The Lost Derwent Village

This week it was my turn and we arrived just past the Ashopton Viaduct at bang on 07:00. We parked up and headed up the west side of the Ladybower Reservoir. It was warm, 14 degrees but a tad misty and damp. The track is a nice steady incline up amongst the trees and then back down again, like a roller coaster. We eventually got to the bridge for Mill brook and that's where we wanted to go. There is a nice information board showing a map for 1880 as the village of Derwent would have been and a map as it is now, with the grey area's being under water or should be. We had a good look around and did a couple of photos on the ruins and then had our breakfast sitting on the bank overlooking them. We met an interesting chap with a couple of huskies and a large scooter type cycle. When he got up to the bridge he hooked himself onto the dogs and they pulled him on his scooter. Mad i missed the shot of him on the bridge. When we were heading back up to the road a couple of guys on mountain bikes came past and we knew they were going to jump off a concrete ramp, i just managed to catch them. From there it was a nice slow walk up to the Fairholmes Visitor centre passing the ruins of the old Derwent Hall. Geoff & Ike waited at the bus stop while Rob and me walked up to the dam where we met Eddie with his drone. He manoeuvred it into position for me for some pics. We walked down to the bus stop to meet Ike and Geoff and caught the bus back down to the Ashopton Viaduct, into the car and home.

The most significant surviving reminder of Derwent Village is the village's packhorse bridge, painted in 1925 by the artist Stanley Royle This originally spanned the River Derwent near the main gates of Derwent Hall, and was removed stone by stone as it had been designated a monument of national importance. The bridge was transported and rebuilt at the head of Howden Reservoir at Slippery Stones where it now forms part of the paths and cycle tracks around the Derwent Valley reservoirs. The church held its last service on 17 March 1943. The bell from the church may still be heard in Derbyshire, however, since it was re-hung in St Philip's Church in Chaddesden, built in 1955. Bodies from the graveyard had been exhumed in 1940 and were reburied in the village of Bamford All buildings in the village had been demolished by autumn 1943, and the impounded waters of the reservoir began to rise by the end of 1944. The church spire was left intact to form a memorial to Derwent. However, it was dynamited on 15 December 1947, on the rationale of safety concerns. The site of the village has bis revealed when the water levels drop significantly. 

This weeks route to remains of the old Derwent Village

Rob, Geoff, me & Ike standing on the ruins of the church

A misty Bamford Edge in the distance over Ladybower Reservoir.

Ladybower must be less than 50% capacity

Ladybower Bridge

Rob & Geoff

Ladybower Bridge

First glimpse of the ruins of Derwent Village 

Old stone bridge

This is Mill Brook

The date of 1867 is engraved on this church stone

Me

Geoff

Geoff & Ike

Geoff on the bridge

Huskies pull this scooter along

More ruins of the Derwent buildings

Tiny little frog

Not a bad spot for breakfast

Cormorant sitting on the roof of an old pumping station

6 stitch panorama

We're not sure if this is a chimney sticking up

Crazy bikers

Vicarage gate posts

Just see the outline of the old Derwent Hall

Just see the outline of the old Derwent Hall

Derwent Dam

Geoff doing his Plains Lane dance in a puddle

Derwent Dam

Outlet into Derwent Reservoir

Drone hovering above the water

Rob & Eddie  with his drone

Ike, cant see where hes going lol

Derwent village from the other side of the water with Derwent Edge above

Ladybower bridge shot through the bus window

Dropped off at the bus stop

Back at the car 

Just over 3 1/2 miles walk then a ride on the bus, a lovely morning out to see something we may never see again if we get a lot of rain. The ruins get uncovered now and then, i think the last time was 1976 you just don't know when it will happen again.

See you next week