This walk had me dancing with the Dove and meandering with the Manifold after parking up in Longnor and setting off from the market place up Chapel Street which appears like some old Dickensian street if viewed from a certain angle.
I was on my way to St Bartholomew’s Church built in 1780 in an Italianate style. The only relic of an early 12th century church on the site is a Norman font, said to be a rare example of its kind.
In the churchyard and down near the back wall of a house is a most interesting gravestone to William Billinge who served in the campaign of the Duke of Marlborough at Ramillies and died in 1791 aged 112! The lengthy epitaph includes “Billeted by death I quartered here remain. When the trumpet sounds, I’ll rise and march again”.
I then made my way to Top ‘o ‘th’ Edge from where there are spectacular views with Chrome Hill known as The Dragon’s Back in the distance. Across from me was High Wheeldon, another reef knoll hill, this one topped by a trig point at 1,348 feet.
Down in the bottom of the valley, the footpath to Beggars Bridge is always muddy whatever the weather or season. This path took me over the Dove from Staffordshire into Derbyshire. I then went over a stile to cross a succession of fields and a track past Meadow Farm to Crowdecote where I turned right and walked past the cute little former Toll Cottage. It is said that the original bridge over the Dove here was a wooden footbridge. However, in 1709 a stone packhorse bridge was constructed to enable heavily laden ponies to cross as this was on a much used route between Royal Cottage on the Buxton to Leek road via Monyash to Ashford and Bakewell.
It is believed the name Crowdecote is a corruption of Cruda’s Cot (Cruda was a Saxon landowner) and a cot is a form of shelter. The ridge upon which Longnor is situated is in stark geological contrast to the hills and outcrops of limestone on the eastern side of the valley.
Instead of crossing over the bridge I continued ahead along the road towards Bridge End Farm with the river on my right, passing through a yard and then continuing along the footpath to the remains of Pilsbury Castle. Impressive earthworks are all that now remain of this fortification which was constructed soon after the Norman Conquest. It consisted of a motte and bailey which is thought to have been topped by a wooden palisade rather than an actual stone castle, positioned here to control the Dove Valley whilst making use of a natural limestone knoll that was incorporated into its defences.
I now continued to Pilsbury which is a cluster of remote old houses set amongst mature trees and sited on the gated road to Hartington. I then turned down a bridlepath to a narrow footbridge taking me back into Staffordshire to follow an ancient hollow way that ascended the flanks of Sheen Hill, being yet another trig point summit, this time a gritstone eminence rising to 1,247 feet.
On meeting the ridge top road I followed the sign for Brund on a quiet lane which for a time headed uphill to the right of Sheen Hill before descending toward the River Manifold. All around me were distant views across the Staffordshire Moorlands. After Sheen Lane Farm I turned right at a small crossroads and followed the road to Pool, yet another small community comprising of just a cluster of cottages. Just before a sharp right-hand bend by Ridge End Farm I went down a grassy path by a footpath sign then turned right to cross fields and stiles through riverside meadows on my return to Longnor where I headed uphill to walk through Folds End Farm to enter the village. Along the way I walked through some fabulous examples of narrow medieval strip fields, an important part of the heritage of our glorious Peak District National Park.
Sally Mosley
FOOTNOTE BY NELLIE: The other day mum and I went on a visit to a large house and I was actually allowed inside. I had to be on best behaviour and not let mum down but it wasn’t easy. Mum was sat chatting away whilst I went from room to room sniffing new smells. Suddenly I stopped in my tracks. Something moved. It was behind bars a bit like my cage at home. It wasn’t a cat, it wasn’t a rat and it wasn’t a rabbit because I know what all these look like. I sat ever so still for ages looking at this very fat and dumpy little thing with bright and beady eyes and a pair of fang teeth that never stopped nibbling. Mum says we might get a guinea pig now just to keep me quiet and entertained. Nellie x
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