A TO Z – DERBYSHIRE AND THE PEAK DISTRICT – CHAPTER 54 

WETTON (off the Ilam to Alstonefield road – SK108555)

Wetton is a compact little village of limestone cottages, the gardens a riot of colour in the summer. It is situated in an exposed position against the cold at an altitude of approximately 1,000 feet, and the little cottages seem to huddle together for protection. Winters are now much milder, but some of the older residents still recall the times when the village was cut off from the outside world. In the summer, Wetton is a picture-perfect village with its charming cottages and lovely gardens, and it is not surprising that many people choose to spend their holidays there. For the more adventurous, there is the campsite behind the pub, but for those who prefer four walls, there are plenty of choices.

When the first World Toe Wrestling Championship was held in the village, it generated considerable interest both locally and nationally. During its years, it took place at Wetton, money was raised for charity, and the pumps at the Royal Oak were kept busy. The competition consists of three rounds, played with the right foot, then the left, and then again with both feet, with both men and women participating. The event is now held in Ashbourne.

WETTON MILL (1 mile northwest of Wetton, in the Manifold Valley)

The National Trust owns the mill, and it serves as the starting point for many walks. It is a very popular spot with visitors to the valley, and the tearoom, housed in one of the former grist buildings, provides most welcome refreshment. There is ample parking space along the roadside. It was originally a water mill used to grind corn. The remains of the millstream and an old grindstone can still be seen. The river beds of the Manifold and Hamps are frequently dry during the summer months. The water has gone underground into the porous limestone rocks. During dry weather, the Manifold disappears at Wetton Mill and re-emerges from its underground journey from a boil hole at Ilam. Ossum’s Cave at Wetton Mill is known to have been in use in the Stone Age, when flints were fashioned. Wetton Mill had a railway station and waiting room. The mill ceased production before the railway arrived.

WHALEY BRIDGE (7 miles north of Buxton, on the A5004 – SK008814)

It was not until the late 19th century that the population of Whaley Bridge began to rise significantly, as the impact of the Industrial Revolution started to take effect. When the textile industry overtook farming, coal mining became the principal employer. The building of the Peak Forest Canal received Parliamentary approval. However, the proposal to build a canal to link the Peak Forest Canal with the Cromford Canal was abandoned, and a railway line was built instead.

Today, many canal boat owners use Whaley Bridge and its canal basin as a mooring place, attracted by the Peak Forest Canal’s beautiful wooded valley location. Another local attraction is Toddbrook reservoir, which was very popular with yachters before emergency safety work had to be undertaken on the dam in 2019. At the time, Whaley Bridge hit the national headlines when the inhabitants had to evacuate their homes due to fears that the dam was about to burst. Following prompt action, the dam was made safe and sufficient water drained from the reservoir to enable the inhabitants to return.

WHATSTANDWELL (on the A6 between Belper and Matlock – SK332543)

Whatstandwell is in a picturesque and thickly wooded section of the Derwent Valley. But the traveller on the busy A6 only catches a brief glimpse of the village, probably seeing little more than the railway station, the cafe and the bridge over the River Derwent. Passengers on the train will see even less as part of the route goes through a tunnel. The village now extends well beyond the river bridge, its little grey stone cottages merging quietly into the background of wood and cliff along the roads to Crich and Holloway. In the past, there have been several attempts to trace the origin of the name, Whatstandwell, but most now seem to agree that it was named after Walter Stonewall. At the time the bridge was built in 1391, Walter (or Wat) Stonewall rented a cottage where the bridge was constructed, as mentioned in the agreement with the landowner. Before the building of the bridge, a ford crossed the river. Even though Whatstandwell is so far from the sea, it is the place where Ellen MacArthur, the celebrated yachtswoman, grew up. She shot to fame after finishing second in the gruelling Vendée Globe single-handed Round the World Race. Then, in early 2005, Ellen completed her bid to break the record for the fastest person to sail single-handedly around the world, beating the previous record set by Frenchman Francis Joyon.