WINSTER TO WIRKSWORTH
A TO Z – DERBYSHIRE AND THE PEAK DISTRICT – CHAPTER 56
WINSTER (off the B5056 a linking road between the A515 Ashbourne and A6 Bakewell roads – SK242603)
Winster is a village that retains its 18th-century character, with over 60 listed buildings in its conservation area. The brightly painted houses, often with fascinating names, are set on the gently rising hillside alongside winding lanes and pathways. Little seems to have changed since the homes were built, and in keeping with the village’s traditional appearance, many of its old customs remain.
Any newcomer to the area trying to make their way through the village on Shrove Tuesday might be somewhat surprised, and possibly a little startled, to see people, young and old, charging towards them, frying pan in hand, tossing pancakes. The Annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Race has been held in the village for over 100 years. Morris Dancing is another longstanding tradition in the village. It takes place during Wakes Week when the dancers perform the ‘Winster Gallop’ outside the Old Bowling Green public house. The great folk music pioneer, Cecil Sharp, first documented the dancing in the village early in the 20th century. However, there have been some breaks in the custom, notably during wartime.
WINSTER – MARKET HOUSE
In the centre of the village, almost blocking the roadway, is the ancient Market House, now in the care of the National Trust. It was the first property acquired by the Trust in Derbyshire in 1906, and it is now open to the public as an Information Centre. The base of the property is stone, and the upper part is brick-built. However, it was probably timber-framed initially. At first, the entire ground floor between the arches would have been open to allow trading to take place, and it was only blocked up when business declined.
WIRKSWORTH (on the B5023 from Duffield, which connects with the road to Cromford – SK286540)
The small market town of Wirksworth may not make a significant impact on the busy traveller driving through; however, those visitors with time to explore the narrow streets and maze of intriguing alleyways will find it a worthwhile destination. To admire the old buildings and lovely views, and to visit the ancient church and its cathedral-like surroundings, one will soon find oneself falling in love with this fascinating old town. Standing as it does virtually at the centre of Derbyshire, about two miles to the south of the Peak District National Park boundary, Wirksworth was the centre of the English lead mining industry when it was at its height.
As lead mining declined, limestone quarries provided work for people who lived in the area. The arrival of the railway in Wirksworth in 1867 linked the town with Derby and the rapidly expanding railway network beyond. It opened the way for the easy distribution of limestone, which was in great demand. The situation was improved still further 12 years later when a tunnel was built below the town centre linking Dale Quarry, known locally as the ‘Big Hole’, with the station. The limestone cottages of The Dale and Green Hill cling to the hillside as if Wirksworth were some little Cornish fishing village with nothing but the sea missing. In places, it is possible to walk from the garden of one house onto the roof of another below. It is the area where the lead miners used to live; the jumble of small cottages was built of random stone extracted from nearby quarries. Nowhere is the lack of planning more apparent than in the area between the remains of Dale Quarry and Middle Peak Quarry, known locally as Puzzle Gardens.
WIRKSWORTH – BARMOTE COURT
Lead was the basis of many towns and villages’ prosperity in and around the Peak District during the period between 1600 and 1780, when lead mining was at its peak. As it became less economical due to international competition and extraction difficulties, mining started declining during the 19th century. In 1288, The Inquisition for the King’s Field of The High Peak held at Ashbourne gave the lead miner legal backing for the many customs and privileges that already existed. It was done to encourage mining in what was mainly a barren wasteland. Barmote Courts administered the laws and were presided over by barmasters. It is almost certainly the oldest industrial court in Britain, and possibly in the world.
Initially, there were two Barmote Courts, one at Monyash, which covered the High Peak, and the other at Wirksworth, which covered the Low Peak. In 1814, the Monyash court moved to Wirksworth. Since 1994, the two have met together, once a year, in April, at the Moot Hall in Chapel Lane, Wirksworth. In line with tradition, bread, cheese, clay pipes and tobacco are provided at the meetings.
WIRKSWORTH – ST MARY’S CHURCH
The Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin stands on a site at the junction of at least five ancient trackways. It was one of the first centres of Christian teaching and may well have been built on the site of a prehistoric stone circle. The church dates back to about 653, and a path completely encircles the churchyard, giving it a cathedral-like appearance. Inside the Wirksworth Stone is considered to be one of our greatest archaeological treasures and attracts visitors from all over the world to examine the intricate carving.
