Walking. Gossip. Travel.

Category: UK

  • Camping – Day 1 (Eyam – St. Lawrence’s Church – Sundial)

    Camping – Day 1 (Eyam – St. Lawrence’s Church – Sundial)

    This is the sundial (click on the image to see a larger version) on the wall of St. Lawrence’s Church in Eyam, which was installed here in 1775. It’s supported by two stone corbels and was likely made by William Shaw, a local man. It’s not the most subtle of sundials given its size, but no-one could miss a church service and claim that they didn’t know the time.

    The below photo shows how the sundial looked in 1919 and it’s also noticeable that the ivy has wisely been removed from the church, which avoided any similar incidents to Crostwright Church….


  • Camping – Day 1 (Eyam – St. Lawrence’s Church – George Palfreyman)

    Camping – Day 1 (Eyam – St. Lawrence’s Church – George Palfreyman)

    This is the grave of George Palfreyman in St. Lawrence’s Church in Eyam. George was born in Monyash, a village near Bakewell, on 1 June 1759, the son of Thomas and Mary Palfreyman. George also married a lady with the name Mary, although I can’t find out where that happened, but there is a marriage in Sheffield between a George Palfreyman and a Mary, but the birth-dates don’t match. He died on 29 March 1825 at the age of 67 (which again doesn’t quite match with being born in 1759, so I may have got something wrong here), being buried on 1 April 1825.

    The gravestone also notes the burial of Peter Palfreyman, the son of George and Mary, who died on 29 January 1797 aged just 12 years old and Peter had been baptised in the church on 28 August 1785. Mary was also buried in this plot following her death in October 1828, aged 72. The Palfreyman family had come to Eyam after the plague issue of the late seventeenth century.

    If anyone from the descendants of the Palfreyman family knows anything else, that’d be most welcome.

  • Camping – Day 1 (Eyam – St. Lawrence’s Church – Luke Furniss)

    Camping – Day 1 (Eyam – St. Lawrence’s Church – Luke Furniss)

    This gravestone is located by the side of St. Lawrence’s church, attached to the wall with iron supports. It is the grave of Luke Furniss (?-16 July 1682) and is in remarkably good condition for its age, as well as being from a period from when relatively few stones remain in graveyards.

    It’s an interesting stone in its own right, the 1682 death looks like it was originally written as 167 before being changed, whilst Furniss is perhaps Furness. The positioning of the ‘th’ on his wife’s Mary’s death also looks odd. The village museum has records which suggest that Luke had moved to the village after the plague of 1665, as he wasn’t listed as a resident during this time.

  • Camping – Day 1 (Eyam – Celtic Churchyard Cross)

    Camping – Day 1 (Eyam – Celtic Churchyard Cross)

    Located in the churchyard of St Lawrence’s Church is this nationally important Celtic cross, which is thought to date from around the ninth century according to the listing building record. Or from the eighth century if you believe the sign at the church, but the truth is, no-one really knows for sure. And what’s 100 years in something that is this old?

    It’s decorated with numerous images, including the Virgin and Christ, along with an angel and trumpet. A bit has fallen off of the cross at some point, but it would have stood a fair bit taller. It also wouldn’t have originally been in a churchyard, it’s a preaching cross and the usage of these is a little unclear, sometimes there would have been some preaching going on at them, but sometimes they were more used as a market crosses. This particular cross was found abandoned in a field, its significance long forgotten, before being moved to its current prominent place in the churchyard.

  • Camping – Day 1 (Eyam – Mompesson’s Well)

    Camping – Day 1 (Eyam – Mompesson’s Well)

    What is now called Mompesson’s Well was originally used by villagers to get water (although it’s actually supplied from a stream) and it also served as a boundary stone for Eyam. It is now an important part of the village’s history as locals would leave money in the water, mixed with vinegar to avoid the spread of the plague, in exchange for goods and provisions which were left here.

    The wellhead is from the seventeenth century and so is contemporary from when the village was locked down, although the iron railings and paving slabs are from the twentieth century. The well is named after William Mompesson (1639-1709), the vicar of the village, who took a major role in sealing off the village to try and limit the spread of the plague. It’s a relatively short walk from the centre of Eyam and there’s a signed path that leads off from the rear of the churchyard.

    Below is the unenclosed well from a photo taken in 1919.


  • Camping – Day 1 (Eyam – No Riff Raff)

    Camping – Day 1 (Eyam – No Riff Raff)

    Another one of my random posts, but this has become something of a Norfolk & Suffolk LDWA group phrase. I blame Simon…..

  • Camping – Day 1 (Eyam – St. Lawrence’s Church – Harry Bagshaw)

    Camping – Day 1 (Eyam – St. Lawrence’s Church – Harry Bagshaw)

    This grave is located in St. Lawrence’s Church in Eyam, marking the life of Harry Bagshaw who lived from 1859 to 1927. According to Wikipedia, as let’s face it I’m not really a cricket expert, he was a first-class cricketer for Derbyshire and he was also a cricket umpire. He was born in Foolow, a village just outside of Eyam and his gravestone is an impressive affair with some cricketing imagery. During his lifetime he worked as a lead miner and his gravestone has the words:

    “For when that one great scorer comes
    To write against your name
    He writes – not that you won or lost
    But how you played the game”

  • Camping – Day 1 (Eyam – Plague Cottage)

    Camping – Day 1 (Eyam – Plague Cottage)

    I’m not sure that this must be the most delightful place to live, but what is now known as the Plague Cottage was lived in by George Viccars who was the first person to die of the plague in Eyam in 1665. He worked as a tailor and he brought the disease to the village in a box of cloth that had fleas which were infected with the plague. Reports say that when he opened up the box he commented on how damp it smelled, but he hung the cloth up to dry and soon reported that he felt ill. I have to say, this wasn’t an ideal situation for all concerned.

    The house looks beautiful today with its floral displays, but there is a real sense of tragedy to it. As the sign notes, George Viccars, the employed hand who brought the cloth in, was the first to die on 7 September 1665. Mary Hadfield, who had children with her previous husband, saw her son, Edward, die on 22 September 1665 and her son, Jonathan, die aged 12 on 2 October 1665. Alexander Hadfield, her new husband, died on 3 August 1666, a surprising gap between the deaths. Mary Hadfield survived the plague, but she lost thirteen of her relatives during the disaster.

  • Camping – Day 1 (Wardlow – Yondermann Cafe)

    Camping – Day 1 (Wardlow – Yondermann Cafe)

    So, Jonathan and Steve had their fancy porridge pots in the morning, whereas Richard and I didn’t have anything. Richard demanded breakfast, so off we shot at 07:50 to get to the Yondermann Cafe at 08:00 just as it opened. This was probably a good thing as not only were we the first people there, it also started to get busy and I was able to get the table nearest to the plug socket. Some things in life are the most important.

    The staff seemed pleased and welcoming to discover we were there just as they were opening up, just the kind of friendly first impression that’s so refreshing to see in the morning. And since I’d already been up hours, refreshing seemed sensible. Richard was very impressed with the selection, so what with him happy at the food choices and me happy at the power situation, life seemed complete. Oh, Jonathan and Steve were just happy that we were happy, it’s nice when people are like that, very selfless.

    The cake selection.

    I had the small Yondermann breakfast, which came with a filter coffee. Reasonably priced, and brought over promptly, it was cleanly presented. The quality of the ingredients was high and even the black pudding, something which I’m rather delicate over as blood is not one of my most favourite things, was pleasant tasting. The sausage was a little small, but had a richness of flavour, the bacon didn’t have much fat on and was nicely salted, the egg was cooked perfectly so I could dip the bread into it and the tomatoes were from a tin and just as I like them. I’m not sure about oatcakes as part of the breakfast, but this was as good tasting as I think they come and it soaked up some of the beans and tomato juices. All entirely satisfactory as far as I was concerned, a very useful way to start the day. The bread was unexciting and the spread seemed a bit margariney rather than buttery, but you can’t have everything.

    This photo was taken just as I sat down to plug my phone in, but it didn’t stay like this for long. Everything was clean and the whole social distancing situation was being well managed.

    I’m not entirely sure that this sign in their car park was as absolutely clear in its message as it could have been.

    Overall, this was all rather lovely and I was content with my choice. We always felt welcome, we were never rushed, the food and drink was all suitably hot and the environment was clean. There was a bit of a motor-biker feel to the cafe, so I assume that they get a passing trade from them, as well as from the nearby campsite (nor the one that we’re at). The cafe is well-reviewed and

  • Brandon – Brandon Railway Station Update

    Brandon – Brandon Railway Station Update

    Some good news from SAVE’s Britain’s Heritage who have issued a statement today about Brandon railway station. I must admit I’m surprised, although having written that, I couldn’t get any answer from Greater Anglia about this and they didn’t seem to really know what they were doing. They couldn’t even tell me if there was to be any salvage attempt at the building or whether any of the frontage could be kept.

    Anyway, SAVE’s press statement notes:

    “A delightful country station dating from the golden decade of railway building and used in the filming of Dad’s Army has received a reprieve from imminent demolition. A High Court order issued today quashed the decision by Breckland District Council to allow the demolition of the 1845 station building at Brandon on the Cambridge to Norwich line. This follows judicial review proceedings launched by SAVE Britain’s Heritage seeking the quashing of the Council’s decision.

    The Council had issued a lawful development certificate which said that Greater Anglia could construct a new car park under the railway permitted development rights. The Council accepted that they had failed to apply the legal test for what was railway land and overlooked SAVE’s representations.

    In its response to the legal challenge the Council consented to the quashing of the certificate. Greater Anglia did not resist the Court order. SAVE will now work with the Suffolk Building Preservation Trust on new plans for repairing this historic station and bringing it back to use. A listing application has also been submitted to Historic England – supported by SAVE – and we are expecting a recommendation imminently.”