Thoughtful Thursday…… The Village Store

Hartington is a village in the Limestone area of the Derbyshire Peak District. It was an important centre for a wide and prosperous farming and mining community.  Its success in fulfilling that role is perhaps best illustrated today by the large number of ‘Listed Buildings’ of historic note within its bounds.

The Village Store is just one of those buildings.  It is a rather special building, a building I always thought very grand for a Village Store…… I had often pondered if it had served a different purpose, a civic community role perhaps.

Search the old Historical files and no answer was to be found… so i thought it best to make contact with the current owners.

They tell me that the building has always been a Grocery Store. But at one period in its history, it had a Beer License, with a back room that was used as an “Ale House”.  They were also kind enough to send me a copy of a photo circa 1896 which illustrates the point….

(Grateful thanks to Laura Jayden of the Village Store for this image)

I also found it interesting that the caption on the photo refers to the “Hartington Beer Fair”….. and we have thought that Beer Festivals are a recent invention…. not so.

Apart from the buildings architectural grandeur, there is a carving on a plaque at the peak of the building.  A set of weighing scales is depicted, so I wondered if it represented the Scales of Justice., had it been a Local Magistrates Court perhaps…. but no, they are the Grocers Scales, their Trademark.

Hartington today is deservedly on the Tourist Trail. well worth exploring. Perhaps making it a start point for walking the Derbyshire Dales, including the famous Dove Dale. If you do decide to visit, then the Village Store is the perfect start and finishing point.  A great Cafe, or a supplier of local fare for your picnic or to take home to enjoy.

Whatever your thoughts this Thursday…… as always….

Please Remember ….

Stay Safe …. Be Kind…. Look After Each Other

9th June

(C) David Oakes 2022