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This was a shortish walk in the area around the river Dove, which here forms the border between Staffordshire and Derbyshire. Not too strenuous, I didn't include the gorge-like parts of Dovedale up to Mill Dale, which I am saving for later!
We start from Ilam Hall, (pronounced eye-lamb) which was built in the 1820's by the Watt-Russell Family. Much of the hall was demolished in the 1920's but now the remains belong to the National Trust and house a Youth Hostel.
Ilam Hall. This photo is taken from next to Ilam church, which for all the world looks 19th century to match the hall untill I noticed the wall of the tower:
This masonry looks old!
I resolved to have a closer look at the church on the way back.
The route then takes us through Ilam village, the majority of which consists of model cottages built by the Watts-Russell family.
19th century cottages
We cross over the river Manifold (real name) via the New Bridge. There is a much older bridge a little way upstream.
We then follow the bank of the Manifold and pass this old stile, redundant now as the field gate and fence are gone.
Looking back along the meadow, the river is behind the trees on the right.
Foxglove and gorse
This ditch and bank with the occasional Hawthorn show the line of an old hedgerow.
This is an old bridge over the Dove, below the confluence with the Manifold.
The Dove from the bridge.
Cheadle 11: This lane might be just a track now but it was once important enough to have milestones!
Up this way towards Thorpe.
Struck by lightning?
The river Dove and medieval ridge and furrow.
Looking down the Dove valley.
Autumn colour in Thorpe Village.
Norman church tower in Thorpe. The Belfry openings look Saxo-Norman, probably around 1100 or a little earlier.
Deformed Norman tower arch. It is rare to find this sort of thing not tidied up by the Victorians, if not replaced altogether with a neat and more "ecclesiastical" pointed arch. There are no capitals under the arch imposts, a common feature of Anglo-Saxon arches so probably indicative of a date early in the Norman period. A conclusion further supported by the lack of ornamentation of this arch and the early style of the belfry openings.
Thorpe Cloud, from Thorpe village.
The path to Lindale
Thorpe Cloud.
The danger signs warn of a rifle range. No red flags today though.
We pass through this kissing gate
Down Lindale towards Dovedale.
The Dovedale stepping stones. Upstream from here Dovedale becomes very narrow and gorge-like but our route lies downstream and then across the fields back to Ilam. The stones act like a wier or dam and the water is about a foot higher on the upstream side, where it is up to 3 feet deep in places. The water is flowing quite fast too and with the uneven rocky bottom, the slightest slip on the stepping stones will result in a thorough soaking!
This is a popular picnic spot and there are rich pickings for ducks and crows.
Looks like someone fell in the river!
Fishing in Dovedale.
We come across half a dozen rams penned in a small field. The surrounding fields hold hundreds of ewes and the rams are exhibiting rather strange behaviour.
Fungus on an old stump
Back to Ilam and the seemingly Victorian church. I can scarcely believe my eyes when on the south side of the church I find an Anglo-Saxon stone cross. Probably of between the 8th and 10th centuries and seemingly carved from gritstone. A few yards away is bigger one and in the south wall of the church is this:
A blocked Anglo-Saxon doorway, later cut into by a 15th century window. The lowest stone in the blocking looks like an Anglo-Saxon window head. There are other re-used worked stones of aparently Anglo-Saxon date in the walls of the chapel housing the 13th century tomb of St. Bertram.
St. Bertram, according to legend, was a king of Mercia in the late 7th or 8th century who became a hermit, eventually living and dying at Ilam. He is not mentioned in the traditional king list of Mercia but at that time some of the various regions of Mercia were governed by sub-reguli or under kings. The church was probably first built to house his tomb.
There are various items of interest within the church but the most spectacular is this:
An extremely early font. Certainly Anglo-Saxon and possibly a very early example.
Hope you enjoy!
We start from Ilam Hall, (pronounced eye-lamb) which was built in the 1820's by the Watt-Russell Family. Much of the hall was demolished in the 1920's but now the remains belong to the National Trust and house a Youth Hostel.
Ilam Hall. This photo is taken from next to Ilam church, which for all the world looks 19th century to match the hall untill I noticed the wall of the tower:
This masonry looks old!
I resolved to have a closer look at the church on the way back.
The route then takes us through Ilam village, the majority of which consists of model cottages built by the Watts-Russell family.
19th century cottages
We cross over the river Manifold (real name) via the New Bridge. There is a much older bridge a little way upstream.
We then follow the bank of the Manifold and pass this old stile, redundant now as the field gate and fence are gone.
Looking back along the meadow, the river is behind the trees on the right.
Foxglove and gorse
This ditch and bank with the occasional Hawthorn show the line of an old hedgerow.
This is an old bridge over the Dove, below the confluence with the Manifold.
The Dove from the bridge.
Cheadle 11: This lane might be just a track now but it was once important enough to have milestones!
Up this way towards Thorpe.
Struck by lightning?
The river Dove and medieval ridge and furrow.
Looking down the Dove valley.
Autumn colour in Thorpe Village.
Norman church tower in Thorpe. The Belfry openings look Saxo-Norman, probably around 1100 or a little earlier.
Deformed Norman tower arch. It is rare to find this sort of thing not tidied up by the Victorians, if not replaced altogether with a neat and more "ecclesiastical" pointed arch. There are no capitals under the arch imposts, a common feature of Anglo-Saxon arches so probably indicative of a date early in the Norman period. A conclusion further supported by the lack of ornamentation of this arch and the early style of the belfry openings.
Thorpe Cloud, from Thorpe village.
The path to Lindale
Thorpe Cloud.
The danger signs warn of a rifle range. No red flags today though.
We pass through this kissing gate
Down Lindale towards Dovedale.
The Dovedale stepping stones. Upstream from here Dovedale becomes very narrow and gorge-like but our route lies downstream and then across the fields back to Ilam. The stones act like a wier or dam and the water is about a foot higher on the upstream side, where it is up to 3 feet deep in places. The water is flowing quite fast too and with the uneven rocky bottom, the slightest slip on the stepping stones will result in a thorough soaking!
This is a popular picnic spot and there are rich pickings for ducks and crows.
Looks like someone fell in the river!
Fishing in Dovedale.
We come across half a dozen rams penned in a small field. The surrounding fields hold hundreds of ewes and the rams are exhibiting rather strange behaviour.
Fungus on an old stump
Back to Ilam and the seemingly Victorian church. I can scarcely believe my eyes when on the south side of the church I find an Anglo-Saxon stone cross. Probably of between the 8th and 10th centuries and seemingly carved from gritstone. A few yards away is bigger one and in the south wall of the church is this:
A blocked Anglo-Saxon doorway, later cut into by a 15th century window. The lowest stone in the blocking looks like an Anglo-Saxon window head. There are other re-used worked stones of aparently Anglo-Saxon date in the walls of the chapel housing the 13th century tomb of St. Bertram.
St. Bertram, according to legend, was a king of Mercia in the late 7th or 8th century who became a hermit, eventually living and dying at Ilam. He is not mentioned in the traditional king list of Mercia but at that time some of the various regions of Mercia were governed by sub-reguli or under kings. The church was probably first built to house his tomb.
There are various items of interest within the church but the most spectacular is this:
An extremely early font. Certainly Anglo-Saxon and possibly a very early example.
Hope you enjoy!
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It's interesting to see how different the rams are from ewes, with pronounced musculature and the wide-legged stance of a terrier.