I've been down and out with a nasty virus all this week but am finally returning to something resembling a human being. This is just a little trip round the village with a tiny bit of history thrown in as my brain is still in a fairly delicate condition and can't do much in the way if thinking right now:)
The photo at the top is the village pub - The Hare and Hounds. Not anything like as large originally as it is now, the far righthand end is the original pub but the central and left hand part was originally little village shops and cottages.
The Village Green with the stone which records our claim to fame - I'm pretty sure I've mentioned before that it was in Dore that King Ecgbert became effectively the first king of the whole of England. Previously it had been divided into the three kingdoms of Wessex, Mercia and Northumbria - he'd already taken care of Mercia before he came up here!
If you double click on the photo you should be able to read the inscription.The 'dragon' is a Wyvern - it was the emblem on the battle standard of the Kings of Wessex and was carried at the Battle of Hastings by Harold, the last of the Saxon kings.
A row of old stone cottages just round the corner from the pub and close to the Village Green.
One of the really old houses in the village.
This is on the same road and is my favourite house - unfortunately it is way out of my price range!
This is the Limb Brook which runs through Eccleshall Woods where I walk with Bilbo Baggins. Doesn't look very spectacular does it? Just a small,rather pretty river - but once it marked the boundary between the kingdoms of Wessex and Northumbria and until quite recent times (the 1930s I think) it still marked the boundary between the counties of Derbyshire and Yorkshire. Then the boundaries were changed and a Derbyshire village became a suburb of Sheffield. We're lucky that it has remained physically separate from the city and is still a proper village. This gives a slightly skewed impression of it as there are of course, many modern houses and shops and the roads are filled with parked cars,but there are still a great many of the lovely old stone cottages and former farmhouses as well. It's greatest asset is the wonderful countryside all round - the moors, the woods and still a few working farms.There are connections with Robin Hood round here as well - forget Nottingham, Robin Hood came from Sheffield and Little John is buried in Hathersage!! But that will have to be for another time.
19 comments:
Your village looks like such a pretty place. the house that you like..the pricey one..reminds me of the old Post Office in Tintagel, Cornwall. I do love the history too..unfortunatly, history in our town only goes back to about 1800.
Glad to hear you are feeling human again.
A lovely post, Rowan, and what a picturesque village you live in. We used to visit Derbyshire quite often when I was a girl. We lived at a place called Ash Bank, on the A52 in Staffordshire. My sister still lives in the same house.
Rowan,
Of course I love the stone buildings and the ancient history. It warms my heart and draws me like a magnet to plan a future visit.
Now you add the spectre of Robinhood and Little John. My goodness woman, have you no shame. My favorite characters of all time! If you tell me Will Scarlet was from there also, I'll be beside myself.
This is a great recovery post. I'm glad you're on the mend.
rel
So glad to hear you`re feeling better Rowan and what a beautiful village! I wouldn`t mind living in that house either....imagine....wow.
Thanks for posting about it. I love reading your posts.
tea
xo
What a pretty village you live in - and loved your favourite house too. My eldest daughter is now at University in Sheffield so I shall have to drive through Dore next time I'm up that way (OH is doing the trip next weekend). I stopped overnight in Hathersage after dropping her off in the autumn - never knew the Little john Connection
On your first picture is the building has cedar siding?
Oh what a neat village.
what a pretty village. that old house is just beautiful. I love old houses two. I will never own one either, but at least we can appreciate them.
What a pretty village, it looks. I especially like the very old houses, in particular the one who's windows look very low on the ground. The beck in the woods is so beautiful and is a little bit like a special place near where I live.
Dora, the building is all stone built and as far as I know the white bit is just painted - shall have to go and have a closer look! Pretty sure there is no cedar siding though, that kind of thing is found much more in the southern and eastern counties.
Your village is so quaint and pretty. Our village is slowly being swallowed by the metropolis beyond, in fact it is described as a Pennine Township. we have a lot of old buildings too, mixed in with too much new housing. But I can still see my hills, so I am happy.
England has to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. At least the rural parts are. I adore the south-west (Somerset and Dorset) and parts of Wales which are still so untouched.
Hope you're feeling better ~ don't forget to rest and drink plenty :)
I used to go walking in Derbyshire...I live on the tip of Warks quite near to Staffs and Leics so Derbyshire is not too far away. You live in such a pretty village.
BTW I hope your daughter-in-law is feeling better. She's been in my prayers.
Oh how I love the photos that you post!! Just beautiful ... thanks!
Jackie, sometimes homesick in Ontario
Lovely tour of this village and that photo with the brook is my favorite.Stay well. :)NG
the photos remind me of the setting of the movie "the holiday" with kate winslet, jude law and that american woman......
What a beautiful quaint village, Rowan. I do love those stone buildings...
These are Lovely photos!
Thank you.
:-)
Lovely to see Dore before I go to bed, Rowan :-). I was there last week and will be back in March - we MUST get together for a cuppa - or something stronger :-).
When is the Well Dressing this year? Do you get involved in that?
Rowan, you have crafted a lovely blog entry with exquisite photos, and I so enjoyed walking through your village with you, loved reading about the history of your homeplace too (am something of a student of the kingdoms of Wessex and Mercia). I hope you are feeling better - there are a number of nasty viruses making the rounds at present, and they all seem to leave one feeling weak and shaky for several days. Bilbo Baggins will certainly be happy when you are able to go for walks with him again!
Wow, these are some beautiful images Rowan. It certainly brings to mind the weekend countryside walks my parents used to take me on. The ones I often begrudged as a child but am now eternally grateful for as I recall the fun we had.
Thanks for the memories!
Linda Morrison
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