Cave Dale March 7, 2009
Posted by shortfinals in British Isles, Derbyshire, England, Great Britain, Peak District.Tags: bridle path, Castleton, Cave Dale, caverns, dale, Derby Ram, Derbyshire, Dove Valley, lead workings, limestone valley, Limestone Way, Matlock, Miller's Dale, Normans, outcroppings, Peak District, Peak District National Park, Peveril Castle, pitches, ridge, Rochester, rock climbing, Staffordshire, Tissington, walkers, Winster, Youlgrave
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Cave Dale, Castleton, Derbyshire
Here is a jewel of the Peak District National Park; Cave Dale is located immediately to the west of the ridge on which Peveril Castle stands. It is a steep sided limestone valley, or dale, in Derbyshire terms. Cave Dale’s steep sides are almost impossible for attackers to scale at this point, forming nearly sheer walls around 200 feet high, which is why the Normans (lead by William Peveril) chose this site for their castle. Underneath this dale, there are huge cave systems such as Peak Cavern, most of which can be accessed from Castleton. The dale is scattered with outcroppings of old lead workings, and some of these can be dangerous, so walkers need to be careful. Rock climbing enthusiasts enjoy the ‘pitches’ at the top end of the dale, as some of them are rated ‘Very Severe’.
If you look closely, you will see two walkers going down the dale, several hundred feet below you; they are on the Limestone Way, which goes from Castleton, all the way to Rochester in the Dove Valley in Staffordshire . The route is extremely interesting, affording many beautiful views of the Peak District, and includes such notable spots as Miller’s Dale, Youlgrave, Winster, Matlock, and Tissington (about 50 miles, in total). If you want to tread this pretty bridle path, then follow the small, green ‘Derby Ram’ signs!
Castleton – The George Hotel February 25, 2009
Posted by shortfinals in British Isles, Castles, Derbyshire, England, Great Britain, Peak District.Tags: Blue John, Castles, Castleton, caverns, Derbyshire, England, ghost, haunted, Hope Valley, hostelry, inn, King George II, licenced premises, malt whiskey, natal day, oak beams, Peak District National Park, Peveril Castle, pub grub, serving woman, single malt, steak and ale pie, The George Hotel, tourists, Visitor Center
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Castleton - The George Hotel
Since it is my natal day, I shall celebrate by re-visiting my beloved Derbyshire. Here is another shot of the small town (or large village) of Castleton in the Hope Valley. As you can see, Peveril Castle dominates the skyline from almost every angle, and, along with the caverns and Blue John jewellery, is the reason for the town’s economic existence. During the summer tourists easily outnumber the locals at weekends, and the recently constructed Visitor Centre is very busy.
The George Hotel is an excellent hostelry in the center of the town. The building dates from 1543, becoming licenced premises exactly 200 years later. The hotel sign depicts King George II, during whose reign the building was opened as an inn. It is, of course, haunted (the ghost of a young serving woman), and the lovely oak beams add a nice period touch to the atmosphere. I can recommend the food…especially the steak and ale pie. Oh, and don’t try and sample all their single malt whiskies at once – there are over 40 of them!
Beautiful Blue John jewellery February 7, 2009
Posted by shortfinals in British Isles, Derbyshire, England, Great Britain, Museums, Peak District.Tags: aqueduct, Blue John, bride, bridesmaid, candelabra, Castleton, caverns, Christies, credit card, Cross Street, Derbyshire, dynamite, England, flourspar, Frogmore House, gemstone, George III, House of Windsor, jewellers, jewellery, lead, Mam Tor, matron-of-honour, Matthew Boulton, metal, mineral, mines, museum, New York, Peak District National Park, Peveril Castle, Pompeii, Romans, Royal collection, semi-precious, vase, Victorian, wedding, white marble, Winnat's Pass
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Blue John jewellery
This is what Castleton is all about…not the brooding Peveril Castle, the staggering Winnat’s Pass, the hulking Mam Tor, but the caverns where the world’s only supply of a certain form of flourspar, called Blue John, is found. This striking gemstone was prized by the Romans, who mined this area for lead – one of their most treasured metals, used in their aqueducts, roofing amd much more – and found this sparkling semi-precious gemstone. Two vases of Blue John were supposedly found in the ruins of Pompeii.
Unfortunately, the Victorians mined it using dynamite, and huge spoil heaps were caused, underground. The largest Blue John pieces, including vases and tables, date from this period; indeed, what gemstone is being utilised by the modern jewellery workshops in town is, in the main, extracted from the Victorian spoil heaps.
There are two private museums featuring the mineral in Castelton, as well as other examples in collections around the country - it is interesting to note that Blue John pieces can command staggering prices. A pair of George III white marble and Blue John candelabra by Matthew Boulton, and dating from 1771 (similar to a pair in the Royal collection at Frogmore House) were sold by Christies in New York for $385,000. It is known that other pieces are held by the House of Windsor.
Here you can see a typical display case inside one of the stores on Cross Street, Castleton, Derbyshire. Although there are some malachite pieces, the vast majority of jewellery features Blue John stones, with its delightful random patterns of purple, royal blue, white, violet and yellow bands. It is customary amongst many Derbyshire families to give Blue John to the bride, matron-of-honour and bridesmaids at a wedding.
Be warned gentlemen; don’t take your lady into one of these shops without being prepared to suffer ‘damage’ to your credit card! As night follows day, she will be entranced.
Curtain wall, Peveril Castle January 29, 2009
Posted by shortfinals in Castles, Derbyshire, England, Peak District.Tags: Castles, Castleton, curtain wall, Derbyshire, England, glaciated valley, guard tower, Hope Valley, Mam Tor, Normans, Peak District National Park, Prehistory
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- Curtain wall, Peveril Castle
As I said earlier, the Normans erected a castle on the heights above Castleton which absolutely dominated the surrounding land. Nearly impregnable, it has finally fallen to the ravages of time. This is a section of the curtain wall enclosing the site, complete with one of the guard towers, facing the Hope Valley, and the fertile grazing land in the valley bottom. Close up, this section of the wall feels impressive, and I can imagine the feeling of awe this castle would generate in the local populace, and also the feeling of safety which led to them building their dwellings near to the castle walls.
Norman Keep, Peveril Castle January 16, 2009
Posted by shortfinals in Castles, Derbyshire, England, Peak District, Scotland.Tags: Castles, Castleton, Crown Estates, Derbyshire, Duchy of Lancaster, England, English Heritage, gritstone, Henry II, Malcolm I, Peak District National Park, Peveril Castle, Peveril of the Peak, Scotland
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Norman Keep, Peveril Castle
This castle overlooking the little town of Castleton, is now owned by English Heritage, having been for centuries part of either the Crown Estates or the Duchy of Lancaster. Mostly in ruins, what is left gives the impression of the projection of raw power. Here you can see the remains of the Norman keep which replaced an original wooden structure in the early 12th century; you can see that the keep has lost most of its exterior gritstone cladding.
If you make the steep climb from the entrance building at the base of the hill, you are rewarded with some of the most impressive views in the Peak District. To enter the keep of Peveril Castle, you climb a spiral staircase on the southern side; the original floors have long since gone, but you can consult a series of data boards which will tell you the story of life in the keep, as experienced by Peveril of the Peak.
The castle did have its moment of glory, however. King Henry II of England received his fellow monarch, Malcolm I of Scotland, here in 1157, to receive the Scots pledge of fealty.
Winnat’s Pass January 13, 2009
Posted by shortfinals in Derbyshire, Peak District.Tags: Carboniferous Era, Castleton, Derbyshire, Peak District National Park, Winnat's Pass
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About a mile from Winnat's Pass
Another view of Winnat’s Pass, this time from about a mile away. This Carboniferous Era limestone feature is really spectacular, and you can see why it draws a heavy ‘crop’ of tourists to Castleton. The small Derbyshire town (or large village, it depends on your point of view), is at the heart of the Peak District National Park, the first National Park formed in Great Britain.
Winnat’s Pass, Castleton, Derbyshire January 12, 2009
Posted by shortfinals in Derbyshire, England.Tags: Carboniferous Period, Castleton, coal, cycle races, Derbyshire, limestone, Mam Tor, Peak District National Park, Winnat's Pass, Yorkshire
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- Winnat’s Pass from part-way up MamTor
The day was warm, the month was May, and it was a grand idea to go to the summit of Mam Tor and take a few photographs.
Mam Tor, the Shivering Mountain January 8, 2009
Posted by shortfinals in Derbyshire, England, Prehistory, Wales.Tags: Castleton, Derbyshire, England, Peak District National Park, Prehistory, Wales
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Mam Tor, viewed from Castleton
One of the most spectacular sights, in a county of spectacular sights, is Mam Tor (which roughly translates as ‘the mother’s peak’) near Castleton, Derbyshire, in the heart of the Peak District National Park. Wildly unstable, in geological terms, its layers of shale and sandstone are constantly on the move; in the 1970s, the Sheffield to Manchester road which used to run around the southern edge was finally closed, and subsequently destroyed by a landslip. The huge ‘bite’ you can see on the south summit happened much earlier. Topped by the remains of an Iron Age hill fort, Mam Tor offers wonderful views; you can see the city of Manchester, Stockport and even into Wales if the day is a clear one. One word of warning – if you do visit, watch out for the very strong ‘venturi effect’ wind on the summit; you can literally be blown off your feet!
Peveril Castle, Derbyshire December 11, 2008
Posted by shortfinals in Castles, Derbyshire.Tags: Derbyshire, Castles, Peak District National Park, England, Castleton, Normans, Codnor, William the Conqueror, English Heritage
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The Normans built a whole string of fortresses in the 11th and 12th centuries to enable them to hold sway over their newly conquered lands. William Peverel (note the spelling change), who was possibly the illegitimate son of William the Conqueror, had already started the Castle at Codnor close to the royal deer park (Codnor Park), and was now given the governance of the royal forest in the Peak. Another ’square keep and curtain wall’ castle was begun on a crag overlooking Cave Dale. A small town grew up, virtually in the shadow of the castle
Peveril Castle, Castleton, Derbyshire
and was called, naturally, Castleton. This area is the ONLY source of a semi-precious gemstone called ‘Blue John’, which, along with the caverns in these hills, forms the heart of the local tourist trade.
