INDUSTRIES

WALKS AROUND MIDDLETON
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| History of the Village of Stoney Middleton | INDUSTRIES |
INDUSTRIES.
There is every evidence that the LEAD MINES were
worked at the time the Romans had their station at Brough,
and possibly the prisoners of war were obliged to work in the
penal settlements. Roman coins, chiefly copper, but some
with a thin silvery coating, were found as late as the summer
of 1814, near where the road branches out of Middleton Dale.
The coins bear the inscription of the Emperors Probus,
Gallienus, etc., and of Victorinus (a successful usurper of
imperial power). The chief lead _mines are the Deep Rake,
Salad Hole, Little Pastures, Blagden, Gin, White Coe, and
Wren Park. The Great Barmote Court is still held alternately
at the Moon Inn, Stoney Middleton, and Bull's Head,
Eyam. One Cupola or smelting house is still standing near
the Ball Inn, and a huge heap of slag serves to "adorn the
tale".
One of the PAINT MILLS is still to be seen in Middleton
Dale, where the Cawk is washed, the lead sorted out and
ground. The residue is then bleached by Vitrol, and Barytes
prepared for the adulteration of paint. For many years the
staple industry was QUARRYING, and the workman would
sometimes come across a vein of lead that would be worth
following. TALLOW CANDLE MAKING was also a busy
trade, especially in the busy days of lead-mining. The Tallow
Press used by Chandler Goddard, of the Bank, may still be
seen at the Smithy. Thomas Furness was also a Chandler in
1857.
WEAVING LOOMS were once to be found in the cottages,
and it would appear to have been a flourishing trade
once. A cottage opposite Vicarage Lane has a large number
of windows at the rear, and this was at one time a weaving
shed.
THE CORN MILL has been utilized at various times
by the families of Hinch and Booth. 'Miller Carter' is no
longer employed at the Mill, and the great wheel and shuttle
have long since passed into disuse. If some enterprising
gentleman could be found with sufficient capital, the power
otherwise running to waste at the Waterfall could be used for
lighting the whole village with electric light.
Large quantities of grain were stored in sacks in the low
rooms of the Malthouse on the Bank, and a Malting Tub once
stood in the building. It is thought by some that the Smithy
was formerly a Malthouse.
The old stable at the bottom of the Bank was once the
workshop Benjamin Cooper - a Cooper by name and trade
or tub-thumper. The wood was stored by the side of the
Brook, and placed in a boiler when making hoops for Dolly
Tubs, Churns, Buckets, etc.
BESOM MAKING was another pursuit. These were
made in one part of the Smithy, now occupied by Mr. Charles
Furness as a cottage. Mr, William Jupp also made besoms in
the building now used by Messrs. F. and A. Cocker's as a
store-room.
Besoms were also made in the chamber over the Smithy
by Messrs. Daniel Jackson and Johnson, and the enclosed
ground is still designated "the Besom Shop Yard".
The principal industry at the present time is the BOOT
AND SHOE trade. The first factory was opened over 60
years ago by Mr. Thomas Ashton on the site of Mr. H.
Heginbotham's shop. Afterwards Messrs. Benjamin Hallam and
Archelaus Hancock went into the business, and for some time
were very successful. The firm Heginbotham Bros. were the
first to utilise power to work the machinery. Competition is
now so keen that this industry is not so good as formerly.
Besides the SMITHY, is the Dale occupied by the veteran
Blacksmith, William Barnes (83 years of age), who early in
the fifties succeeded to the business of John Froggatt. There
was once a Blacksmith's shop near the Toll Bar House occupied
by George Marsden. Another Smithy stood in part of
the cottage now occupied by Mr. Charles Furness. One hot
May day the blacksmith, Benjamin Widdowson, was hooping
by a heath fire, when a spark fired the thatched roof of John
Wood's house opposite and destroyed it. Another house was
afterwards found for them by Lord Denman.
A SADDLER'S Shop was formerly kept by Isaac Marples
opposite Verandah Cottage.
Stoney Middleton is not so prosperous a village as it was
in the palmy days of the mining, lead smelting, weaving, and
lime burning industries, when it is often asserted there were
about a thousand inhabitants in Stoney Middleton and the
Bank.
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WALKS

MISCELLANEOUS
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| History of the Village of Stoney Middleton | WALKS AROUND MIDDLETON |
WALKS AROUND MIDDLETON.
'Stoney Middleton is not likely to be a place for trade, but
for many reasons it may be a place to visit, for health, for rest,
for scenery, and for the study of Nature in hill and dale,
mountain and moor in the district. So the antiquary may here
have ample grounds for the study of prehistoric houses, and
tors, and of Saxon haunts.
'In fact, Stoney Middleton is a place well worthy of a
visit, and a sojourn. Geologists know that well, for here is
the first and oldest seam of coal known, betwixt two limestone
beds. It occurs in a fault found near to the Ball Inn.'
The Village can be approached from Calver either
through the leafy 'Middleton Avenue' or through the Meadows
that enclose The Hall. A turn to the right in the third meadow,
through the gorse, locally called 'Cobbler Patch', will
bring the tourist to Knouchley Farm, from whence a good
view of the surrounding country can be obtained. We may,
however, continue our way through the meadows by the brook
side, past the Roman Baths, and into the Nook, Another
venue is from Eyam New Road via the Old Lane.
'COOMBES' DALE', a lovely valley, S.W. of the village,
is the rendezvous of tourist and botanist in the Summer. It
is approached by way of Vicarage Lane. A turn on the right
near Dimple Pump leads through three fields, and the last
stile opens out a pretty dale to our view. On the opposite side
is Scotch Bank. We can descend the valley and proceed up
the Dale to the Sandhills (the residue of the Salade Hole
mine), or we can turn to the left and come down the lane,
unfortunately cut up by carts, which have been removing
sands for shipment to America. This lane leads into Calver
Lane.
LONGSTONE MOOR is worthy of notice, and is approached
by way of Highfields. We pass a Lime Kiln on the
left, and there is abundant evidence of lead mining in the
vicinity. A road on the right leads down Farnley Lane, which
comes into the turnpike roan between Stoney Middleton and
Tideswell. If, however, we continue the road by Longstone
Edge we may reach Blakelow, Black Harry, Longstone, or
Millers' Dale.
FROGGATT is worthy of a visit, and can be approached
by way of the Old Lane, Cow Ease, and by Froggatt Lane. A
walk by the side of the Derwent, across the bridge, through
the fields and meadows brings the pedestrian back to
Middleton. The tourist might continue his course along the
Derwent side to Grindleford.
EYAM, historic through the plague of 1666, can be
reached either uy way or a pass between the rocks in
Middleton Dale, called 'the Grip', or over a small eminence on the
Bank called `the Cliffe' and by Cliffe Stile. A large stone
trough is supposed to have stood here for money, etc., to
be deposited for purification during the time that Eyam was
in quarantine. It can also be approached via Mill Lane, a
road doubtless much traversed by carters desirous of
avoiding the Toll Bar.
If the tourist, however, is in Middleton Dale, a turn on
the right, called Eyam Dale, will lead to the same village.
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MISCELLANEOUS

INDEX
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| History of the Village of Stoney Middleton | MISCELLANEOUS |
MISCELLANEOUS.
The VILLAGE CROSS. In most villages the Cross was
only a name, usually the place of public meetings. Many of
the ancient crosses were swept away at the Reformation, and
this may have been the case at Stoney Middleton. The older
residents can recall the time when there was no top to the
Cross only two circular stones. A garden once stood to the
right near the Butcher's shop.
In 1846 a plain Cross was erected probably on the site
of an earlier one by Robert Pinder, through the benevolence
of Robert Thompson. Whether the Cross was erected to commemorate
the 'Repeal of the Corn Laws', which was passed in
the same year, is not evident.
A UNITARIAN CHAPEL stood on the site of the Reading
Room. The aged preacher came from Great Hucklow to
Middleton every Sunday until the congregation gradually
dwindled away. The building was then sold to Lord Denman.
A private school was afterwards kept in the Chapel for
a time by Mr. Dyer, one of the congregation, who was 'a Dyer
by name and by trade.'
THE POST OFFICE was at one time located at Bank
House. Mr. Peter Furness was the sub-postmaster, and also
occupied the position of Relieving Officer. The letters were
delivered by Samuel Marsden. At one time there was no
Post Office at Calver, Curbar, and Froggatt, so letters were
carried there from Middleton.
POOR HOUSES. Before the Bakewell Union was established
the village looked after its own poor. Some years
ago four poor houses stood up the Dale Mouth.
THE FIRST CLOCK AT STONEY MIDDLETON. At
the beginning of last century household clocks were not
known in small farmer's houses at Stoney Middleton. One
of the farmers,* however, had purchased one. One day a
neighbour's wife went in to ask what time it was by the new
clock. The good wife of the house replied, "Well, I canna
tell you correctly, for I dunna reightly underston the thing
myself, but I'll tell you what, if you'll just sit you down a bit
and wait till you hear it smite and then count, yell kno' t'
reight time." (One of Old Butcher's Stories).
In the Religious Census of Derbyshire made in 1676 the
number of Conformists at Stoney Middleton is given as 236 -
of Papists as 3 - and of Nonconformists none.
The following is a copy of an interesting document in the
possession of Mrs. W. Mason, Nook House, Stoney Middleton.
| Received the Eleventh Day of October, 1787, of Anthony Beeley* |
| | the Sum of Two Pounds fifteen shillings, |
| | being half a year's Rent due to the Right Honourable |
| | Lord George Henry Cavendish at Lady Day last. |
| £2 15s. 0d. | A. L. Maynard. |
Deaths from accident were not infrequent. The following
have been extracted from Eyam Parish Registers:
Buried Feb. 28th, 1686, Thomas Carnal, killed from a
rock in the Dale.
Buried May 16th, 1748, Hannah Milward, killed from a
rock in the Dale.
Buried Oct. 14th, 1784, Joseph Archer, drowned in
Middleton Mill Dam.
STONEY MIDDLETON READING ROOM began its
existence thirty years ago in an inconvenient room at the
bottom of the village Eventually this room was closed, and
efforts were made to erect a building suitable for the
requirements. Subscriptions were solicited, and together with the
proceeds of a Bazaar held in Derby, a larger room was erected
on the site of the old Unitarian Chapel. Unfortunately this
room is not in the Parish of Stoney Middleton.
The Tablet in the front of the Reading Room is inscribed:
In Loving Memory
of the
2nd Baron Denman
of Dovedale.
The building was in the hands of the Southwell Diocesan
Finance Association. Mainly through the interest of the
present Lord Denman the room was transferred to the Charity
Commissioners, who appointed "the Vicar of the Parish and
the Members of the Parish Council" trustees. In October,
1909, a Bazaar was opened by Lady Denman, and the building
is now being re-roofed and enlarged on land given by Lord
Denman, who also gave a donation of £100 towards this
worthy object.
THE WESLEYAN REFORM CHAPEL.
Nonconformity in the early part of the 19th century had
to run the gauntlet of insult and personal violence.
The Wesleyans formerly held their meetings in a cottage
at the Dale Bottom, where the ruffians of the village frequently
interrupted their devotions, at one time building up
the chimney and at another dropping stones down.
A plot of ground near Cliff Bottom was generously given
by Mr. Furness of High Wycombe, and with a number of
worshippers, who rallied round Mr. Benjamin Hallam
(grand-father of Mr. Joseph Bradshaw), a new Chapel was built a
little below the old Unitarian Chapel.
Dr. Joseph Denman (uncle of the first baron) wrote in
answer to a letter he had received that he was surprised to
find anyone staying in Stoney Middleton after he could indite
a letter, and offered to assist the writer to become a Minister
of the Church of England. His lordship was subsequently
informed that the writer wished one day to become a Wesleyan
Minister.
Much of the land in the vicinity once belonged to the
Morewoods of Alfreton, and in connection with the sale there
was an endowment of £3 per annum to be paid to the nearest
place of worship. This Charity was received for many years
by the Unitarian body, who held a service annually in the
ruined building, and so the Charity was paid to them.
The Unitarian Chapel was subsequently sold to Lord
Denman, and for a time nothing was heard of the endowment,
until his Lordship kindly informed the officials of the
Wesleyan body of it, and generously assisted them to obtain
the Charity and also the arrears.
THE MOSELEYS OF STONEY MIDDLETON.
The Moseley Family has been resident in Eyam, Grindleford,
and Stoney Middleton for the last three centuries. They,
are a branch of the Moseleys of Manchester and Rolleston,
and are descended from the Moseleys of Moseley, near
Wolverhampton, Staffs.
The original arms of the Moseley family were described
as "Sable a chevron between three mill picks argent".
Nicholas Moseley was Lord Mayor of London in 1599 at
the time of a threatened Spanish invasion, and for his services
Queen Elizabeth conferred upon him the honour of knighthood,
and he was granted a crest described as "An eagle displayed
ermynes mantiled gules, doubled silver". In the
patent it is described as "1st and 4th sables a chevron between
three battleaxed silver; 2nd and 3rd Gold a fesse between
three eaglets displayed sables".
The motto was assumed as a compliment to the son of
Sir Nicholas Moseley, who was a rising barrister.
"Mos Legem regit" (custom governs the law).
The Macclesfield Moseleys are a branch of the Stoney
Middleton family.
BULL PARK WALL was the name of a wall erected
round the Old Moon Inn.
The VILLAGE CONSTABLE was an officer charged
with the preservation of the peace. He was appointed
annually, and received a Staff stamped with the Crown - the
emblem of his office.
In the Overseers' Account, dated 29th Sept., 1868, the
following entry occurs:-
"Constable's appointment, 17s. 0d.; Constable's expenses
per order, 9s. 6d." The last entry was dated 1872.
The author has had given to him a doggerel rhyme, which
probably refers to several public houses at one time situated
in Middleton Dale.
"The BALL and the BARREL, they each had a quarrel,
And fought with the BOOT AND THE SHOE."
The former is still a licensed house, while the latter have
fallen into disuse.
*
We are informed that this incident occurred at the
house of Anthony Beeley, grandfather of Mrs. W. Mason,
Nook House.
*
The author is informed that this Anthony Beeley was
formerly the Barmaster.
End of Text: => INDEX
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