LATHKILL DALE…Norse (1280) HLADA-KILL the narrow valley with a barn.
Most folk visit Lathkill Dale during the summer months and I suppose rightly describe it as a tranquil Dale providing a very pleasant walk beside the crystal clear waters of the river Lathkill. Even on a very cold February day it still is an exciting and invigorating walk. The low winter sun and high sides of the Dale making it difficult for the warmth to penetrate into all the wooded banks of the river.
The Lathkill rises some 2 miles from here and like the famous ‘Spring Waters’ from Buxton and Ashbourne the water has been filtered through the ancient limestone, crystal clear and pure. For much of its course it cuts a shallow course along the Dale but in places and at times of little rain it disappears below ground only to emerge after a short while with as much vigour as before.
But for many centuries this river has been manipulated by man. The weirs show where the river has been turned into fish ponds, sometimes referred to as Stew Ponds providing food for the many Granges (Monastic Estates and Farms) that surround the Dale. These ponds still serve the local economy to-day with Brown Trout and Fly Fishermen doing occasional battle.
For much of its length Lathkill Dale is well wooded and it’s importance as a wildlife habitat is recognised and is defined as a National Nature Reserve.
Water Vole and Dippers are for me the essential ‘must see’ on any visit. But to-day it was only Dippers that showed. Whilst the woodland is great for both flora and fauna it does hide a great many secrets that many visiting the Dale walk by without knowing.
Lathkill Dale seems remote and desolate but for centuries it was far from the tranquillity of the present times. Since Roman times and no doubt even earlier Lead mining has been a major industry of the Dale and its surrounds. One historian stated that if you drew a circle with a circumference of 5 miles round the mining centre of Lathkill and the same round the then important town of Derby in the late 1790’s early 1800’s the population around Lathkill was more than double that of Derby.
That centre point was Mandale Mine……though there were a great many more mines in the Dale and surrounds…many discovered and capped but some still undiscovered as this sign warns.
You could, and many do, walk right by Mandale Mine and not spot it as it is so well hidden amongst the trees to-day. But of all the lead mines in the Dale, Mandale still has much for you to discover and see.
The most obvious sign is the tower like structure of the pump house. This held a water driven wheel that was in turn used to power a pump to help drain the mines below…after all, the water that feeds the river also flooded the mine workings. I don’t know if it is true but some accounts tell us that this was the biggest water wheel in England.
The Pump House may well be the most obvious reminder of the mine but a few yards beyond at the base of a limestone cliff you can find one of the entrances to the mine workings. By comparison it is rather insignificant but brings back the reality of the tough conditions miners had to endure with only a candle mounted on a helmet for a working light.
The Pump House was no doubt a major constructional task but the water wheel required a constant and powerful supply of water to power it. The water couldn’t be taken straight from the river, partly because at this point it flows at a lower level to where the pump house was needed but also a ‘head of water’ needed to be created. So a leat or canal was built nearly a mile upstream where the river was well above pump house level to bring water to the site. But even that wasn’t easy as the leat had to be constructed on the opposite side of the river, so an aqueduct was needed to not only bring the water across the river but at a height to power the wheel. Look closely and you will see some remains of pillars that where once supports for the aqueduct. But even so, all this effort failed to keep the mine dry enough to work in and closure followed in the early 1800’s.
A little further up stream you will find Batemans Mine. What remain to-day are the ruins of Thomas Batemans House. The reality is, that like many Derbyshire Lead Mines the owner (often the farmer on who’s land the vein was found) would construct his house OVER the shaft…this had proved to be the best way of protecting ones property.
Batemans mine shaft is just inside the doorway above. Whilst a working mine it was one of the busiest and some 120 man worked there. Whilst they worked Batemans wife and family lived in the house as described on this information board which also give a good indication of the original size.
Back to the woods……
Fresh felled timber awaiting transport for use elsewhere. Previously this would have been burnt on the spot as a thriving Charcoal Burning industry another of the industries of Lathkill. Just one of many Charcoal pits that you will find if you look carefully.
SIGNS OF THE TIMES……
This is a ‘replacement’ sign for one that has been displayed below Over Haddon for as long as I can remember. The original was for a toll of 1d. (from the days of £.s.d.) so 1 penny is quite an increase!
Don’t know if anyone does collect the fee….I will have to make the trip one Easter to find out.
Many of the roads in this part of Derbyshire are narrow and multi functional.
They are used by vehicles, cycles, horses and of course used as foot paths.
So the Council has very wisely decided to designate them as QUIET LANES.
These road side signs help remind all that they share these roads/lanes with others, a very simple but practical solution that doesn’t demand heavy enforcement……just common sense.
1st FEBRUARY (posted 2nd)
DAVID OAKES - IMAGES. 