...would probably include the following paths.
Wandering to pastures new, ideas of exploration and adventure.
One idea is that of the exploration of the railway that crosses over the Cheadle Road at Leekbrook, it looks as if it goes towards Ipstones and further afield than that, yet to the unknown it is a must to walk. It seems overgrown by bushes from what we saw on our mini exploration of the said bridge last week but until we find our way up there and explore we will not know what is behind the overgrowth.
Another idea is that of the Cheddleton Heath, we walked over the area a few months ago, the four of us, the family, exploring the grassy side and rambling through the few rocks that are between us and the Cheddleton Heath Road. We saw many a rabbit running and hiding in their little homes amongst the brambles and heathers, and many a buzzard would swoop overhead, but that area needs more exploring.
The weather seems dryer at the start of this week, ideal if the weather stays be until after the weekend because despite the crisp cool Autumness of the air at the moment, if it is dry then we can explore the above idyllic jaunts and take it from there.
Another idea of a walk is the nature reserve below Brough park leisure centre, we once turned one way and got to a dead end, well as dead as it can be unless you paddle across the Churnet, but there is another path that led off at one point that we have not yet explored, it would be nice to explore and see if it takes us to the Abbey, yes there once was an Abbey in Leek, it is a shame that it is no longer there, yet I would like to see any reminents and stone that has been left behind from what must have been a fine piece of architecture in its time.
The Abbey was known as ... Dieulacres Abbey
Monday, 15 September 2008
New Ideas for Walks in the Staffordshire Moorlands
Thursday, 11 September 2008
It has been a year...
Since we moved into the area, known to the local as Leek brook! A small hamlet of a few residential homes and 2 industrial business estates, a garage, car dealership, a shop, a farm and a public house, The Travellers Rest.
My first part time job was at The Travellers Rest public house before I became a Full time mum to our 3 year old daughter, during this time I have spent a lot of time exploring the countryside with our daughter and our 11 year old son in the past year when the weather has been exploring acceptable.
In the past year we have managed to discover quite a few little walks around Leek brook, we have even managed to find our way through the "The Heath" towards Cheddleton Heath, through rough and rocks and through woods, scaring away the rabbits. (The Heath is run away with 4 pawed little bob tailed creatures of the bugs bunny type).
We have never managed to find out way along the railway line that runs along the bridge above the Cheadle Road (A520). We managed to find a rough tread to the top of this bridge... 
and this is the view we got...
behind where we stand is a railway track, we have yet to find another way up here, that will be easy for us as a family which consists of 2 adults, 2 children, ages 3 and 11 yrs.
The only idea i can think of is that it goes towards Ipstones, a route and a village we have yet to explore, lets hope Sunday is a dry day to go exploring, camera to hand!
In the photo you can see CMS (Central Medical Supplies), Crown Garage and the building that is the local newsagent/convenience store. I would like to know what once stood where CMS and the shop is now, the garage does look remarkably 1960s if not before but it is evident by the look of CMS and the local newsagent that these buildings have not been here more than 25 years in my guessing.
Wednesday, 10 September 2008
You probably wont believe this but...
I do not actually remember seeing a red toadstool/fungi type mushroom that has white spots, the type you find in Enid Blyton story books which have faeries in them, so when I was walking towards work, after dropping our daughter off on Monday, I could not believe that there, near the pavement, and creeping up the embankment, was a fair few of these fairy tale kind of fungi/toadstools...
Are you a resident of Leek or surrounding villages? To find these lovely works of Nature, walk down from Leek Golf club, as if you are heading towards Cheddleton, as you near the farm on the opposite side of the road, keep an eye on the embankment to your right, amongst the trees and foliage you will see largish kind of toadstools/fungi, there are quite a few of varied sizes and styles sitting amongst the twigs and brambles, as seen in the photos above!
Tuesday, 9 September 2008
Somewhere Over The Rainbow
Somewhere over the rainbow
Someday I'll wish upon a star
Somewhere over the rainbow
If happy little bluebirds fly
Wednesday, 6 August 2008
Historic Houses in Staffordshire!
Think about "Changing Rooms" and "Grand Designs"? well If you want real grand designs you will come to Staffordshire, not only do we have the Grandest of old houses in Staffordshire but feast your eyes on these beautiful works of architecture that have stretched through centuries! To me, beautiful architecture as this, will stand the test of time!
The Ancient High House, located in Stafford's busy
town centre, was constructed in 1595 by the Dorrington family.
In the 17th
century the house was occupied by Richard Sneyd, a member of one of
Staffordshire's most important families, and in 1642 King Charles I stayed here
as his guest.
Today, over 400 years since it was built, The Ancient High
House is still a spectacular sight on Stafford's skyline. The impressive
building is the largest timber-framed town house in England.
The Ancient High
House is now owned by Stafford Borough Council and is a registered
museum.
The museum displays are set out as period room settings representing
aspects of The Ancient High House's history. The top floor houses the
Staffordshire Yeomanry Museum.
Chillington Hall is a fine red-brick
Georgian house set on a remote hilltop site in the former Forest of
Brewood.
The Chillington estate has remained in hands of the Giffard family
since the 12th century but the present house dates entirely from the 18th
century, when the property passed to a junior Catholic branch of the
family.
The house was built in two stages.
In 1724 Peter Giffard built the
three-storeyed south wing which stands to the east of the entrance range. This
was probably designed by Francis Smith of Warwick (or his brother William), and
represented the rebuilding of one side of the existing 16th century courtyard
house.
The rest of the house was replaced in 1786 - 89 when Thomas Giffard
commissioned the celebrated architect Sir John Soane to rebuild the entrance
range and north wing. Soane made his name creating country houses in a
personalized variant of the neoclassical style but is most famous for his later
public buildings, particulary the Bank of England.
The house has seen little
change since that time and today it is an important example Soane's earlier
work.
Chillington Hall is approached by a long straight
avenue.
The entrance front is dominated by a vast Ionic portico of local sandstone but Soane's plain red brick facade was originally intended to be stuccoed.
The front of the south wing of 1724 is more elaborate and has the decorative mannerisms found in a number of houses created by the Smith brothers.
The visitor enters through the bare Hall, supported by Ionic columns, and passes through into the magnificent top-lit Saloon. This grand room was built by Soane within the walls of the hall of the previous house and was originally intended as a Chapel. The huge room, one of the most impressive of any late-18th century English house, has high bare walls and a lantern rising out of a dome resting on pendentives. The unusual chimneypiece is said to have been made from armorial fragments from the previous house.
After Thomas Giffard's marriage in 1788 funds were seriously reduced and the remainder of Soane's rooms - the Drawing Room and Dining Room in the main block and the Library in the north wing - do not exhibit the architect's great talent for organising internal spaces.
Most of the rather meagre decoration in these rooms was carried out after Thomas Giffard's death in 1827. The contents of Soane's rooms include a pair of Grand Tour portraits of Thomas Giffard and his father by Pompeo Batoni and a bust by Christopher Hewetson.
The visitor also views two interiors in the south wing.
The comfortable Morning Room, with its elaborate plaster ceiling of 1730 - 40, has a more intimate atmosphere than Soane's spacious rooms and the Staircase Hall has lively plasterwork and a splendid wooden staircase created by the Smith brothers.
document.write.
The entrance front is dominated by a vast
Ionic portico of local sandstone but Soane's plain red brick facade was
originally intended to be stuccoed.
The front of the south wing of 1724 is
more elaborate and has the decorative mannerisms found in a number of houses
created by the Smith brothers.
The visitor enters through the bare Hall,
supported by Ionic columns, and passes through into the magnificent top-lit
Saloon. This grand room was built by Soane within the walls of the hall of the
previous house and was originally intended as a Chapel. The huge room, one of
the most impressive of any late-18th century English house, has high bare walls
and a lantern rising out of a dome resting on pendentives. The unusual
chimneypiece is said to have been made from armorial fragments from the previous
house.
After Thomas Giffard's marriage in 1788 funds were seriously reduced
and the remainder of Soane's rooms - the Drawing Room and Dining Room in the
main block and the Library in the north wing - do not exhibit the architect's
great talent for organising internal spaces.
Most of the rather meagre
decoration in these rooms was carried out after Thomas Giffard's death in 1827.
The contents of Soane's rooms include a pair of Grand Tour portraits of Thomas
Giffard and his father by Pompeo Batoni and a bust by Christopher
Hewetson.
The visitor also views two interiors in the south wing.
The
comfortable Morning Room, with its elaborate plaster ceiling of 1730 - 40, has a
more intimate atmosphere than Soane's spacious rooms and the Staircase Hall has
lively plasterwork and a splendid wooden staircase created by the Smith
brothers.
Chillington Hall is set in a fine park,
created by 'Capability' Brown in the 1760s.
Invisible from the house is one
of the largest lakes created by Brown, with a sham bridge to impound the waters.
A real bridge was later built by James Paine.
The grounds contains three
temples - the Grecian Temple thought to be by Soane. There also are extensive
woodland walks.
Izaak Walton's Cottage... This charming
timber-framed thatched cottage set in the heart of the Staffordshire countryside
is now owned by Stafford Borough Council.
The building was bequeathed by
Izaak Walton (1593 - 1683) the author of the 'Compleat Angler'.
The cottage
has displays on the history of angling.
The ground floor rooms are set out in
17th century style.
Izaak Walton, who famously fished in Dovedale in the Peak
District, is commemorated by a stained glass window in Winchester Cathedral,
created in 1914.
Moseley Old
Hall...In the early light of
8 September 1651, five days after the Royalist defeat at the Battle of
Worcester, Charles II, disguised as a woodcutter, took refuge at Moseley Old
Hall.
Waiting at the rear of the house was Thomas Whitgreave, the owner of
Moseley and his chaplain John Huddleston. They escorted the king through the
heavily studded orchard door and took him by candle light up the narrow stairs
to the priest's room, now known as the King's Room.
Here in the four-poster
bed the king spent his first night in comfort since the battle.
He was shown
a hiding place, barely four feet high, concealed beneath a trapdoor in the
cupboard beside the fireplace.
When the Parliamentarian troops arrived at the
house the next day this is where the king concealed himself.
That night the
king, disguised as a serving man, left Moseley on horseback on the first leg of
his dangerous journey to safety on the Continent.
Charles II did not forget
assistance he received at Moseley Old Hall and on his restoration in 1660 the
king gave Thomas Whitgreave an annuity of £200 per year, a large sum in those
days. When he lay dying in 1685 it was John Huddleston that administered the
last rites and received the King into the Catholic Church.
Moseley Old Hall
was built in around 1600 by the merchant Henry Pitt.
The Elizabethan house would have
originally been half-timbered but in the 1870s the decaying facades were given a
brick facing and the mullioned windows were replaced by casements.
However,
inside the house much of the original panelling and timber framing is still
visible.
The front door opens into the main hall and opposite is the heavily
studded orchard door through which the king entered.
The King's Room on the
first floor contains the four-poster bed in which Charles II slept and the
hiding place where he took refuge.
Off Thomas Whitgreave's bedroom on the
same floor is a little chamber over the front porch where the king watched his
defeated trops struggling northward back to Scotland.
Discreetly situated In
the attics is the oratory which the king visited with John Huddleston.This is
now adorned with an 18th century painted barrel ceiling. Mementoes of Charles
II's visit are on display in the house including a proclamation dated 10
September 1651 offering a reward of £1,000 for the king's capture and a letter
of thanks from Charles II to Jane Lane who helped him escape.
Most of the
furnishings are not original to the house but they largely date from the 17th
century and are such as might have been there when Charles II took refuge at
Moseley.
Contemporary portraits of the king and those how helped him give the
house an authentic atmosphere.
When Moseley Old Hall was constructed it would
have been in the remote Staffordshire countryside but today the house looks out
on the surburbs of Wolverhampton, only yards away from the busy
M54.
Miraculously the 17th century atmosphere of the house is not disturbed
by the noise of the motorway traffic.
The small garden and orchard at Moseley
Old Hall have been reconstructed by the National Trust to a design of
1640.
Only plants that existed in English gardens in the 17th century have
been established. There is an elaborate knot garden and the orchard has been
planted with old varieties of fruit trees.The path to the Nut Alley is fringed
with quinces, medlars and mulberries and the herb garden is sheltered by box
hedges.
Sandon
Hall, an impressive mansion situated in the heart of
Staffordshire, is the ancestral home of the Earls of Harrowby. The house was
rebuilt by William Burn in imposing neo-Jacobean style in 1854.
Although the
mansion is full of splendour and elegance it is still very much a family
home.
The family museum, which was opened in 1994 to considerable acclaim,
incorporates several of the State Rooms.
Sandon Hall is set in 50 acres of
landscaped gardens.
The gardens feature some magnificent trees and are
particularly beautiful in May and autumn.
The house and gardens are
surrounded by 400 acres of superb parkland.
The Shugborough estate
was purchased in 1624 by the Anson family, later Earls of Litchfield. The
original house was built in 1693 for William Anson, a prosperous Staffordshire
lawyer.
In 1720 Shugborough was inherited by Thomas Anson.
He greatly
enlarged Shugborough by adding bow-fronted pavilions on either side, joined to
the main block by single-storey buildings. The delicate plaster ceilings in the
Library and Dining Room by Vassali date from this period.
Thomas was the
elder brother of George, Admiral Lord Anson. A four-year vogage around the world
had made the Admiral rich and famous. He helped fiance his brother's projects at
Shugborough and when he died Thomas inherited the Admiral's fortune.
Thomas
Anson was also responsible for three remarkable neo-Grecian monuments that stand
in the park. They were built by James 'Athenian' Stuart who established a style
of architecture that would remain fashionable for the next 100 years.
The
most imposing piece, the Triumphal Arch begun in 1761, is a memorial to Admiral
Anson and his wife. The Chinese House by the River Sow also commemorates the
Admiral. In 1790 Thomas William Anson, later Viscount Anson, commissioned Samuel
Wyatt to carry out extensive remodelling.
Wyatt added the Ionic portico which
extends across the full width of the central block. He also built the central
bow on the garden facade and the verandahs fronting the links to the pavilions
on either side.
His interior design can be seen in the saloon with its yellow
scagliola columns. The coved ceiling of Wyatt's Red Drawing Room is decorated
with delicate plasterwork by Joseph Rose the Younger.
In 1842 most of of the
contents of the house were dispersed in a sale brought about by the extravagance
of the 2nd Viscount, later 1st Earl of Litchfield.
The magnificent French furniture in the
principal rooms was acquired by the 2nd Earl who set about rescuing Shugborough
in the 1850s. The 2nd Earl's collection includes many splendid 18th century
pieces.
Shugborough also has a display of Chinese artifacts and other
mementoes acquired by Admiral Anson during his travels.
The original
servants' quarters, working laundry, kitchens and brewhouse have been carefully
restored and costumed guides demonstrate how the servants lived and
worked.
In 1966 the house, contents and park were accepted by the Treasury in
part payment of death duties following the death of the 4th Earl of Litchfield
and transferred to the National Trust.
The 5th Earl of Lichfield lived in
part of the house with his family.
Shugborough has 900 acres of
grounds.
The formal terraces decorated with classical urns and cones of
yellow yew descend from the house to the River Sow.
Other features of the
gardens include a Victorian-style rose garden is set around a central sundial
and the Ladies' Walk which meanders through the wild garden to the
south.
Also on the estate is Wyatt's Farm Park which has rare breeds of
livestock, a working restored corn mill and an agricultural museum. isitors can
see bread being baked and butter and cheese being made in the
dairy
Whitmore Hall is a fine Carolean manor house set in landscaped gardens and surrounded by a beautiful park.
The manor of Whitmore has always passed by descent, never by sale, and the present owners, the Cavenagh-Mainwaring family, are direct descendants of the original Norman owners.
In 1546 the heiress of the manor of Whitmore, Alice de Boghay, married Edward Mainwaring of Peover in Cheshire. It was their great-grandson, another Edward, who rebuilt the original timber-framed building.
The new red-brick house was designed in the artisan Mannerist style of the age. Work on the house was completed in 1676, although parts of the building date back to a much earlier period. In 1891 the heiress Ellen Jane Mainwaring married Wentworth Cavenagh.
Between 1863 and 1928 Whitmore Hall was let to the Hollins and Twyford families who remodelled the main interiors. At this time much of the Cavenagh-Mainwaring family's furniture was dispersed.
The main front faces south and dates mostly from the 1670s. The house is nine bays wide under a hipped roof, with large symmetrically placed chimneystacks. An ornate porch was added in the 19th century.
The other facades have a number of 19th century additions and are asymmetrical. None of the interiors date from the 1670s as the house was redecorated in fairly simple Edwardian taste at the beginning of the 20th century.
The Hall has been refurbished and is in fine condition. There are some good pieces of English furniture and family portraits dating in a continuous line from 1624 to the present day.The rooms are light and beautifully proportioned. At the back of the house is the curving staircase, now quite plain. On the landing are the oldest family portraits dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. On the right is the large Drawing Room, created from two rooms. This has Georgian furniture and 18th century portraits.
The Dining Room across the hall has mahogany dado-height panelling and 19th century furniture. The adjacent Admiral's Room was named after Admiral Rowland Mainwaring who fought on HMS Majestic at the Battle of the Nile. The room contains a portrait of the Admiral together with a painting of the famous battle.
An outstanding feature of Whitmore Hall is the early-17th century stables. This extremely rare example of a late Elizabethan stable block has a part cobbled ground floor. The nine original oak-carved stalls are divided by Tuscan pillars with ornamental arches above. The upper floor houses the remains of the stable boys' quarters.
The landscaped gardens contain an early Victorian summer house.
The surrounding home park has a splendid avenue of limes leading to the house and a large lake.
Friday, 25 July 2008
Blackbrook Zoological Park
15 minutes drive from Leek town centre you will not only find the sign towards Alton Towers but also 'Blackbrook Zoological Park'.Blackbrook Zoological ParkWinkhill Leek,
Staffordshire, ST13 7QR Set in the Staffordshire Moorlands, this park is home to
a large and varied collection of rare and endangered species from exotic birds
to tropical fish. A wonderful place for children to learn about various species
and holds a farm with its collection of miniature donkeys, Zebu cattle, rabbits,
chipmunks and much more.Information: 01538 308293 / Open: Mon-Sun / Cost: from
£4 up
We visited today to see all these different animals and endangered species in a large vast of wetlands, it was a great day out for myself, my partner, and our youngest, our 3 year old daughter.
There was lots to see here, I personally enjoyed the meerkats and the penguins as well as the tamarin monkeys and getting a slight splash from the large fish (including a massive, 2ft long Katfish).
Friday, 18 July 2008
Then and Now
Previously you saw the old and new pictures of Leekbrook Junction, I cannot really put any dates on the photos but the up to date one is July 2008.
To see it in its larger and more detailed form click on this large view link!
Welcoming comments from anybody that can put dates on any of these and has any other information regarding any part of Leekbrook. Click on the comments option below! (Thank you in advance).
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
Rocks
What about rocks?
How many rocks have you spotted around the Staffordshire Moorlands other than the Roaches ?
Well as you wander around some parts of Leekbrook and Cheddleton you will actually notice a fair few rocky sites, within the fields across the railway tracks at Leekbrook Junction there are a few stones lying around, and I am not talking rocks that make up dry stone walling (although there are those as well). On the entrance to St Edwards housing estate, which lies between Cheddleton and Leekbrook, off the Cheadle Road, there are rocks, opposite one entrance, the Leekbrook entrance, there is a very rocky area, as seen below.
Apart from Lud's church and the Roaches, and Hen cloud, there are more rocks around the Staffordshire moorlands than some of us realise. Was Leek a town cut out of stone originally? hmmm!
The sun shines the exploring begins...
I had totally intended to take EJ to the other park at St Edwards Park (housing estate up the road from where we live) but somebody has blocked the way between the Churnet Valley rail track at Leekbrook Junction and the woods, but I would not be won over by this blockage, somebody else had seemingly had a go at getting through before us, and flattened/broken down the barbwire and post, so I carefully lifted EJ over the barb wire, stepped through it carefully myself and off we went, through the lovely wooded area, one of my favourite walking paths of Leekbrook.
We came across lots of nature here ...
Once ventured into the Woods between Leekbrook and the St Edwards Housing estate (it thereby stands on the old Cheddleton Mental Hospital Grounds) I just wanted to take a photo of the trees in their splendour as due to the access renovations to the access of St Edwards Housing estate at the Leekbrook End, some of the trees have been cut down, which is a shame actually...
Here is evidence that new trees have been planted, hopefully this is to replace the view that have been taken down at the top of the woods, near to Cheadle Road...
On walking through the woods between the Leekbrook Line and the old houses below the new St Edwards Housing estate you will find a gap in the trees to look over the fields, over splendiforous countryside. If you were to climb over this gate and over the fields, go to your left and follow the path, you would end up at the Cauldon Canal.
Also, I took advantage of my macro facility on my camera again and captured some lovely colourful and floral images of nature found on our doorstep (in the woods).
There are two places we have yet to explore and these are within Cheddleton...
St Edwards the Confessor
AND Cheddleton Flint Mill.
I will take the children towards these two architectural and historical beauties in our area as the Summer holidays begin! (If I dont go on my own on the masters bicicyle)!
Sunday, 13 July 2008
We have the luxury of Beautiful Scenery on our Doorstep
We are so lucky that we have such beauty on our doorsteps, here in Leek, the surrounding areas, the Queen of the Moorlands.
As a family we took our opportunity in todays Sunshine, to explore Tittesworth Reservoir, the children love to play and kick a ball on the wide area of grass beyond the cafe or the younger one, playing in the sand or just generally clambering about on the mass of play equipment, however the play equipment, the grass (and the dog show that was held at Tittesworth today) is only part of the idyllic beauty of Tittesworth, there is also the reservoir itself and the surrounding grasslands, trees, woods, and of course the many different species of ducks.
One part of Staffordshire moorlands we wished to view today but without correct shoe wear or a map to behold we did not get to Lud's church, we will get there eventually! However, I took the opportunity whilst at Tittesworth to capture the wonderfulness of Tittesworths nature.
Above and below, the splendour of a landscape capture of Tittesworth reservoir.
(and again at an angled perspective)
Another beautiful feature (as mentioned above), is the variety of ducks which fly into Tittesworth. Today we have seen, regular white english geese, your average english duck (hen/female), and also about One swan (which was being fed by some visitors further up the bank from where I captured the above photos).
Here are some lovely captures of the ducks we saw today (desperately wanting my 'dutch chocolate' ice cream but were getting none of it).
One of my friends said today... in view of one of these captures of Canadian Geese...
"Ah yes. All Canadians go abroad for the summer, even the winged ones!" (Thanks Shauna)
And to end the day, well actually yesterday, which showed we would have a lovely sunny, warmish day today, was red skies. I managed to capture this "red sky at night.." over Leekbrook on Saturday evening (12th July 2008) before spending lots of time on websites and blog editing.
Saturday, 12 July 2008
Anybody remember Leekbrook Junction as a station?
Well here you go...
Many of the tracks are still here today (2008), its a shame as they are all covered in bushes and mini tree saplings now (need a good tidy-up on them tracks so people can walk easier). It is believed, or should I say rumoured, that the CVR wishes to extend this part of the Churnet Valley railway, back up towards where Leek station used to be located, where the cattle market and morrisons is today. I am not sure how true the rumour is, but if the disused tracks are to be maintained and reacknowledged for the engines to 'again' go towards what used to be their main station in Leek, then it could take between 5 and 10 years to establish and regain the working order.
I so hope the rumour is true, I would love to see the trains going past our estate, not just stopping and I would also love it to be a getting on and off point, as Leekbrook junction used to be.
and what does it look like now? 
On taking my daughter to one of the two park areas on St Edward Park housing estate today I met a lady and her grandchild also playing there, She said she was one of the many passengers who travelled on the very last train which travelled through from Oulton all the way into Leek, she also met her husband on that very train as he was a fireman on the train, they met on what is now the Morrisons deli counter! how romantic?
If you read this, to the lady in question, please feel free to comment more and tell us your tale of meeting your Husband.
Thursday, 10 July 2008
The World War and Leek Residents
Did you know that many of Leeks residents were involved in fighting for our country in the First and Second world wars? Well there were 101 Soldiers, Seamen and Airmen from Leek whom lost their lives to the 2nd world war!
There are many books about the Leek-onians that were sadly taken from us during WWI and WWII such as....
The Many villages, Hamlets and their history...
A few weeks ago we went to Ladderedge Nature Reserve, however, on the way there we were supposed to be originally going to find 'Lud's Church', We turned left after the Roaches, towards Gradbach, unsure where we actually went wrong, we never did find Lud's church, sadly not enough research from myself meant I was actually looking for a church of some kind and not a rock formation....
"Gradbach is a tiny hamlet on the River Dane, and a well-known beauty spot which attracts many visitors. The hamlet is centred around a fine stone-built mill which was built in 1785 for the spinning of silk. Though the mill was water-powered and therefore cheap to run, this was too remote a site for an enterprise like this and the mill closed as early as 1885. It is now a Youth Hostel.Besides the valley of the Dane, the attractions of the area are the fine moorland walks and the unusual formation known as Lud's Church.
Shuttlingsloe from AllgreaveAllgreave is a tiny farming hamlet clustered around the A54 where it makes a steep descent to cross Clough Brook, below Wildboarclough. On the main road there is a pub called the the Rose and Crown."
So maybe next time, after doing more research we can park up the car and go walking to find said Lud's Church, not only that, but a map would be handy (yes we still haven't equipped ourselves with a map).
Don't you think that it is just more fun to keep walking and see where you end up?
What about Cheddleton? Have you ever ventured there? Here you will find a couple of shops, 'Bargain Booze', 'One-Stop', 'Peak Pharmacy', 'Veterinary Surgery', 'Cheddleton Dental Surgery' and a total of 3 public houses... 'The Boat Inn', 'The Red Lion', and 'The Black Lion', as well as 'Gastro's' Latin American restaurant (situated by the canal where the Cheddleton canal wharf was once sited).
Did you know there was a flint mill in Cheddleton? Well there is, Follow the road from Leek, through Leekbrook and towards Cheddleton, down the Cheadle Road, as you near the dip in the road, look to your right where the canal is, there is a small drive there that leads you down to the Flint mill. Somewhere I/We, have not yet ventured yet are planning to when the weather is much better than it is now!
"Cheddleton lies 5km south of Leek, where the A520 road crosses the River Churnet, which has cut a deep-sided valley in the soft sandstone here. The village is rather spoilt by the main road, which is busy and noisy, and by the industrial estate which sits alongside the river, but the surrounding countryside along the Churnet Valley is mostly very pretty.There has been a settlement here since at least Saxon times, since the river was an obvious source of both water and water power. One of the flint mills (which are now a museum) was originally a corn mill and dates from the 14th century.
On the Caldon CanalCheddleton began to expand with the construction of the Caldon Canal, in 1779. This was originally built to bring limestone from the quarry at Cauldon and linked Stoke on Trent (where it joined the Trent and Mersey canal) with Froghall, lower down the Churnet Valley. The canal brought improved communications and hence industry (such as flint-milling) to the area. The construction of the North Staffordshire railway in 1849 brought further industry to the area, which has remained to this day.The Caldon Canal is now a popular route for tourists, and Cheddleton Station is the main centre for the Churnet Valley Railway, a popular tourist attraction."
Other villages situated around Leek are...
So that is at least 9 out of 10 places I have to visit and photograph to blog which I haven't yet visited.
The map of where we live... See the red road between Cheddleton and Leek, where the blue river goes in around a U shape is where we live! If you look further up you will see the Roaches, that is where I intend to take the family and find "Lud's Church".
Wednesday, 9 July 2008
Macro shots of findings around Leek and Leekbrook
When it is a nice sunny day (I say when, because they are few and far between at the minute), our daughter and I take our walk to town via the Leekbrook Line. It is a very picturesque track walk and if you are quiet you get to see many forms of nature, not only butterflies but we have seen the odd large rabbit (and sometimes the white bob-tail end of one) and snails kissing (I'll get to that in a bit). Yet as you walk along the line (overgrown as it is at present) you also get to see ducks flying over head, herons, and we get around 5 buzzards in our area.
I would like to now post the nature part of Leekbrook and Leek, I will also add that we heard a Pheasant makign its mating calls back on the 1st July, on our way to town, we had passed the side of Leek golf club as we came out of the long Leekbrook tunnel and we just couldnt see it, we heard its noise several times during our walk to town (before it was sounded out by the noises of cattle and sheep at Leek cattle market).
So here are some photos (and bitty blog bits) of our explorations in the sunshine....
The Age of Steam
I cannot really express how lovely it is to benefit from the age of steam on our doorstep. The Churnet Valley Railway journeys from Cheddleton to Consall Forge, onto Froghall and Kingsley and then back again via the latter stations and towards Leekbrook Junction almost every weekend during nearly every month of the year. The ironic factor of this is that my better half, Phil is by far, not a train spotter, however, this has become due to years of being drove from one station to another by his father, train spotting! Not only does my partners father love his trains but so does my partners step father, brother and nephew, LOVE locomotives! So us living by the Leekbrook Junction is very ironic.
I do love the steam trains and I think the CVR volunteers have gathered this as they will generally see me snapping away with my camera either at Leekbrook OR at the Cheddleton station. I assure you this is more a love of photography and editing that just of steam trains and the love of the family whom do love trains that I take the photographs for (I even make them into gift cards for family and friends, friends of friends etc to purchase).
