Hayfield
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hayfield (SK037870) is a village and civil parish in the borough of High Peak, in the county of Derbyshire, England.
The civil parish includes Hayfield village itself, along with Little Hayfield and part of Birch Vale.
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[edit] Location and geography
The village is located on the River Sett between the towns of Glossop, New Mills and Chapel-en-le-Frith. Anecdotally it is often described as being "at the foot of Kinder Scout", due to its location at the base of the mountain. Contrary to popular belief, most of Hayfield village is outside the boundaries of the Peak District National Park, although Little Hayfield is within the National Park. The village is, however, within the more loosely-defined geographical area referred to as the Peak District.
Today the village is split into roughly two halves, intersected by the A624 bypass (Glossop/Chapel Road). One half contains the traditional village centre, including several shops, businesses, and St Matthew's parish church, while the other half contains mostly dwellings along with a handful of businesses and St John's Methodist church. The bypass was built to ease heavy traffic that once travelled through the narrow main streets of the village.
The village is home to a large reservoir: Kinder Reservoir, located within a short distance of Kinder plateau. This controls the flow of the River Sett, thereby avoiding the risk of flooding that had previously been a serious problem within Hayfield village.
There are several natural springs located within Hayfield village, some of which once supplied part of the village water supply. These are no longer in active use.
Although classed as being in the East Midlands, Hayfield is at the northern extremity of the region and falls more within the influence of Manchester and Stockport.
[edit] History
The village appears in the Domesday Book as Hedfeld Elmer and lies on the line of a Roman road from Buxton (Aqua Arnemetia) to Glossop[1] (Ardotalia). It is also on an important former packhorse route between Cheshire and Yorkshire.
The area was once woodland but this was largely cleared, allowing for sheep farming. Eventually woollen manufacturing became a main industry within the village, and the propensity toward three-storied terraced houses within the village reflects this—the top floor, with its better light conditions, was where the loom was operated.
The Industrial Revolution brought about the creation of several cotton mills within Hayfield, along with numerous fabric printing and dyeing businesses. Other local industries included stone quarrying and millstone manufacturing. Some quarrying still takes place within the area, and the remains of old quarries can easily be seen within Hayfield and its surroundings.
In modern times Hayfield has become a major tourist centre for walking, biking and camping. This started around 1868 when a train line was built linking Hayfield to Manchester. Initially built to carry fuel to power the nearby cotton mills, the train line also bought passengers to Hayfield. It was estimated that around 5,000 people each weekend would travel from Manchester in 1920/30, in order to enjoy the countryside around Kinder Scout.
A short-lived continuation to the line was built in the early 20th century to convey materials and workmen during the construction of Kinder Reservoir. A famous photograph shows a locomotive crossing Church Street (the main street through the old village centre); the line skirted the cricket pitch and continued up the Sett valley, and its course can still be traced in places.
The line to Hayfield closed in 1970 but with increasing car use and good road links with Manchester, Hayfield remains a magnet for those who enjoy outdoor pursuits. The dismantled trackbed of the railway line now forms a popular 2½-mile recreational route, the Sett Valley Trail.
Hayfield church (the Parish Church of St. Matthew) was founded in the 14th century but was largely rebuilt in 1817–18; remnants of the earlier building are visible in the crypt. The tower was built in 1793 and raised (and a clock added) in 1894. The interior is galleried on three sides and contains a notable monument of 1786 to Joseph Hague, moved here from Glossop church[2]. Other than the church, Fox Hall (dated 1625) and an adjoining barn (possibly earlier) are the earliest surviving buildings in the village.
A mile east of the village is the confluence of the rivers Sett and Kinder at Bowden Bridge (a packhorse bridge), from where rights-of-way lead past Kinder Reservoir (built 1911) and on to the Kinder Scout plateau. The Mass trespass of Kinder Scout started from Bowden Bridge Quarry in 1932.
[edit] Modern Hayfield
Hayfield is no longer an industrial town and nowadays is considered a thriving Peak District village with a strong community spirit. Many residents work outside of Hayfield in nearby Stockport and Manchester, or in neighbouring towns/villages, although there are a handful of local businesses providing employment, including farms.
Hayfield is considered a desirable place to live within the High Peak and this is reflected in relatively higher property prices compared to neighbouring towns and villages. An increasing number of residents have relocated from nearby Manchester and Stockport in order to experience a better quality of life, and it is possible to argue that Hayfield is undergoing gentrification.
An annual May Queen procession is held in the village each year, as are sheepdog trials at nearby Little Hayfield in September. Well dressing has recently been introduced. An annual jazz festival was discontinued in the late 1980s.
[edit] Hiking and mountain biking
Hayfield is a popular walking and mountain biking centre; as well as being a traditional starting point for the ascent of Kinder Scout (traversed by the Pennine Way), the village lies directly on the Pennine Bridleway long-distance route (part of which follows the Sett Valley Trail).
Other local destinations for walkers and mountain bikers include Lantern Pike (also accessible from Little Hayfield), a prominent hill to the northwest of the village.
Hayfield is the home of the Kinder Mountain Rescue Team.
[edit] Famous residents
- Arthur Lowe, the actor most famed for his role as Captain George Mainwaring in the television show Dad's Army, was born and raised in Hayfield.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ 10 Walks Around Hayfield, Peak District National Park Authority. ISBN 0-908543-99-5
- ^ Pevsner, Nikolaus (1953) (revised Elizabeth Williamson 1978). The Buildings of England: Derbyshire. Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-071008-6
Ceremonial county of Derbyshire  |
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| Unitary authorities: | Derby | |
| Boroughs/Districts: | Amber Valley • Bolsover • Chesterfield • Derbyshire Dales • Erewash • High Peak • North East Derbyshire • South Derbyshire | |
| Cities/Towns: | Alfreton • Ashbourne • Bakewell • Belper • Bolsover • Buxton • Chapel-en-le-Frith • Chesterfield • Clay Cross • Derby • Dronfield • Glossop • Heanor • Ilkeston • Killamarsh • Long Eaton • Matlock • New Mills • Ripley • Sandiacre • Shirebrook • Staveley • Swadlincote • Whaley Bridge • Wirksworth See also: List of civil parishes in Derbyshire |
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