Dethick Gibbet Stone

There were only 3 of us this week, Geoff was having a short holiday down at Reading. Rob was telling a neighbour we had been to the Shuckstone Cross and she mentioned she had seen some gallows on a walk near Dethick. We thought we would see if we could find them.

The track leading from the parked car.

I looked up info on the net, but could only find reference to the Dethick Gibbet Stone. Apparently this stone once supported some hangman's gallows or a cross back in the 18th century. The locals claim its cursed because of the many executions carried out there. The stone was noticed to be missing in February 2011 but was later found not far from its original site about a month later. Its about 3 feet in diameter and therefore very heavy and it would have taken a JCB or tractor to move it.
Well i put the coordinates into my GPS and set off, we parked up in a gateway right on the co ords and had a look around with nothing visible so we decided to do a small circular walk around the area.
It was a lovely bright morning and a nice gentle stroll up the track from the car, when we got to the top of this track there were some outstanding views over towards Dethick Church and around the countryside.

Rob snapping Dethick Church

 When we got to a bridleway we met this lady taking her dogs for a walk and asked do you know anything about the Stone, She replied back along the track we had come along and there is a silver car parked there (mine) She said its on the other side of the road in the grass, but never seen the gallows. (BUGGER BUGGER).

The Towers of Riber Castle

Ike on the style

Heading down the track with Dethick Church straight ahead.

What a cracking specimen of a foxglove

Small pond leading into Manor Farm

We walked to see Manor Farm which is the home of Simon Groom (Ex Blue Peter Presenter). Its a lovely 16th century grade 11 listed building. When Robert Dethick died in 1403 the original Manor House built in the 15th Century passed over to the Babingtons. Sir Anthony Babington, born at the manor house in 1561, was attained and executed for High Treason for his part in the Babington Plot. 
Simon Groom and his wife now run the 170 acre farm.

Part of Manor farm

Hows that for a garden shed

This was our breakfast stop with a view of Dethick Church

 The church of St John the Baptist was granted a licence for worship in 1229 and constructed over the next 50 years for private use by the Dethick family who lived here for 500 years. The estate then went to the Babington family upon the marriage of Isobel Dethick to Thomas Babington who fought at Agincourt. The church tower was added in 1530. 

St. John the Baptist Church Dethick with Manor farm .

A view looking towards the tower of St. John's Church, Dethick. This church dates back to C13 and was once the private chapel of Dethick Manor. It was enlarged in 1530 by the Babington family. Anthony Babington was beheaded in 1586 after trying to free Mary Queen of Scots in an unsuccessful plot against Queen Elizabeth I.

If you go down into the woods today

Lea Hall was the childhood home of Florence Nightingale, before her family moved to Lea Hurst in the same village. The hall was owned by Florence’s grandfather, Peter Nightingale, who went into business with John Smedley in 1784, producing muslin and spinning cotton.

 After we had our breakfast we set off back to the car to find the STONE. Well we had a look at where the lady suggested and there it was, so very disappointing.

The Dethick Gibbet Stone

After a few curses we had some spare time so we decided to go and have an amble along part of the Cromford Canal from Whatstandwell bridge to Gregory's tunnel. 

Mother & Chic's in Cromford Canal

A nuthatch is rooting around for grubs.

Tow path with Crich Stand in the background

Idyllic stretch of the canal.

Well that's it for this week, we'll be back up to full strength next week and hopefully the summer will have arrived.
Cheers
Jim

Lumsdale & the Shuckstone Cross

One of the many waterfalls at Lumsdale

This week there were 5 of us, we had Gordon who was on holiday from Northern Island and staying at Rob's next door neighbour. We thought we would take him on a whistle stop tour around the local area.

First stop was the Lumsdale valley with its magnificent waterfalls and ruined mill buildings. Some of these old mills are thought to date from the 16th century.

These spectacular waterfalls are in a remote narrow valley in Lumsdale near Matlock in Derbyshire. The millpond at the top of the valley is at an elevation of some 598ft and by the time it gets down several falls it levels out at about 350 ft. The water comes from the Bentley brook and it was used to power water mills in the 16th century, pre dating the world famous Cromford mills which are just a few miles down the road. There are still several ruins of the old mill buildings which are now under the protection of the Arkwright Society. 

Gordon & Rob

With all the rain we've had the waterfalls were in full flow.

Geoff inspecting one of the ruined buildings

Over the wheel pit 

Interesting architecture everywhere

 

Bottom mill pond

Mother & chicks in the mill pond

Pond Cottages were originally a cupola used for smelting lead  from
 around  1749 and  were changed into mill workers cottages in 1813. 

Beech House was once the Senior Mill Managers residence
in charge of the Bentley Brook Mill Complex. 

Roll on summer and a splash in the brook

Its not Pea soup

After we had a wander around Lumsdale we headed off to High peak Junction to have a look around there.
We parked in the car park at the John Smedley Mill complex and walked down to the HPJ and settled down for breakfast.

Breakfast time

Keep flapping

What an ugly duckling!!

More Orchid's

Plaque on the wall near the High Peak Junction

Leawood Pump House

The Wharf Shed built in 1850 at HPJ

The 1793 Wigwell Aqueduct

Getting ready for the Olympics

When we returned to the car we saw one of these information boards, this has some interesting facts on it including a reference to The Shuckstone Cross. We had never heard of it so decided to go and find it, i put the rough coordinates into my GPS and off we went.
It was only a couple of miles up the road and we parked in a small lay by about 1/4 mile from the footpath. We followed the footpath and with the GPS we eventually found it, well whats left of it.

Remains of The Shuckstone Cross

The Shuckstone Cross is to be found in Shuckstone fields and the name Shuck refers to a robber or murderer, so obviously you didn't wander over these fields in the dark or alone. Only the base survives in situ, the shaft was apparently used for a lintel in a wall in 1777 and is now part of a mantelpiece in a house in Crich. In 1788 a number of Roman coins were found around the cross. 

Different view of Crich Stand

Resting on the Shuckstone Cross

Rob with Crich behind him.

Geoff conducting some classical Moosic

Well that's it for this week, with a bit of luck summer will be here soon. PLEASE
Cheers
Jim