‘Beating the Bounds’
Copy of Memorandum made by Anthony BEELEY of Stoney Middleton
when the Inhabitants of Eyam rode a part of their Boundary,
May 20th 1767.
Transcribed by Janet Kirk, © Copyright 2004
from the original copy held in the Derbyshire Record Office. DRO Ref: D5430/24
May 20th 1767 “They began at the Stoke Land and followed the fence that parts the
Liberties of Eyam and Stoke down to Middleton Church and there prayed over against Cornelius
Chapmans house door. Then they proceeded up the Dale under Middleton Bridge
[1] and up the Corn Mill Dam,[2]
and forward to an Intake that William Brightmore took in for a watering
place for his cattle, and at a heap of stones prayed there, then proceeded to the upper end of the
Upper Holding Dam and prayed there, then proceeded forward to a rush-bed and stone heap near to
the foot-road leading to Wardlow and prayed there; then went over the new wall and down Castle
gate[3] to Warmsdale Mouth[4]
and prayed there; then down the double ditch to Wardlow Mires and
prayed there; then up by the wall to Silladale[5]
and prayed there; then up to James Needham
pasture to the Lane leading to Foolow and left off till another opportunity.”
“Anthony Beeley was present at the above Boundary riding”
Notes
| [1] |
An old drawing in the possession of an elderly Stoney Middleton resident
shows a man-made bridge running roughly from “The Nursery” on
High Street across to what was at that time still a Mill, and later the Boot &
Shoe factory. It had two arches - one over what is now the main road, and the
other over the water to the Mill. So, Anthony Beeley and company were walking
from the Church, along the Nook and onto what is now the main road to continue
up the Dale. Little would they know then that it would also become the modern
thoroughfare... |
| [2] |
Stoney Middleton brook is now culverted, but a
Sketch of the Mill Dam (elsewhere online) illustrates a time when it was dammed.
This Plan of 1840 shows its
position. |
| [3] |
‘Castle gate’ was part of the old trackway known as ‘Portway’, and believed to
refer to the stretch through Wardlow to Monsal Head and beyond to Ashford.
[Ref: Dodd, A.E & E.M - Peakland Roads and Trackways]. This
same reference suggests it was a Castle at Ashford that gave it the name. |
| [4] |
We don't know what area ‘Warmsdale Mouth’ refers to, other than being
an apparent reference to where the preset B6465 meets the A623.
‘Wardlow Mires’ is still in current use.
|
| [5] |
Possibly now 'Silly Dale'?
|
Transcribed by Janet Kirk on 12 Nov 2004.
|