Archive for the ‘History’ Category

Skeletons of women and children found buried during a 2 year community dig revealing crucial new evidence on Iron Age hill forts, the first discovery of its kind in Britain.

This grisly discovery, which will be of  interest  to many history buffs in Parwich, has been made at Fin Cop and sheds new light on Iron Age hillforts and the history of our ancient ancestors. The remains of women, babies, a toddler and a single teenage male have all been uncovered. This is the first time a selective massacre of women and children has been found on an Iron Age hillfort in Britain.

Archaeologists believe the people at Fin Cop died after the hill fort had been attacked and captured. The women and children died of flesh wounds that have left no trace on the surviving bones, and were then flung unceremoniously into the ditch at the foot of the hillfort. There are no remains of any adult males in the ditch suggesting the men at the hillfort were sold on as slaves or pressed into military service. So far only 10 metres of ditch, out of 400 metres, has been excavated and it is likely that hundreds of skeletons are still buried there.

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Local & General Knowledge Quiz

Suffering from ‘cabin fever’? Well come along to

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A beautiful painting of Parwich was displayed this evening on the Antiques Roadshow!


(Please click to enlarge)

The programme was filmed at Chatsworth and there were many items brought along that had connections with the estate. This particular picture was painted in 1950 by Bert Broomhead, who was a gamekeeper at Chatsworth. The Duke and Duchess must have been impressed as they provided Bert with his own studio.

It is fascinating to see how this aspect of the village looked 60 years ago. There were significantly fewer houses at this time.

If you missed the programme, you can watch it for a limited period on the BBC iPlayer. Click here and see the painting 29 minutes and 17 seconds into the programme.

Added on Monday (by Peter T)

Mike does this re-orientation of the painting help locate it?  It must be south and slightly east of the Church on the slopes of Parwich Hill.  How about on Creamery Lane level with Knob Hall, though several buildings may have been ommitted and/or redesigned?

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On Saturday (11th September) some members of the Hawley Society are visiting Parwich as an addition to their 2010 European Conference.  The American based Hawley Society are a single name family history society.  The main American Hawley line descends from Joseph Hawley (1603 to 1690), who was originally from Parwich but emigrated to Connecticut in the first half of the seventeen century.

The visit will include a guided tour of the village led by Parwich & District Local History Society and supper at the Sycamore Inn with an informal talk presented jointly by both Societies.  The Hawley Society members will then spend Sunday touring the Peak District and some other Derbyshire villages with Hawley links.

If you are interested in finding out more about the Hawley visit to Parwich and in coming along on Saturday contact Peter T c/o parwich@hotmail.co.uk

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Local History website back on-line

The Parwich & District Local History Society website is now back on-line.  We had had problems with our previous host and are now trying out justhost.com.  Their charges are impressively low.  Our site has a new address www.parwichhistory.org and we hope to continue to develop it, so do let us know any thoughts or ideas you have.

The Society can be contacted on parwichhistory@hotmail.com.  We will try to up-date all the links here at parwich.org though we may miss some of the older posts (if so our apologies).

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Eaton Dale

Here are a few photos from today’s History Society walk in Eaton Dale.  Although we seem to have hit the rush hour, this beautiful little valley is normally deserted.

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Today’s Walk

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What an excellent idea and a great evening.

Denis L showed a cine film from the 1960s of Wakes and a slide show of Wakes photos taken over the last 100 years or so on the Parwich Film digital projector now installed in the new Hall.  I did not count the audience but there must have been over 50 or 60 people there, sharing memories.  The loudest responses were to some of the 60s and 70s fashions and Carnival costumes (Val K is very keen to ‘have a strong word’ with whoever handed over to Denis one particular photo).

The Carnival & Recreation Committee had laid on wine and cake, which was avidly consumed as people looked at more photographs that people had brought in and displayed on tables arround the hall. (more…)

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History Society Trip

There are still places available, so if you are interested in coming along contact John (tel 302) by Tuesday evening.

For more on the museum click here.

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There is a photo of Dam Farm and Church Gates on the cover of the current issue of the Peak Advertiser.  It accompanies an article on tympanum (carved stones over church doorways) in Derbyshire.  The article opens with a description of the fine tympanum over the west door of St. Peter’s Church.

The Peak Advertiser is available free of charge in the Sycamore Inn.

For a more detailed account of the Parwich tympanum (as a pdf) click here.

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Visit to Bakewell Museum

For more on the museum click here.

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Do you want to find out a bit more about the history of your house in Parwich, and who used to live there?  Are you researching the history of a Parwich family?  If yes, then come along to the Skills Day in Parwich Church on Monday between 2 and 5pm.

Brian F and Peter T will be there with the 1843 Tithe map (the earliest map for Parwich) and the Censuses (1841 to 1901), to help you find out more about the history of the local buildings and families.

Ian P will also be there to talk about metal detecting and his surveys of land in Alsop and Parwich.

To find out more about our local History click here.

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Parwich Lees Cottage‏

Happy Easter!

We’re just coming up to having been at Parwich Lees Cottage for a year now – and have not had much luck in finding out too much about the history of the property other than it was the Head Bailiff’s House for the Parwich Lees Estate. We were wondering if there’s anyone in the village that has any further information on the property or any old photographs of what it used to look like, we know it was in a state of disrepair in the 1960’s when a builder took it over and renovated it. We also know that the property was extended at some point in the recent past – and were wondering what it would originally have looked like inside and out. We discovered that there was originally a range in what is now the dining room and have exposed the original inglenook fireplace, but are a little confused as to how the rest of the house was laid out.

Any info or photos would be greatly appreciated.

Regards
Keeley

Any information emailed to parwich@hotmail.co.uk will be forwarded to Keeley (see also Parwich & District Local History website for more on the history of the area).

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Alsop Hall – a historical query.

We have received the following enquiry from A. Jackson, regarding the history of Alsop Hall.

I have a query about Alsop Hall and the family that resided there.

I recently bought two books, both with inscriptions on the inside. The first (called Lost Gip by Hesba Stretton) has the following inside: “To John, from Mrs Heald, Alsop Hall, Derbyshire“. Could you tell me anything about both these names? Probably written around the 1900s (due to the age of the book).

The second book I believe to be from the same place, as they were purchased from the same stall, are the same age and by the same publisher. The second is inscribed: “Awarded to Jane Lamb for lessons and attendance in the year 1900.” Again (although the books may in fact not be linked), could anyone tell me anything of this Jane Lamb?

I realise family histories are hard to track, but I’m intrigued to know something of these three people: John, Mrs Heald and Jane Lamb.

I look forward to hearing from you!

If you are able to assist with this enquiry, please leave a comment or e-mail the blog team: parwich@hotmail.co.uk.

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Alsop Metal Detecting Finds

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History Society Quiz on Thursday

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History Society Christmas Quiz

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Old bottles

Some of the old bottles and jars that were found when clearing the Memorial Hall site are on display in the entrance hall at the Sycamore Inn.  They were given to the Local History Society, but left at the pub so people can see them.

bottles

There are not particularly old, probably the 1950s or more recent, but this will mean more people will remember them and will be able to identify them.

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Ecton Mine

Thank you to Martin C for sending in this post.

ecton_3

I have just been down Ecton Copper Mine (near Hartington), on a trip organized by Alison from Parwich, for the Open University Geological Society.  Ecton was a very profitable mine in the 18th century, and the then owner, the Duke of Devonshire, used the profits to build the Buxton Crescent and the Stable block (Old Hospital).  We descended into Ecton Hill via 6 steep ladders into a maze of passageways and explored the deep mine just with torchlight.  It was a fascinating experience to witness the conditions in which our 18thcentury forebears had to work in – working several hundred feet down in damp conditions, with only a single candle for illumination. The mine is now run by Ecton Mine Educational Trust.  Further photos about the mine can be seen on the Peak District Mines Historical Society website and here.

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New Sherwood Foresters Memorial

SF ColourThis afternoon (2pm Central European Time, i.e. 1pm BST) sees the unveiling of a new Sherwood Foresters Memorial at the Tyne Cot Cemetery in Belgium.  To see photographs of the stone being carved go to the WFR Museum website.

This Project has been led by Major John Cotterill MBE Mercian Regiment, Mr Cliff Housley Regimental Historian and Mr Eddie Edwards BEM Assistant Curator/Archivist The WFR Museum (Sherwood Foresters Collection):

In the Great War 11,409 men of the Sherwood Foresters died on active service, the vast majority of them on the Western Front. Despite the counties of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire having made this great sacrifice the Regiment is unique in having no lasting Memorial anywhere in France or Belgium.

140,000 men served in the ranks of the Regiment’s 33 Battalions and of the 74 Infantry Regiments then in existence only three won more Victoria Crosses than the Sherwood Foresters in the war. Nine of the Foresters 10 Great War VCs were won on or over the Western Front.

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Wednesday’s History Society trip to Wirksworth provided a fascinating afternoon.   The Wirksworth Heritage Centre laid on a tour round the town, followed by time spent in the Hertiage Centre.

Wirksworth1

Parwich and Alsop have had strong links to Wirksworth since at least the reign of King Canute, when our area was part of a large royal estate managed from the town.  The Heritage Centre is open free of charge for the next two Wednesdays (21st & 28th October) after which it is closed for the winter.  (more…)

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Tonight – no need to book, just turn up.

Hartington course

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Wirksworth

The Heritage Centre advise that car parking is best found behind the Wheatsheaf pub (free), accessed from Wood Street, or in the car park by Millwards filling station on Harrison Drive (pay and display).

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Visit to Wirksworth

Wirksworth

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The Carbide Shed

The demolition of the Carbide Shed prompted me to look through the History Society’s archives to see if there was any relevant information.  I found it on the following two maps:

The 1843 Tithe Map (held in the County Records Office, Matlock) shows there was a shed on the same site at that date.

Tithe Map

Section of the 1843 Tithe map for Parwich as copied by Brian Foden

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Services by gas light

Thank you to Martin C for pointing out that there is still a memento of the carbide gaslights in Parwich Church, namely the gas meter.

gas metre

A meter suggests that the Church would have been charged for the gas they used.  Does anyone have any information on who installed and maintained the carbide generator on the village hall site?  Was it run by the community or on a semi-commercial basis?

Also does anyone have a photo of the gas lights in the Church? ( In ‘The Spirit of Parwich’ book there is a photograph taken around 1906 when the Church was still lit by oil lamps.)

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Landscape Walk on Sunday

If the cancellation of Sunday’s Horticultural Show for this year has left you looking for something to do, come along on a walk following the route of the Parwich Panoramic Five fell race:

Parwich Panoramic Fiveclick on poster to enlarge

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If the cancellation of the Parwich Horticultural Show for this year has left you looking for something to do, come along on a walk following the route of the Parwich Panoramic Five fell race:

Parwich Panoramic Fiveclick on poster to enlarge

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July 2009
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July 2009
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Bonsall posterclick on poster to enlarge

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History Society Trip

Bonsall posterclick on poster to enlarge

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History Society Walk tomorrow

wigber

Click here for more on Wigber Low

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Wigber Low

For those thinking about going on the History Society walk on Monday evening here are some snippets about this fascinating hill, that has been used by man for some five or so thousand years.

The name Wigber probably means Wicga’ barrow or burial mound, Wicga being an Anglo-Saxon personal name.   Low, also Anglo-Saxon, literally small hill, usually also refers to a burial mound, giving the tautological Wicga’s barrow barrow.

The ridge, pictured below as seen on the skyline from Lea Hall, is immediately south of Haven Hill and east of Bradbourne Mill.

wigber low

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History Society Walk

wigber

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“In the course of some rather aimless surfing the web” (his words!), Christopher came across a poster advertising a football match between Parwich Ladies and Preston Ladies, as part of the Shrewsbury Hospitals’ Carnival in 1938.

Click here to see it.

Presumably, this referred to a ladies’ football team from Parwich hospital. Does anyone know anything more about it?

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2009_agmDear Members,

Apologies for the delay in making News Quarterly available, we hope to have it on-line later this month or early March.

With thanks
Peter Trewhitt (Secretary)

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