A TO Z – DERBYSHIRE AND THE PEAK DISTRICT – CHAPTER 58

WOLFSCOTE DALE (from Beresford Dale – south of Hartington to Milldale)

From the northern end, Wolfscote Dale becomes progressively more spectacular as you walk, with the sides of the dale rising almost vertically. At first, the sides of the valley alongside the River Dove are bare and rock-fringed, but this soon changes, with the slopes on the right becoming thickly wooded. The dale, rich in wildlife, is wilder than Dovedale and more unspoiled. A series of small weirs adds to the beauty of the valley. After about one and a half miles of attractive scenery, you reach the cliffs of Drabber Tor, beyond which lies the entrance to Biggin Dale. The walk continues down the dale past Coldeaton Bridge to Lode Mill.

WOODVILLE (1.5 miles east of Swadlincote, on the A511 Burton to Ashby Road – SK315192)

Formerly known as Wooden Box, after the place where the toll collector on the Burton to Ashby turnpike took shelter when he was not collecting tolls. The five-way intersection is commonly known as the Clock Roundabout, which got its name due to the clock tower located on the white-fronted garage.
As the population grew and fundraising began to establish a church, the suggestion was made that a more suitable name was needed. Woodville was selected, but it did not immediately catch on, because the police cell built the following year was named the Wooden Box Lock-up House. Some local people still use the original name of the settlement. Woodville is rich in industrial history, but many of the firms that once existed or were once prominent have since ceased operations or scaled back their business. The land vacated has primarily been used for housing development. The five-way intersection is commonly known as the Clock Roundabout, which got its name due to the clock tower located on the white-fronted garage.

The cornerstone of St Stephen’s Church was laid in 1845 and consecrated the following year by the Bishop of Peterborough. In 1945, the Rev. Arthur Hurt was appointed vicar and remained in Woodville for eight years. His son, John, was five years old at the time of the appointment and later became a famous actor. Apart from two Academy Award nominations, he received many awards throughout his career, including the BAFTA Lifetime Achievement award for his outstanding contribution to British cinema.

WORMHILL (off the A6 Buxton/Chapel Road, along a minor road between Peak Dale and Millers Dale – SK123744)

The village is a mixture of well-built, handsome stone houses and farms in beautiful, quiet upland surroundings. Old Hall Farm dates back to the 16th century, and the farmhouse was probably the original manor house. Hargate Hall is a more recent addition, built at the turn of the 20th century. It has served a variety of uses, including a recuperation centre for injured servicemen during the Second World War and a home for the elderly. It is currently used as a wedding venue. At the centre of the village is a sunken green with a set of stocks and an ornate stone structure built in memory of the celebrated Civil Engineer, James Brindley. At nearby Tunstead, there is another smaller memorial at the site of the demolished cottage where he was born.

James Brindley provided a solution to the 18th-century transportation problem. He could not read or write correctly, but possessed a brilliant mind and astounded other engineers who initially laughed at his ultimately successful proposal. The problem was to find an economical way of transporting coal from the Duke of Bridgewater’s estate at Worsley to Manchester. He did this by building an aqueduct over the River Irwell. It stood on three great stone arches, 17 feet up, with a towpath alongside the canal for the horses to pull the boats the 900 yards to the other side of the river. Brindley’s inventions continued, and his most celebrated enterprise was the Trent and Mersey Canal, known as the Grand Trunk. It connected canal systems throughout the country