Did he “Break it” or “Abandon it”

The area surrounding Burbage Moor is well known as a one time source of Milling Wheels, carved from the gritstone that abounds in this apart of North Derbyshire.  It was once a thriving industry until the French discovered a way to make the grinding wheels in 3 pieces (bound by iron) instead of the timing consuming craft of cutting and shaping from one single piece of stone.  It is said that overnight this industry vanished and indeed there are many piles of Mill Stones left in both finished and part finished form across the moors lying amongst the vegetation as testament to the craft.

This trough (some 3ft x4ft) is  one of several that have also been left by the stone masons exactly where they were.  Work had started here on removing the centre of the trough, one can only wonder as to how many man hours will have gone into this and how many more would have been needed to complete the task. But look closer and you will see there is a crack from top to bottom on the right hand side…..the question is ‘was it abandoned’ and then frost damage has occurred – or -  ‘did it split’  wasting all that time and craftsmanship which was no doubt un-paid time and effort for the masons involved,  Whatever it is now a weather worn landmark on Burbage Moor above Hathersage.

Beyond the trough is Carl Wark a Roman outpost and beyond Higger Tor one of many Gritstone Edges in North  Derbyshire.  Bleak as this moorland may look it has over the millennia been a scene of much activity.  Stone, Bronze and Iron Age settlements plus Roman occupations have been recorded.  In the more recent past it was also a positive ‘motorway’ with a network of Packhorse Trails and Salters roads criss crossing the moors followed by Drovers and Sheep Trails.  In comparison to present day tranquillity it was once a relative hive of activity.