RENISHAW HALL TO THE GREAT RIDGE
A TO Z – DERBYSHIRE AND THE PEAK DISTRICT – CHAPTER 39
RENISHAW HALL (on the B6053, off A6135 between Junction 30 of the M1 Motorway and Sheffield – SK436785)
Renishaw Hall is a country house located in Renishaw, near Sheffield, and is a Grade I listed building. It has been the home of the Sitwell family for nearly 400 years. They amassed their family fortunes as Colliery owners and ironmasters. Edith, Osbert and Sacheverell Sitwell formed a famous literary trio at the beginning of the 20th century. They were all patrons of the arts and played significant roles in the artistic and literary world. The 1980 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice used footage shot at Renishaw Hall. D. H. Lawrence is said to have used the local village of Eckington and Renishaw Hall for his novel Lady Chatterley’s Lover.
The house is open for group tours by arrangement and for guided tours on selected days. The gardens are open on a seasonal basis. The park is listed as Grade II*and appears in the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England. Please check all arrangements before travelling.
REPTON (on the B5008 Willington to Burton Road, south of Derby – SK305269)
It is difficult to realise, upon visiting Repton, that in the 7th century, it was the capital of the Kingdom of Mercia. In 653, King Penda’s son, returning to Repton from Northumbria, with a Christian bride and four priests, set about establishing a monastery as a base to spread Christianity across the Midlands. The Danes destroyed the monastery over 200 years later.
At the entrance to Repton School is the Priory Arch, a survivor from the old Priory Gatehouse that dates to the mid-13th century. From here, a vast array of architectural styles can be seen spanning most centuries from the eighth century onwards. Down the slope is the cricket ground where county cricket has featured in the recent past. The late Guy Willatt, a master at the school, captained Derbyshire in the 1950s and later became Chairman of the Cricket Committee during a relatively peaceful and prosperous period in the club’s somewhat turbulent history.
The classic film ‘Goodbye Mr Chips’ was shot at the school in 1938 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. During a break in shooting, the boys playing cricket at the school were somewhat surprised to find themselves watched and applauded by a large band of costumed spectators. At the centre of the old village stood a medieval cross around which markets and fairs were once held. The markets are no more, but the cross remains.
REPTON – C. B. FRY
One of the most notable sportspeople in this country’s history, C.B. Fry, attended school at Repton and is buried in the churchyard. Repton can also claim to have supplied three Archbishops of Canterbury: Dr William Temple and Dr Geoffrey Fisher, both former headteachers, and Dr Michael Ramsey, a pupil at the school.
REPTON – ST WYASTON’S CHURCH
The parish church of St Wystan has existed, in some form or other, since the 8th century. Underneath the chancel is the Saxon mausoleum and crypt that was the burial place of Mercian kings. For many years, the crypt had lain forgotten, until in 1779, a worker making a grave below the chancel fell through the floor into the space below and rediscovered it. The Priory, founded about 1172, was dissolved at the time of the Reformation. Now, Repton School occupies part of what remains, but most of the premises date from the 19th and 20th centuries.
RIBER (1 mile southwest of Matlock, off the A615 Matlock to Alfreton road – SK309591)
Riber is best known for its castle, which can be seen from miles away. It stands 853 feet above sea level and was built by John Smedley in 1862. Smedley’s original idea was to build an observatory tower. But he encountered numerous practical problems and decided to create a retirement home instead. The castle is constructed from massive blocks of local gritstone extracted from a quarry near the castle. They were hoisted up the hillside by a series of pulleys. Smedley employed skilled craftsmen, including Italian plasterers, to work on the interior.
After his wife and he died, it was put to several uses, including that of a preparatory school and a food store during the Second World War. Most unusually, it also became the home of a wildlife park for several years. After standing empty and in ruins for several years, planning permission to turn the castle into apartments was finally granted. This followed years of fierce opposition to the planning proposals.
RIDDINGS (2 miles south of Alfreton – SK424523)
Originally a tiny agricultural hamlet it was transformed by the discovery of coal and iron resources. Cast iron was used by road and canal builders—iron pipes to carry gas, water and sewage. More unusually, cannons and shot were manufactured for the army in their battles with Napoleon. Irritatingly, at the time, a slimy black substance caused problems underground. Following an investigation, it was discovered to be oil, and a small refinery was set up to convert it into paraffin. It is claimed that this was the world’s first oil refinery.
In the early days of the ironstone business, James Oakes bought shares in the works, took over the management and continued the expansion policy. He also acquired other related businesses, built new houses and rebuilt old ones for his workers, as well as building Riddings House for his family. Also, he erected a model farm and had a spacious park laid out.
Much has changed in recent times, with the increase in industrialisation in the area and the construction of more houses on the outskirts of the old village. But the pubs have not changed, and the Moulders’ Arms still retains its thatched roof, the only one to do so in the county. The late Roy Christian, the writer and broadcaster who did so much to bring the history of Derby and Derbyshire alive to so many people, was born at the vicarage. His father was the vicar of St James’ Church in Riddings.
THE GREAT RIDGE (the long ridge that divides Castleton and Edale)
Mam Tor is a prominent feature situated between Rushup Edge on its eastern side and The Great Ridge on its western side. Together, they separate Hope Valley to the south from Edale and Kinder Scout to the north. It is where the limestone of the White Peak and the gritstone of the Dark Peak meet. Hollins Cross is the lowest point on the ridge between Lose Hill and Mam Tor, serving as a meeting point for paths from both the Castleton and Edale directions.
