Twin boulders found
A popular postcard from well over 100 years ago posed a bit of a mystery as it’s not a view anyone recognised. But Sue and Tim were up to the task and donned their wellies to try and track it down.
Errwood Hall 1845
An 1845 tithe map shows that Errwood Hall hadn’t yet been built, even though Samuel Grimshawe purchased the land some 13 years earlier. I thought work had started well before then.
Bodies in boots?
The discovery of two cars in the pond beside Goyt’s Lane, and rumours of bodies being found in the boots, attracted media attention. There were also four safes plus a cache of bullets.
Rubbish finds
A spot near the reduced waterline may once have been a midden where rubbish from Goytsbridge Farm was dumped. Most of it is of little interest, but a few attractive items have been found.
Low water reveals #3
Yet more stone features are appearing above the surface of Errwood Reservoir. The four nearest the bank could have been part of the large twin barns which stood beside the lane to Errwood Hall.
Gateposts mystery solved
A grainy photo taken shortly before Errwood Reservoir was flooded in 1968 seems to solve the mystery of the sturdy gateposts that have recently surfaced during the drought of August 2022.
Low water reveals: #2
The second part of my attempts to trace features that have emerged during the recent drought; a pair of sturdy gateposts and a junction of lanes, all of which have been hidden since Errwood was flooded.
Low water reveals: #1
The water level in Errwood Reservoir has dropped significantly over recent weeks, revealing some interesting features from the past. Trying to identify where they once lay is a fascinating challenge.
Walk 27: easy 2 mile circuit
Walk 27 – an easy two-mile circuit from the small car park half way down Goyt’s Lane along the old C&HPR track, returning along the narrow path to Errwood Reservoir. And very easy to extend.
Errwood Hall revealed
Six recordings from the new ‘augmented reality’ app on Errwood Hall help tell the story of life in and around this grand country house which once dominated the valley and now lies in ruins.
New info boards
It’s great to see that United Utilities seem to be taking more interest in promoting the heritage of the valley – following up the repair of the packhorse bridge by installing three new information boards.
Packhorse bridge reopened
Great news; the historic packhorse bridge which once lay in the heart of the now drowned hamlet of Goyt’s Bridge has finally been repaired and the barriers removed.
1846 Goyt Valley plans
Comparing the recently discovered 1846 plans of the valley with OS maps from the 1890s reveal some fascinating changes, but also poses the question of when Grimshaw turned to Grimshawe.
Railway mania part II
In this second part of Alan Robert’s article on railways through the Goyt Valley, he explains how the attempts to improve the Cromford & High Peak Railway by avoiding the steep inclines ended in failure.
Railway mania part I
In the first of a two-part post, local historian Alan Roberts explains how a railway line proposed in 1846 between Manchester and Matlock would have cut right through the hamlet of Goyt’s Bridge.
Goyt Recollections part III
The final part of Crichton Porteous’s ‘Goyt Recollections’ provides a fascinating picture of the valley in the mid 1950s, describing the area all the way from Goyt’s Bridge to Taxal.
Goyt Recollections part II
In part two of Crichton Porteous’s ‘Goyt Recollections’, he writes about Errwood Hall, the hill-top graveyard and the coal mine. He also talks to an old estate worker about the Grimshawe sisters.
Goyt Recollections part I
Crichton Porteous was known as ‘the Thomas Hardy of Derbyshire’. This is the first of three parts reproducing a chapter from his popular 1954 book, Peakland, and titled ‘Goyt Recollections’.
Long Hill closure
The closure of a long section of Long Hill is frustrating for motorists, but has hit the Goyt Valley’s closest pub particularly hard. New tenant, Leon, has already seen takings down by two-thirds.
Windgather to Shining Tor
Starting from the main car park, this 11-mile walk includes wonderful views from both Windgather Rocks and Shining Tor, before dropping down to visit the ruins of Errwood Hall.