Scenic Saturday - Derbyshire

Number 33 in the series.



Derbyshire: home of Blue Derby cheese (excellent for making parsnip roulade) and, perhaps better known, Bakewell tart, named after the spa town. But, to get away from food (if we must), this is also the heart of the Peak District, the southern end of the Pennines, the chain of hills that is said to form the backbone of England, where Dovedale is particularly well-known for its beautiful scenery.

Chesterfield is synonymous with the crooked spire on top of the church of Our Lady and All Saints. It gives Chesterfield its identity. Built, along with much of the rest of the church in the 14th century, it was straight for several centuries before it began to twist, probably as a result of unseasoned timber being used for its construction. It now leans nearly 9ft to the south and is still moving. One of the streets in Chesterfield bears the magnificent name of Knifesmithsgate.

In the city of Derby, the cathedral's tower dominates the skyline and offers breathtaking views from the top. A family of peregrine falcons have nested there since 2006 and their progress can be monitored on www.derbyperegrines.blogspot.com.

The blessing of the water supply, in the form of the well, is an ancient custom which is unique to the Peak District and the surrounding areas such as South Yorkshire and East Staffordshire. The custom had almost died out in the 1950s, but since then it has been revived with great vigour, primarily for the tourist industry. Some say this practice dates from the period of the Black Death in 1348-9, when probably a third of the population of England died of the disease, but some villages such as Tissington were untouched. The local people attributed this to their clean water supply and gave thanks by 'dressing' the village wells. However, it seems very likely that the practice goes back much further than this - probably to pagan times.

I had originally intended to post a picture from Dovedale but have changed my mind and have chosen instead a picture of the Stretton Handley Primary C of E School, Brackenfield, well dressing this year. (Photo © Stretton Handley Primary C of E School)