather; usually hide sourced locally from a tannery in Chesterfield. However they have recently made boots from kudu antelope leather! Many of the machines in use are original, built to last and quite unique. The eight employees showed great skill in operating these machines; much is done ‘by eye’. Lennons is the only boot maker in the world using brass screw threads to secure the outer sole. There are only 4 of these machines in the world and 3 are in this factory!
These boots are built to last a lifetime, and the factory regularly refurbishes worn boots, replacing worn out soles etc.
This was a fascinating visit enjoyed by all. We were very grateful to owner Libs for all the time she and her staff gave to us. A variety of images illustrating the visit are shown below:
This boot factory in Stoney Middleton was founded in 1899 by William Lennon, an orphan originally from Chorlton, Manchester. It is now a fourth generation family business, run by two of William’s great grandchildren. At one time there were at least 6 such manufacturers in the village. In 1904 William bought a redundant water powered mill in Stoney Middleton and the factory remains there over a hundred years later.
The tour of the factory was a revelation, like stepping back in time. Many of us had walked past the factory without realising what was happening behind a rather inconspicuous green door. Originally the factory made leather working boots. When the market became more difficult due to cheap imports, rather than trying to compete, the family decided to continue making their top quality boots. This has proved a wise decision; thanks to the internet orders are received from around the world and their boots have become an iconic brand worn by celebrities. Their range also includes walking boots and classical cycling shoes. We were very interested to hear that after a request from a local man for army boots akin to those from World War One, they found the original WW1 lasts, and are now making these boots again for use by re-enactment societies etc.
We were shown the complete manufacturing process beginning with selecting the leather; usually hide sourced locally from a tannery in Chesterfield. However they have recently made boots from kudu antelope leather! Many of the machines in use are original, built to last and quite unique. The eight employees showed great skill in operating these machines; much is done ‘by eye’. Lennons is the only boot maker in the world using brass screw threads to secure the outer sole. There are only 4 of these machines in the world and 3 are in this factory!
These boots are built to last a lifetime, and the factory regularly refurbishes worn boots, replacing worn out soles etc.
This was a fascinating visit enjoyed by all. We were very grateful to owner Libs for all the time she and her staff gave to us. A variety of images illustrating the visit are shown below:
July - Visit to Barrow Hill Roundhouse
This was a private group tour of the former steam roundhouse located at Barrow Hill near Chesterfield; a unique example of 19th century railway architecture and the last surviving operational roundhouse engine shed in Great Britain.
(Our visit was conducted jointly with members of Great Longstone History Society. Some of the following information is taken (with permission) from the Roundhouse website. Photographs are also reproduced by permission).
We learned that the North Midland Railway first reached Staveley in 1841 allowing the rapid expansion of the iron works in the area. In 1866 the Midland Railway signed an agreement with the Staveley Works whereby they purchased and would operate the latter’s internal private railway for 100 years. The vast increase in traffic created a need for more locomotives and a much larger shed. The result was the present Roundhouse built at a cost of £16,445 4s 9d. and comprising 24 roads of which the longest is 80 feet and the shortest 60 feet. Following the opening in 1870 it was in continuous use until it finally closed its doors in 1991 after a working life of 121 years.
The turntable used to reverse direction of steam engines with some of the current engine on the "roads" in the background. (Unlike diesel and electric locomotives that can run backwards as well as forwards, steam engines need to run in a forward direction).
The pattern of use of the roundhouse over time reflected the changes in both the iron works and the railways. Designed to house 24 steam locomotives, at its peak in the 1920s it serviced 90, settling down to around 75 locomotives throughout the 1940's and 50's. It then reduced to approximately 30 before closure to steam in 1965. Diesel locomotives were then allocated but by 1983 there were just 5 diesel shunters, declining to 3 by 1987 and by 1988 none at all. The Roundhouse became a stabling and signing on point for locomotive crews on coal traffic workings until its closure by British Rail in February 1991.
During the next three years there was heavy vandalism and the building came dangerously close to being lost forever. However, funds were obtained to purchase the buildings and Chesterfield Borough Council became the new owners on December 20th 1996. It took several more years to raise funds for refurbishment but these were eventually obtained and major services in the building were gradually restored. Many dedicated volunteers cleared vegetation, stolen track was replaced and the entire site was made secure. Remarkably the 24 roads around the turntable were still in situ and intact and inside the Roundhouse there is what is believed to be the only remaining set of timber locomotive-lifting shear legs. These allow a locomotive to be partly lifted off the track to allow maintenance or replacement of bogies. (This lifting arrangement was deemed illegal in 1964 but the shear legs have been returned to working order and retained as a demonstration feature).
By 1998 the building was ready to reopen briefly for particular steam events, but in 2016 an award of £1.2m was obtained from the Heritage Lottery Fund to support a “Moving Forward” project. This has allowed further essential renovation work;the construction of a new cafe, shop and entrance to welcome visitors; and new space for corporate events and use by local groups. Exhibitions inform and entertain visitors while they learn about the Roundhouse and its history. The Roundhouse finally reopened on a regular basis (Saturdays and Sundays) earlier this year.
By 1998 the building was ready to reopen briefly for particular steam events, but in 2016 an award of £1.2m was obtained from the Heritage Lottery Fund to support a “Moving Forward” project. This has allowed further essential renovation work;the construction of a new cafe, shop and entrance to welcome visitors; and new space for corporate events and use by local groups. Exhibitions inform and entertain visitors while they learn about the Roundhouse and its history. The Roundhouse finally reopened on a regular basis (Saturdays and Sundays) earlier this year.
During our visit we were also able to learn about the social history of the area at the time of the ironwork boom. Local land was leased from the Duke of Devonshire and developed into a major iron working area by George Barrow. His younger brother, Richard expanded the company and developed a model village for the workers long before better-known examples such as Bourneville and Port Sunlight. The village had its own school, church and a communal meeting/dining room designed to discourage too much drinking! The village name derives from “Barrow’s Hill”. The ironwork company eventually developed into a major world producer of iron, steel and chemicals peaking during and after WW2. It subsequently went through a series of successive mergers and acquisitions before gradual decline and eventual closure as part of the British Steel Company.
Our helpful guide also described the types of jobs that would have been carried out in the Roundhouse and demonstrated the engines currently housed there before allowing the group free rein to wander around the shed, the engines and the exhibitions. All in all, an excellent visit and much appreciated by those who attended.
Our helpful guide also described the types of jobs that would have been carried out in the Roundhouse and demonstrated the engines currently housed there before allowing the group free rein to wander around the shed, the engines and the exhibitions. All in all, an excellent visit and much appreciated by those who attended.
September - visit to Strutt's Mill, Belper
This guided tour to Strutt’s Mill in Belper was a huge success attracting 17 visitors who were well entertained by informative guides. Who knew that Richard Arkwright might not have succeeded in his ventures at Cromford without the backing of Jedediah Strutt? This son of a local farmer had previously patented a machine to add ribbing to cotton hosiery during its production and amassed a fortune as a result. He spotted a business opportunity with Arkwright, invested in his processes and later established his own mill in Belper to produce huge quantities of cotton thread.
Jedidiah’s son, William, designed and built many of his later mills including the first, iron-framed, fireproof cotton mill in the world - still standing in Belper and part of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. The innovative structural design became a model for many other structures attracting interest from around the world and informing the design of the early skyscrapers in the USA.
Our visit included a tour of the architectural features and the watercourses powering the mill as well as a perspective on the working conditions in it. The Strutts were seen as benign employers for their time and great benefactors of the town. Housing built for their workers still stands close to the mill.
here to edit.
October - Annual General Meeting followed by “The Origins and Survival of the Castleton Garland Ceremony” - a film by Frank Parker, local Historian and Film maker
At the AGM Michael Woffenden, Chairman, reported on another very successful and varied year covering historical and heritage topics in equal measure. He highlighted the success of the Open Lecture in May and the continued increase in membership of the Group. The financial report for 2017-18 and budget for next year were approved and the outline programme for 2019 was published (details are to be found on the "Programme" page).
At the end of the AGM, Mike Woffenden stood down as Chairman having held the position since the establishment of the Group in 2013. David Dalrymple-Smith, President of the Group, thanked him for all his work over the past 5 years and presented a small gift on behalf of the committee. Michael Holcombe was elected as Chairman for 2018-19 and all other committee members were reappointed.
The AGM was followed by a film about the Castleton Garland Ceremony. Any written account cannot do justice to the quality and professionalism with which this was produced. Frank Parker is local to Great Longstone but was a professional sound recordist for television and now devotes time to recording items of local history in film. This film described the ceremony which includes a procession through the village on 29th May each year calling at each of five local inns and ending at the church. In the procession is a "king" wearing a full-length costume of flowers and oak leaves that ends up being hung upon the central pinnacle of the church tower. There is also elaborate dancing, including around a maypole.
The prevalent view that the ceremony was a variant of oak-apple day, celebrating the restoration of the monarchy in 1659 was robustly challenged by Frank's film. He was able to show elements that might have been derived from neolithic times and from the "Jack-in-the-Green" dancing that derived from church bell-ringers attempts to raise money to support themselves. He also showed how the ceremony was likely to have evolved as following generations, trades and cultures adapted pre-existing features to their own ends. He illustrated this by reference to similar and dissimilar ceremonies from elsewhere in England. Overall, he felt that the Garland Ceremony in a form near to the present one probably arose to celebrate King George III, the first Hanoverian king to be truly "English" but built on the oak-apple day ceremonies of the previous century. Since then the ceremony was altered with the incorporation of the dancing of the "bell-ringers" - now represented by local school children - and others local factors. However, Frank acknowledged that other interpretations are possible. The film finished by speculating whether the ceremony would survive in future years as the local school, key to the dancing, had declining numbers. Would it wither, as had many such ceremonies elsewhere, or would it evolve yet further to take some other guise?
A lively discussion followed and Michael Holcombe thanked Frank Parker on behalf of the Group.
November - Visit to Youlgreave Church and World War 1 remembrance Sculpture
Although our winter programme is usually indoors, this month we visited Youlgreave to see this spectacular outcome of their commemoration of the Great War.
Youlgreave church has a stained glass window dedicated to a local serviceman but made of mediaeval glass fragments from the shattered windows of Ypres cathedral collected at the end of the Great War. A group of local craftsmen and enthusiasts with an interest in local and military history had taken inspiration from this and, over the last 18 months, produced a sculpture of oak and stained glass with designs that depicted the story of WWI and the particular links between Youlgreave and Ypres. The sculpture is formed of two halves allowing it to be shared between the two places. This link provides further details:
http://youlgreave-ypres.org.uk/sculpture.html
It seemed that most of Youlgreave had been involved in the design and making of the sculpture and there had been a visit to Ypres, Tyne-Cot and the Menin Gate by the local community with a service of dedication in Ypres Cathedral. This was an impressive demonstration of community cohesion in action.
Our thanks go to John Cooper, who told us about all the village events over their four years of commemoration and showed us the fine displays of WW1 memorabilia that had been curated for Armistice Day; to Judith Orchard who explained the significance of each stained-glass panel of the new sculpture; and to Gordon who gave us a comprehensive account of the history of the church from Saxon times right up to the Burns-Jones East window installed in the Victorian era.
Mike Holcombe thanked the hosts for making us most welcome and congratulated them on the enormous time and effort that had gone into their commemorations.
December - Mediaeval Nether Haddon. A talk by Mandy Coates, local Historian
Mandy gave the group her second talk of the year, this time about her researches into the remains of the old village of Nether Haddon.
Mandy explained that the remains of this village, adjacent to Haddon Hall’s car park, can be seen on on-line satellite maps. These show the remains of 16 houses, tracks, 2 village greens and ridge and furrow field systems. The limestone side of the valley was more favourable to agriculture.
This guided tour to Strutt’s Mill in Belper was a huge success attracting 17 visitors who were well entertained by informative guides. Who knew that Richard Arkwright might not have succeeded in his ventures at Cromford without the backing of Jedediah Strutt? This son of a local farmer had previously patented a machine to add ribbing to cotton hosiery during its production and amassed a fortune as a result. He spotted a business opportunity with Arkwright, invested in his processes and later established his own mill in Belper to produce huge quantities of cotton thread.
Jedidiah’s son, William, designed and built many of his later mills including the first, iron-framed, fireproof cotton mill in the world - still standing in Belper and part of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. The innovative structural design became a model for many other structures attracting interest from around the world and informing the design of the early skyscrapers in the USA.
Our visit included a tour of the architectural features and the watercourses powering the mill as well as a perspective on the working conditions in it. The Strutts were seen as benign employers for their time and great benefactors of the town. Housing built for their workers still stands close to the mill.
here to edit.
October - Annual General Meeting followed by “The Origins and Survival of the Castleton Garland Ceremony” - a film by Frank Parker, local Historian and Film maker
At the AGM Michael Woffenden, Chairman, reported on another very successful and varied year covering historical and heritage topics in equal measure. He highlighted the success of the Open Lecture in May and the continued increase in membership of the Group. The financial report for 2017-18 and budget for next year were approved and the outline programme for 2019 was published (details are to be found on the "Programme" page).
At the end of the AGM, Mike Woffenden stood down as Chairman having held the position since the establishment of the Group in 2013. David Dalrymple-Smith, President of the Group, thanked him for all his work over the past 5 years and presented a small gift on behalf of the committee. Michael Holcombe was elected as Chairman for 2018-19 and all other committee members were reappointed.
The AGM was followed by a film about the Castleton Garland Ceremony. Any written account cannot do justice to the quality and professionalism with which this was produced. Frank Parker is local to Great Longstone but was a professional sound recordist for television and now devotes time to recording items of local history in film. This film described the ceremony which includes a procession through the village on 29th May each year calling at each of five local inns and ending at the church. In the procession is a "king" wearing a full-length costume of flowers and oak leaves that ends up being hung upon the central pinnacle of the church tower. There is also elaborate dancing, including around a maypole.
The prevalent view that the ceremony was a variant of oak-apple day, celebrating the restoration of the monarchy in 1659 was robustly challenged by Frank's film. He was able to show elements that might have been derived from neolithic times and from the "Jack-in-the-Green" dancing that derived from church bell-ringers attempts to raise money to support themselves. He also showed how the ceremony was likely to have evolved as following generations, trades and cultures adapted pre-existing features to their own ends. He illustrated this by reference to similar and dissimilar ceremonies from elsewhere in England. Overall, he felt that the Garland Ceremony in a form near to the present one probably arose to celebrate King George III, the first Hanoverian king to be truly "English" but built on the oak-apple day ceremonies of the previous century. Since then the ceremony was altered with the incorporation of the dancing of the "bell-ringers" - now represented by local school children - and others local factors. However, Frank acknowledged that other interpretations are possible. The film finished by speculating whether the ceremony would survive in future years as the local school, key to the dancing, had declining numbers. Would it wither, as had many such ceremonies elsewhere, or would it evolve yet further to take some other guise?
A lively discussion followed and Michael Holcombe thanked Frank Parker on behalf of the Group.
November - Visit to Youlgreave Church and World War 1 remembrance Sculpture
Although our winter programme is usually indoors, this month we visited Youlgreave to see this spectacular outcome of their commemoration of the Great War.
Youlgreave church has a stained glass window dedicated to a local serviceman but made of mediaeval glass fragments from the shattered windows of Ypres cathedral collected at the end of the Great War. A group of local craftsmen and enthusiasts with an interest in local and military history had taken inspiration from this and, over the last 18 months, produced a sculpture of oak and stained glass with designs that depicted the story of WWI and the particular links between Youlgreave and Ypres. The sculpture is formed of two halves allowing it to be shared between the two places. This link provides further details:
http://youlgreave-ypres.org.uk/sculpture.html
It seemed that most of Youlgreave had been involved in the design and making of the sculpture and there had been a visit to Ypres, Tyne-Cot and the Menin Gate by the local community with a service of dedication in Ypres Cathedral. This was an impressive demonstration of community cohesion in action.
Our thanks go to John Cooper, who told us about all the village events over their four years of commemoration and showed us the fine displays of WW1 memorabilia that had been curated for Armistice Day; to Judith Orchard who explained the significance of each stained-glass panel of the new sculpture; and to Gordon who gave us a comprehensive account of the history of the church from Saxon times right up to the Burns-Jones East window installed in the Victorian era.
Mike Holcombe thanked the hosts for making us most welcome and congratulated them on the enormous time and effort that had gone into their commemorations.
December - Mediaeval Nether Haddon. A talk by Mandy Coates, local Historian
Mandy gave the group her second talk of the year, this time about her researches into the remains of the old village of Nether Haddon.
Mandy explained that the remains of this village, adjacent to Haddon Hall’s car park, can be seen on on-line satellite maps. These show the remains of 16 houses, tracks, 2 village greens and ridge and furrow field systems. The limestone side of the valley was more favourable to agriculture.
Mandy explaining the make-up of a fortified burgh using an artist's impression. |
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle provides much information about the changing fortunes of the area under Viking and British rule. Under King Alfred’s son, Edward the Elder, agriculture was reorganised and families in isolated settlements moved into villages to make farming more efficient and thus allowing the King to recruit the manpower to create a permanent army. Edward also built the last of 60 fortified burghs at Bakewell to provide better defence from the Vikings.
Mandy told us about some of the taxation issues and farming methods used at this time. The village went into decline during the plague years and was abandonded in 1370. After the talk Mike Holcombe expressed his thanks to Mandy and the whole group enjoyed sherry and mince pies. |