The Monsal Trail follows a section of the former Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway, built by the Midland Railway in 1863 to link Manchester with London. The line closed in 1968.
The local landmark is the Headstone Viaduct, built by the Midland Railway, over the River Wye, immediately after the 533-yard (487 m) Headstone Tunnel, travelling north from Great Longstone. The viaduct, usually incorrectly called Monsal Dale Viaduct, is 300 feet (91 m) long, with five 50-foot (15 m) span arches, some forty feet high at the centre.
Whilst considered elegant today, and indeed a preservation order was placed on it in 1970, when it was built in 1863 it was seen as destroying the beauty of the dale. John Ruskin, considered to be Britain's leading writer on culture, having had many works published on architecture and art, as well as political works, harshly criticised the building of the railway :
“There was a rocky valley between Buxton and Bakewell, once upon a time, divine as the Vale of Tempe (a favourite haunt of Apollo and the muses). You enterprised a railroad through the valley - you blasted its rocks away, heaped thousands of tons of shale into its lovely stream. The valley is gone, and the Gods with it; and now, every fool in Buxton can be in Bakewell in half an hour, and every fool in Bakewell at Buxton; which you think a lucrative process of exchange – you fools everywhere'. ”
In 2010, work commenced to open Headstone Tunnel once more for public access
Along the River Wye
"Arsenal"
Elevensies in Deepdale
View along Deepdale
Climbing up to Sheldon and then to Magpie Mine
Magpie mine is on the limestone plateau to the south of Sheldon. It was worked extensively for some 300 years up until 1924. It was always a problematic lead mine with repeated openings and closures. Flooding was a constant problem.
In 1824 a Newcomen type pump was installed to pump out the water and a sough, cut underground through basalt, took 8 years to build and crippled the mine financially.
Other problems were had with disputes with neighbouring mines. Feuding between rival groups of lead miners led to the death of 3 miners in 1833, suffocated by sulphurous fumes from fires started deliberately to 'smoke out the opposition' from a certain lead vein.
Magpie mine with its 728ft shaft was eventually taken over in 1962 by the Peak District Historical Society as a field centre. It is now the most complete and interesting remains of a lead mine in the Peak District.
The Cornish Engine House (c1870) and its distinctive round Cornish chimney - Derbyshire miners were allegedly unable to construct round ones and instead built square chimneys.
The Agent's house
A horse gin
The agent's house and the square "Derbyshire" chimney - c1840s
Sheldon village was recorded in Domesday as Scheldhaun and consists mainly of stone built cottages and farms dating from the 18th century. There is also a church and a pub - the Cock and Pullet. The pub was built in 1995, next to a former public house called the Devonshire Arms, which had been closed for twenty odd years.
Perhaps Sheldon's most intriguing claim to fame is the Sheldon Duck. This is a duck-like pareidolia found in an Ash tree, which was felled at the beginning of the 20th century. According to local legend, in the early 1600s villagers saw a duck flying into an Ash tree, but they never observed it leaving the tree.
When the same tree was felled, approximately 300 years later, a duck-like pattern with markings of the brain and lungs were found in the resultant timber boards. The boards were on display in Ashford in the Water Post Office for a while and postcards showing it were sold. Later, the timber merchant who felled the tree used these boards for making a mantelpiece at his home.
For the un-informed, a pareidolia is the ability of people to see pictures in the random organisations of things such as the grain in a wooden door, inkblots, or clouds. Individuals will see these things by personal interpretations of them. For instance, one person may look at a cloud and interpret a horse while another might see it as a bicycle. It will always be a cloud, but through our personal interpretations other objects can be imagined up and seen there - so now we know!
Views over Ashford in the Water
No one was tempted anyway!
Sheepwash Bridge in Ashford in the Water. This was originally a medieval packhorse bridge and it is only until recently, that sheep were washed here prior to shearing. The lambs would be penned within the stone-walled pen on one side of the river, whilst the mothers would be thrown in at the other side. They would naturally swim across to their offspring, thus ensuring a good soaking.
Ashford contains many old, picturesque cottages, some of which were once owned by the Chatsworth Estate and sold off in the 1950s to pay for death duties. Lead mining was one of the main industries in the area, with Ashford being a centre up until the late 19th century.
However Ashford is better known for another ore that was first quarried here in 1748 by Henry Watson, which is Ashford marble, a unique limestone. When polished, the black marble provided a perfect background for mosaic and inlaid patterns. Amongst other things it was used for vases, clocks and jewellery. A wonderful example of an inlaid table top is in Ashford church. Henry Watson also invented a machine for cutting and polishing marble. His factory continued working until the early part of the 20th century.
One industry that existed in the village was that of candle making. A house now standing on the site of the old factory is called 'The Candle House' and it is situated in Greaves Lane, greaves being the name given to dregs of melted tallow.
Another ancient custom that once took place in the village was that of hanging funeral garlands from the roof of the church. Four garland still hang, the oldest from 1747. They were made of white paper cut to form rosettes and fixed to a wooden frame. They would then be carried before the coffin of a young virgin in the funeral procession, before being hung up.
Stuart knew the name of this fungus - looks very unappetising and not a good idea to eat it
Thornbridge Hall
Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
Then back to our starting point and excellent ales at the Stable Bar
Comments from the post-walk feedback sheets include:
- "it was an education"
- "what is QI?"
- "who is Stephen Fry?"
- "where was Mike?"
- "I'll never look at clouds in the same way ever again"
- "logic never was one of his strengths"
- "keep taking the medication"
... and finally ... "where's my tea?"
Typically well-researched Trev. Thanks for all the work in leading such an enjoyable walk.
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