Eyam Rileys Graves RFM Blue Line
Eyam Rileys Graves
RFM Blue Line
14/10/2024
Walking with Lacey
For this walk through the beauty and history of the area we were blessed with a clear day with no rain but a little mud underfoot.
Starting from outside the church on Church Street in Eyam I parked in the same place we had parked for 2 previous walks with Peter. Quickly the walk started to rise up the valley towards Beech Hurst. The first ascent being the steepest of the day.
The first sight was to see an unusual, for the area, primate beginning the days work.
The view back towards Eyam was picturesque. We had discussed the history of Eyam and why it was called the plague village. I informed Lacey that this walk as well as a walk through the hills around Eyam would be a walk through some of the lasting remains of the evidence of the courageous self- sacrificing actions of the 1665 plague year the village endured alone and therefore saved thousands of other surrounding Derbyshire and beyond communities. I suggested that the mortal sacrifice of some of the returning retired doctors and nurses in the NHS during the Covid pandemic made the story much more relevant today.
We reached Edge Road and followed it for a short while.
The view back towards Eyam was picturesque. We had discussed the history of Eyam and why it was called the plague village. I informed Lacey that this walk as well as a walk through the hills around Eyam would be a walk through some of the lasting remains of the evidence of the courageous self- sacrificing actions of the 1665 plague year the village endured alone and therefore saved thousands of other surrounding Derbyshire and beyond communities. I suggested that the mortal sacrifice of some of the returning retired doctors and nurses in the NHS during the Covid pandemic made the story much more relevant today.
On the left of the road we explored a hollow that turned out to be an old mine.
Heading back down Hollow Brook we went down the slippery slope through the forest. The track, strewn in places with stones, looked ancient. The wood was wonderfully atmospheric and we both mentioned the magical nature of these woody slopes.
Leaving Eyam again we passed a couple of ladies dog walking and exchanged pleasantries. The lane through Riley Wood was easy to follow and we met a lady walking 2 beautiful setters called Willow and Clover, very new age. This was an interesting encounter as later in the walk we would meet the trio again.
Riley Graves and the story behind it is harrowing, inspiring and incredible to see in its original location. It is very moving and we were uncharacteristically silent for a while.
From Wikipedia.
The cemetery, on the outskirts of Eyam, contains the graves of the Hancock family who died during the outbreak of the plague that spread from London to the village in 1666. Elizabeth Hancock buried her husband and six children, carrying the remains up the hill to the burial site. Following the end of the plague, Elizabeth relocated to Sheffield to live with her sole remaining son.
We followed the lane to Riley Top and enjoyed the long views over Middleton Dale
Down the hill towards New Road we passed through another small wood.
The beautiful property to the right of our path with its formal gardens started a conversation regarding its origin but we could not unravel it. We thought maybe it had been a school or a gentleman farmers pile, who knows.
We were now in the Derwent Valley looking over towards Froggart and Curber Edges with Froggart in the valley bottom.
Half way down the hill and looking up the valley we could see the distinctive village of Grindleford in the valley and on the hillside. A village with a Harry Potter sounding name.
We crossed the quiet B6001 at the old toll house.
Following the road down towards the river we passed Stoke Hall on our left with its huge pointless lawn.
The river Derwent at Froggart Bridge is awesome. We paused for a while and neither of us really wanted to leave the tranquility of the bridge.
We climbed up from the river back towards the road and over to Knouchley Farm where we were greeted by an excited, medium sized, fawn coloured, spaniel type dog. The lady owner jogged up to us apologising for the dog but in the meantime the dog and Lacey were becoming best friends. The dog's name was Hamish and he was a real cutie. The lady had been running and was returning to her home, the farm. It is really nice when the people we meet on our walks are part of the area and genuinely friendly. As ramblers we need to respect these people and ensure we only lightly touch their lives.
Back on to the slopes of Middleton Dale lies the village of Calver nestled in the woods and fields in the valley below.
We followed the valley down to the village of Stoney Middleton.
The unusual church at Stoney Middleton with its sextagonal centre building seems to have been built in at least 2 stages and although it is signed as being 15th Century I am not sure how much of it remains from that date. It looks much younger.
We followed an old track the rest of the way back to Eyam.
We passed the lady we had seen earlier with her 2 setters. She had done a similar walk to ourselves but in reverse.
We passed the lady we had seen earlier with her 2 setters. She had done a similar walk to ourselves but in reverse.
Back to Eyam and another information plaque on a house on Lydgate indicating the point where villagers guarded the road and turned strangers away to save them from the plague. The information signs in the square at Town End are interesting and worth reading.
We changed our shoes at the car and followed Church Street past the plague cottagers to the little green stocks and information building opposite Eyam Hall.
We had a great walking history of this special location.
The final event was to go to Grindleford Church for a coffee and cake.
Here follows Lacey's photos of our day.
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