Tunstead Quarry & Wormhill

It was drizzling when we set off at 6:30 and still drizzling when we arrived close to Tunstead Quarry at 7:30. Well you cant win em all.
We drove down a one way track from Tunstead and ended up parking by the roadside close to a couple of houses in urgent need of repair. There were only 2 houses here but they had a telephone box and a letterbox.

Is this the smallest community to have a letterbox and telephone box.

A rare GR letterbox

We followed the footpath off in the direction of Tunstead Quarry.

Geoff emerging from a blast shelter on the edge of Tunstead Quarry.

Crushing Plant at Tunstead Quarry

 Tunstead Quarry started to operate in 1929 and by the 1970's was the largest limestone quarry in europe being 2km long and 1km wide. It is the largest producer of high quality indusrial limestone in Europe and produces 5.5 million tonnes of limestone annually.

We had a bit of trouble finding this Stoop W15 but eventually spotted it built into the wall.

Stoop W15 built into the wall

Rob & Ike negotiating the barbed wire

Beware of the blasting!!!

Breakfast time at the Wormhill Zoo

 We had breakfast near the James Brindley memorial in Wormhill.
James Brindley was born in Tunstead in 1716 and became one of the country's foremost canal builders. He constructed the Bridgewater Canal in 1761.

James Brindley Memorial

Roadside entrance to the James Brindley Memorial

Wormhill Village Stocks

We walked down to St. Margarets Church and met the curator Barry Peirson who very kindly opened the church for us. He told us some of the history of the village and people including the demise of  W.L.G.Bagshawe.
W.L.G. Bagshawe was the local land owner born 1828, he was a renouned rower and in 1848 won the Diamond Challenge Sculls at Henley Royal Regatta, the following year he was part of the team that won the boat race for Cambridge.
In 1851 he succeeded to his father's estate at Wormhill. He was killed in 1854 by poachers when he went to deal with them after they were caught netting the River Wye at Millers Dale on his land.

St. Margarets Church Wormhill

Inside St. Margarets Church

Barry Peirson

Final resting place for W.L.G. Bagshaw

We left Wormhill and set off for Hay Dale where Stoop W2 was located.

Stoop W2 in Hay Dale

 This was another stoop that was hard to find. The GPS told us we were right on top of it, but it was elusive until Rob found it.
It was covered by the grass and we had to clear it away for photo's. While we were there a trio of walkers came up the track and stopped to talk to us. They were aware of stoops and had seen several in the past during there walks.

Finally did you spot RAMBO in one of the pics.

Well Done
Cheers