Day Seven Friday June 5
Hathersage, Stanage Edge, Castleton
Hathersage's myth and main tourist draw is that the man buried in the 7ft long grave is none other than Robin Hood's shotgun John Little/Little John. I had to go see him, who knows? What is certain is that a family of Little lived in the village, a tall man named John made nails there and that a very tall man is buried here, for the grave was opened in 1782 and the skeleton of a man about 7 feet tall was discovered. For many years an ancient longbow and cap hung in the church, but these were removed. The current grave enclosure is impressive for its length.
While I was there I found out someone named Charlotte Bronte was visiting a friend here and used Hathersage as the setting for some book called "Jane Eyre". She called it Morton, taking the name "Eyre" from the family brasses inside the church and used the nearby North Lees Hall for "Thornfield". A factoid!
But I think the Robin Hood connection is better.
Not far from Hathersage are the Edges.
Did you see Pride and Prejudice with Kiera Knightly as Elizabeth Bennet? There was a scene where she's standing on a cliff looking pensively out over the countryside and the wind is blowing her cloak. Thats why she gets the big bucks. We were there today, Stanage Edge.
Stanage is part of a 12-mile-long, almost continuous sheer wall of rock made up of local Gritstone, the same rock the walls and buildings are made of. Its not very pretty, gray and gloomy, in my opinion. Gritstone was in great demand from the 17th century as grind and millstones for flour mills. They were cut from the rock in quarries and rolled off the moor in pairs, using wooden axles fixed between them. So my guide book says~! You can climb up and walk the entire length of the edges, 15 miles.
Another dramatic stop - today was drama day - Peveril Castle, or whats left of it. William the Conquerer ( remember we saw him in the Minster at York!) ordered a series of castles to be erected up and down the country, with Peveril Castle believed to be among the first castles sanctioned for construction. The original Castle Peveril was built of wood in 1080. When they saw that wasnt a good plan they built the stone update in 1175. I dont know if it took them 89 years to build the new one or to realize their error.
Its a long climb up to the top but well worth it.
English Heritage, who owns the castle now, tells that the name Peveril means Castle on the Peak. I think they want to avoid the other history that it was named for Williams son, Wm. the Younger, who may have been illegitimate and fell out of favor with King Henry II for being too independent. Henry II hosted King Malcom IV of Scotland here in 1157. Lots of Henrys.
We drove back to the hotel, getting caught in traffic in Buxton but making up for it with beautiful scenery across the dales. I am navigating using maps and GPS, George is driving. Dinner was at the Derbyshire Arms in the village (vegetables!), as we dreaded another night in that torture device they call a bed. We should have stowed away at Peveril.
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| Gritstone Millstones |
Did you see Pride and Prejudice with Kiera Knightly as Elizabeth Bennet? There was a scene where she's standing on a cliff looking pensively out over the countryside and the wind is blowing her cloak. Thats why she gets the big bucks. We were there today, Stanage Edge.
 |
| George Doing His Kiera Knightly Impression |
Stanage is part of a 12-mile-long, almost continuous sheer wall of rock made up of local Gritstone, the same rock the walls and buildings are made of. Its not very pretty, gray and gloomy, in my opinion. Gritstone was in great demand from the 17th century as grind and millstones for flour mills. They were cut from the rock in quarries and rolled off the moor in pairs, using wooden axles fixed between them. So my guide book says~! You can climb up and walk the entire length of the edges, 15 miles.
 |
| Just One of the Stupendous Views |
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| Being Blown Away, This Rivals Kiera's Performance, Right? |
Another dramatic stop - today was drama day - Peveril Castle, or whats left of it. William the Conquerer ( remember we saw him in the Minster at York!) ordered a series of castles to be erected up and down the country, with Peveril Castle believed to be among the first castles sanctioned for construction. The original Castle Peveril was built of wood in 1080. When they saw that wasnt a good plan they built the stone update in 1175. I dont know if it took them 89 years to build the new one or to realize their error.
English Heritage, who owns the castle now, tells that the name Peveril means Castle on the Peak. I think they want to avoid the other history that it was named for Williams son, Wm. the Younger, who may have been illegitimate and fell out of favor with King Henry II for being too independent. Henry II hosted King Malcom IV of Scotland here in 1157. Lots of Henrys.
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| Model of What It Looked Like in the Day Even in it's glory it was a sad little castle compared to others, still there was something endearing about it, maybe because the view was so awe inspiring and romantic ( Turner painted it) or that they tried so hard. "A" for effort, guys. |
We drove back to the hotel, getting caught in traffic in Buxton but making up for it with beautiful scenery across the dales. I am navigating using maps and GPS, George is driving. Dinner was at the Derbyshire Arms in the village (vegetables!), as we dreaded another night in that torture device they call a bed. We should have stowed away at Peveril.
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