Sheen Hill & The Scary Spider

Trig point on Sheen Hill

We were up before the Sun again this week and headed over to Staffordshire to visit the village of Sheen. The name probably derives from the Old English sceon, meaning shelters, perhaps a reference to shelters for herdsmen pasturing animals there.

We got there about 7:30 and plotted our route to the top of Sheen Hill. Although there had been no rain the grass was quite wet presumably from an overnight dew. The first leg was comfortable but the ascent to the top of Sheen Hill took its toll on us old uns, we just had to have a short rest part way up because it really was a quite steep slope.
At the top the wind was very gusty and almost knocking you off your feet, nice to see the trig point and get something to hold onto.
The views unfortunately were obscured by the mist and low cloud but still impressive.
After a short time at the trig point we slowly got back down and followed a country road back towards the car. We found a quiet spot for our breakfast sheltered out of the wind and guess what we could see the sunlit top of Sheen Hill, bloody typical, why wasn't like that when we were up there?
Anyway we just followed the footpaths back to the village.

The present village, which lies along the road running north-south through the parish, probably existed by 1175 when there was mention of a chapel at Sheen, presumably on the site of the present church. The farms in the village, though rebuilt entirely or in part in the 19th century, are on the sites of earlier buildings

 We had a wander around St. Luke's Church.

The original Sheen church was destroyed at the time of the dissolution of the monasteries but was rebuilt in 1552. Some of the fascinating but grotesque gargoyles date back to medieval times. However, the present church building was rebuilt yet again 1828-32 by Beresford Hope to a design of William Butterfield. In the grounds of Sheen church are supposedly 19 lime trees which have survived from 20 planted back in 1761. Within the church are internal features originally belonging to Margaret Street Chapel in London and an interesting reredos and font of alabaster and Dukes red marble which was extracted from a quarry at Matlock. the graveyard has some ancient gravestones in there the oldest dating back to 1200.

The village is famous for its very successful tug of war teams both men and ladies, with the local pub called The Staffordshire Knot there has to be a connection.

The walk was just under 4 1/2 miles and very pleasant.
See you next week
Cheers

Sheen vicarage by William Butterfield (1814-1900)

Just right for a DIY job

This is an old gatepost, just look at the grooves, presumably to lift out the gate

On the slopes of Sheen Hill

Hanging onto the trig point

Unfortunately the views were restricted by the weather.

On the way back down

Very inventive bird scarer  made up of knives and forks

Breakfast stop with Sheen Hill in the background

Sitting having breakfast when there was this big girlie scream, it was just Ike found a little spider

Sheen Village Cross. The base is probably medieval and the cross circa 1850

A lot of very old tombs in the church yard

St. Luke's Church

The villa

The Mysterious Stanage Pole

Stanage Pole

We were back to full strength for this trip to see Stanage Pole. Geoff had last visited this in 1962 with his wife Margaret and his dad. Geoff produced a black and white pic that he had taken while half way up the pole!!!
We set off at 6:30 and arrived at the Hollin Bank car park about an hour later. The trek up to the edge took us across bracken covered land and then through some woods before getting onto the ancient pavers up to the edge.
Some cracking views on the way up and at the top. We had a rest then pressed on to the Stanage Pole.
The light was really good so we took a load of pics while the sun was out. We stayed there for our breakfast had a chat to a couple that were walking by. Geoff got this black and white photo out from 1962 to compare with the scene today. The forest on the left has sprung up  but the pathway is virtually still the same.
After a couple of snaps we headed back to the edge and walked along for a few hundred meters then returned back down towards the car via a slightly different route.

Hollin Bank Car Park

Up through the woods

This huge rock is in the middle of the woods

Stairway to heaven

No this is not the Pole its just a tree stripped of its branches

Final trek up to the edge

Geoff

Rob & Ike

Track went straight to the pole

Ike, Rob & Geoff

Stanedge Pole (grid reference SK2468784429) is a famous landmark on Hallam Moors close to Stanage Edge in South Yorkshire, England. It marks the border between Derbyshire and South Yorkshire, standing at a height of 438 metres (1,437 feet), it can be seen for several miles around.

A pole has existed on the site since at least 1550, many initials have been carved into the rock that supports the pole and five of these can be identified as initials of the Parish Road Surveyors who renewed the pole when needed. "T.C. 1550", "H.W. 1581", "T.M. 1631", "H.H. 1697" and "F.N. 1740" are all marks of the Parish Surveyors along with the date that the pole was renewed..^[1] The pole is a way marker on a medieval packhorse road known as the Long Causeway or Long Causey ^[2] which runs west from Sheffield.^[3] It was also used for centuries as a boundary marker between the parishes of Sheffield, Hathersage and Ecclesfield

Ike setting up his camera for a group pic.

Breakfast stop

Rob & Ike heading back to the edge.

Geoff  in the same spot as the pic below. Just note all the trees on the left.

Photo from 1962 with Geoff's dad and Geoff's wife Margaret

Looking north along Stanage Edge.

Geoff photographing the scene

Geoff coming down towards the car park

This looks as though it may have been an old track

Stanage Edge in all its glory.

This was a lovely bright morning for a walk up to the Derbyshire edges, the scenery was brilliant and a nostalgic trip back in time for Geoff.
See you next week.