Grindon, Staffordshire
Encyclopedia
Grindon is a small village in the Staffordshire
Peak District
of England..
bank of the Manifold Valley, south of Butterton
and opposite Wetton
on the eastern side of the valley. A comparison of two views north from the village gives some indication of the bleakness of this area in winter. The nearer village, left of centre, is Butterton, while the far skyline is of Derbyshire
.
The river crossing between Grindon and Wetton is known as The Weags. The slope down to the Manifold is very steep on both sides, with several hairpin-bends on the road. A little downstream from The Weags is the confluence with the River Hamps
, which flows from Waterhouses
, and is the main tributory of the Manifold. Opposite this is Beeston Torr, a rock face popular with climbers.
This section of the Manifold, and also the Hamps, runs dry for much of the year. The Manifold goes underground near Wetton Mill, and rises at Ilam
.
. There is a Parish Church and until recently a public house
(The Cavalier) now a private house, but few other facilities.
The main industry is farming, now supplemented by tourism. However, the village is, by modern standards, remote and "off the beaten track". Also, much of the land in the locality is either moorland (to the west) or the steep slope down to the River Manifold. Farming is relatively unproductive, mainly suited to sheep and cattle.
. One of the rectors of Grindon parish was Anthony Draycot
who served from 1540 to his imprisonment in 1560. Draycott was the judge at the heresy trial of Joan Waste
.
The Church is decorated with an interesting selection of stone carvings both inside and outside. While most of these are human heads, there are other animals, such as those clinbing down the window frame on the south-west corner of the tower.
The War Memorial tablet inside the Church shows those of the village who fought in World War I. 23 men served, of whom 5 were killed and 18 returned to the village.
The Parish, in the Diocese of Lichfield, is in the Alstonefield Deanery, and now part of a Parish group. The Vicar lives at Waterhouses (December 2008). The associated Parishes are Calton
S.Mary; Grindon All Saints; Okeover All Saints; Waterfall
S.James and S.Bartholomew; Blore
Ray S.Bartholomew; and Cauldon S.Mary and S.Laurence.
which was opened by the Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway
on June 27, 1904, whilst being entirely operated by the North Staffordshire Railway
. The village was a little distance from the station, and the fact that the line followed the valley bottom whereas the settlements served by the railway were mostly on the hill-tops above was a contributory factor in its demise. The line closed in 1934, but in 1937 the route was reopened as the Manifold Way, a fully tarmacked 8-mile walk- and cycle-path which runs from Hulme End
in the north to Waterhouses
in the south.
The severe winter of February to April 1947 brought particular hardship for moorlands villages like Grindon. Relief was brought by air, but one RAF Halifax
aircraft crashed into the moors near Grindon during a severe blizzard. A memorial to the crew and passengers is in the Church.
There is a wide variety of carved heads around the building, both inside and outside.
Most of the windows, at leaast along the Nave, have the scroll carvings but a window with carved heads may be seen above the clock.
The sundial is above the porch, which is the south door entrance.
Two interesting carved animals are climbing down one corner of the tower. The sense of movement shows the skill of the artisans.
These carved heads are on each side of the porch.
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
Peak District
Peak District
The Peak District is an upland area in central and northern England, lying mainly in northern Derbyshire, but also covering parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, and South and West Yorkshire....
of England..
Geography
Grindon is situated near the southern end of the Peak District National Park. It is at the top of the western edge of the limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
bank of the Manifold Valley, south of Butterton
Butterton
Butterton is a small village in the Staffordshire Peak District of England . It is west of Wettonmill in the Manifold Valley and north of Grindon. The village is just to the west of the limestone area, and so is mainly built of local sandstone...
and opposite Wetton
Wetton, Staffordshire
Wetton is a village in the Peak District National Park, North Staffordshire, at the top of the east side of the Manifold Valley. The population recorded in the 2001 Census was 157. This article describes the location, some of the main features of the village, and a number of places of historical or...
on the eastern side of the valley. A comparison of two views north from the village gives some indication of the bleakness of this area in winter. The nearer village, left of centre, is Butterton, while the far skyline is of Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
.
The river crossing between Grindon and Wetton is known as The Weags. The slope down to the Manifold is very steep on both sides, with several hairpin-bends on the road. A little downstream from The Weags is the confluence with the River Hamps
River Hamps
The River Hamps is a river in Staffordshire, England. It is tributary of the River Manifold, which itself flows into the River Dove near Ilam. For its entire length the river flows through the Peak District National Park.- Etymology :...
, which flows from Waterhouses
Waterhouses, Staffordshire
Waterhouses is a village in the south of the Staffordshire Peak District.It is around 8 miles from Leek and Ashbourne, being nearly the halfway point between the two towns on the A523 road, which roughly follows the southern boundary of the Peak District National Park...
, and is the main tributory of the Manifold. Opposite this is Beeston Torr, a rock face popular with climbers.
This section of the Manifold, and also the Hamps, runs dry for much of the year. The Manifold goes underground near Wetton Mill, and rises at Ilam
Ilam, Staffordshire
Ilam is a village in the Staffordshire Peak District, lying on the River Manifold. This article describes some of the main features of the village and surroundings.- Ilam village :...
.
The Village
Much of the village is built of gritstoneGritstone
Gritstone or Grit is a hard, coarse-grained, siliceous sandstone. This term is especially applied to such sandstones that are quarried for building material. British gritstone was used for millstones to mill flour, to grind wood into pulp for paper and for grindstones to sharpen blades. "Grit" is...
. There is a Parish Church and until recently a public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
(The Cavalier) now a private house, but few other facilities.
The main industry is farming, now supplemented by tourism. However, the village is, by modern standards, remote and "off the beaten track". Also, much of the land in the locality is either moorland (to the west) or the steep slope down to the River Manifold. Farming is relatively unproductive, mainly suited to sheep and cattle.
All Saints Church
The Parish Church is a typical village church with a tower topped with an elegant spire which makes a conspicuous landmark from across the Manifold Valley. From this it received the nickname "the Cathedral of the Moorlands". The present building was built in 1848. The first church in Grindon was built in the 11th century as a chapel of ease for the Parish of St Bartram, IlamIlam, Staffordshire
Ilam is a village in the Staffordshire Peak District, lying on the River Manifold. This article describes some of the main features of the village and surroundings.- Ilam village :...
. One of the rectors of Grindon parish was Anthony Draycot
Anthony Draycot
Anthony Draycot was an English Roman Catholic churchman and lawyer. During the reign of Queen Mary he held a diocesan position as chancellor; his role in condemning numerous Protestants to death is detailed in Foxe's Book of Martyrs.-Life:He was from Staffordshire, and became Principal of White...
who served from 1540 to his imprisonment in 1560. Draycott was the judge at the heresy trial of Joan Waste
Joan Waste
Joan Waste was a blind woman who was burned in Derby for refusing to renounce her Protestant faith.-Biography:Waste was born blind in 1534, with her twin brother Roger, to a Derby barber, William Waste and his wife, Joan...
.
The Church is decorated with an interesting selection of stone carvings both inside and outside. While most of these are human heads, there are other animals, such as those clinbing down the window frame on the south-west corner of the tower.
The War Memorial tablet inside the Church shows those of the village who fought in World War I. 23 men served, of whom 5 were killed and 18 returned to the village.
The Parish, in the Diocese of Lichfield, is in the Alstonefield Deanery, and now part of a Parish group. The Vicar lives at Waterhouses (December 2008). The associated Parishes are Calton
Calton
Calton may refer to:Places:*Calton, Argyll and Bute, Scotland*Calton, Glasgow, Scotland*Calton, North Yorkshire, England*Calton, Ontario, Canada*Calton, Staffordshire, England*Calton Hill, ScotlandPeople:*Patsy Calton, British politician...
S.Mary; Grindon All Saints; Okeover All Saints; Waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
S.James and S.Bartholomew; Blore
Blore
Blore is a small village and parish in the Staffordshire Moorlands District of England.It is on an acclivity above Dovedale, three and a half miles north west of Ashbourne, including the hamlet of Swinscoe, one mile to the south and a part of the parochial chapelry of Calton.The ecclesiastical...
Ray S.Bartholomew; and Cauldon S.Mary and S.Laurence.
History and tourism
Grindon was served by a railway stationTrain station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
which was opened by the Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway
Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway
The Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway was a narrow gauge railway in Staffordshire, Great Britain that operated between 1904 and 1934. When in operation, the line mainly carried milk from dairies in the region, acting as a feeder to the standard gauge system. It also provided passenger...
on June 27, 1904, whilst being entirely operated by the North Staffordshire Railway
North Staffordshire Railway
The North Staffordshire Railway was a British railway company formed in 1845 to promote a number of lines in the Staffordshire Potteries and surrounding areas in Staffordshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire and Shropshire....
. The village was a little distance from the station, and the fact that the line followed the valley bottom whereas the settlements served by the railway were mostly on the hill-tops above was a contributory factor in its demise. The line closed in 1934, but in 1937 the route was reopened as the Manifold Way, a fully tarmacked 8-mile walk- and cycle-path which runs from Hulme End
Hulme End
- Introduction :Hulme End is a small hamlet in Staffordshire, England. It is located in the Peak District National Park about 10 miles north of Ashbourne...
in the north to Waterhouses
Waterhouses, Staffordshire
Waterhouses is a village in the south of the Staffordshire Peak District.It is around 8 miles from Leek and Ashbourne, being nearly the halfway point between the two towns on the A523 road, which roughly follows the southern boundary of the Peak District National Park...
in the south.
The severe winter of February to April 1947 brought particular hardship for moorlands villages like Grindon. Relief was brought by air, but one RAF Halifax
Handley Page Halifax
The Handley Page Halifax was one of the British front-line, four-engined heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. A contemporary of the famous Avro Lancaster, the Halifax remained in service until the end of the war, performing a variety of duties in addition to bombing...
aircraft crashed into the moors near Grindon during a severe blizzard. A memorial to the crew and passengers is in the Church.
Additional photos
These pictures show some examples of the carvings around the porch of All Saints Church building.There is a wide variety of carved heads around the building, both inside and outside.
Most of the windows, at leaast along the Nave, have the scroll carvings but a window with carved heads may be seen above the clock.
The sundial is above the porch, which is the south door entrance.
Two interesting carved animals are climbing down one corner of the tower. The sense of movement shows the skill of the artisans.
These carved heads are on each side of the porch.