LONGNOR TO LYME PARK
A TO Z – DERBYSHIRE AND THE PEAK DISTRICT – CHAPTER 26
LONGNOR (on the B5053, off the A515 Buxton to Ashbourne road – SK090650)
Set in lonely moorland countryside, six miles to the southeast of Buxton and close to the Derbyshire border, is the ancient village of Longnor. It sits astride a narrow ridge of gritstone where the River Dove flows to the north and the River Manifold to the south. It attracts large numbers of visitors who come to explore the upper reaches of these two famous river valleys and the rugged scenery that surrounds them. At the upper end of the steeply cobbled marketplace, the market hall dates back to 1873. At that time, it was rebuilt at the direction of the Harpur-Crewe family, with the scale of charges listed on the board outside.
Longnor maintained its position as a small market town until the decline of the coaching era. As gradually easier access to other towns and cities improved, businesses relocated to Buxton and Leek. For many years, oatcake making was a significant cottage industry in North Staffordshire, for which Longnor is renowned.
The annual Races are a very colourful affair, said to have resulted from a meeting of local farmers. Who decided to put up a wager to determine the winner by racing their mounts around the village streets? This popular event continues to this day, albeit in a somewhat different format, featuring cross-country racing, horse racing, trotting, motorbike and sidecar racing, and a gymkhana. Longnor Races take place on the Thursday after the first Sunday in September.
LONGSHAW VISITOR CENTRE (off the A6187 Owler Bar to Hathersage Road, north of Grindleford – SK264798)
Situated in good walking country, Longshaw Visitor Centre is in the outbuildings of Longshaw House. It is a popular place to stop and have something to eat or to purchase a gift from the National Trust shop. The house was initially built as a shooting lodge for the Duke of Rutland. It has been converted into private flats and is not open to the public. Below is Longshaw Meadow, where every September, the country’s oldest trials for sheepdogs are held. The trials first started in 1898 and are claimed to be the country’s oldest trials for sheepdogs. After the Second World War in 1945, when the trials recommenced, the BBC was present to record the events. A popular, long-running television series followed, bringing ‘One Man and his Dog’ into the living rooms of millions of viewers.
LULLINGTON (south of Coton-in-the-Elms in Southwest corner of Derbyshire – SK250130)
Lullington is an attractive South Derbyshire village that has been awarded the Best Kept Village (small) title several times in Derbyshire. It has also been a winner of the Britain in Bloom competition. Approached along leafy lanes, together with Netherseal, it is the southernmost village in the county. The ancient church, village hall, public house and a lovely cricket ground all go to make up this eye-catching village.
LUMSDALE (off the A615, Matlock to Alfreton Road, 1 mile west of Matlock – SK312603)
Fast-flowing streams brought industry to the locality, and several mills were built in Lumsdale. At one time, 17 mills all drew their power from one small, but rapidly descending stream, the Bentley Brook. Dams were constructed on the very steep hillside to provide the power for the mills to operate. The oldest of the mills dates to the 1600s, but the mills fell into disuse in the 20th century.
The Lumsdale Project, launched in 1976 following the acquisition of the lease by the Arkwright Society, commenced work to preserve the complex of water mills and ponds. Most of the mills were not restored but retained in a picturesque state of decay. The attraction of the woodland area was maintained as far as possible, and the public was allowed access to as much of the valley as safety allowed. The Arkwright Society continues to develop the management plan for the valley, which, along with its woodland and wetland habitats, has been designated as a conservation area. Today, visitors flock to the area to enjoy the incredible scenery at weekends and during the summer, typically on foot, as parking is difficult at busy times.
LYME PARK (on the northwest edge of the Peak District, off the A6)
Lyme Park offers a fantastic day out for the whole family. Initially, the park was the site of a hunting lodge until a house was built in Tudor times. It was the home of the Legh family from 1388 and remained in their possession until 1946, when it was given to the National Trust.
The house was transformed by the Venetian architect Leoni into a fine Italianate palace. Some of the Elizabethan interior still survives and contrasts markedly with the later additions in the 18th and 19th centuries. The staterooms are adorned with beautiful Mortlake tapestries, and the dining room features intricate wood carvings by Grinling Gibbons. The extensive collection of unique English clocks is also of particular interest to visitors.
The 17 acres of Victorian garden, featuring impressive flower beds and an appealing rose garden, along with the Wyatt Conservatory, are a delight. Surrounded by a medieval deer park, with miles of walks across moorland and through woodlands, this is a place where you can spend many enjoyable hours. The views are fantastic.
