Via Gellia

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Former mill viewed from the footpath below Slinter Wood. The Via Gellia road is behind the pond and was used to transport lead from the mines above Bonsall to the smelter and canal wharf at Cromford.

Via Gellia is a steep sided wooded 'dry' valley and road in Derbyshire.

It is probably named after (or by) Phillip Eyre Gell in a mock Latin style; he was responsible for building the road through the valley, and the Gells claimed Roman descent. At its lower (eastern) end is the village of Cromford, near to the town of Wirksworth and the Georgian cotton mill, Cromford Mill, built by inventor/entrepreneur Richard Arkwright. At the western end is the hamlet of Grangemill.

The road (now the A5012) appears to have been constructed about 1790 to connect the Gell family's extensive lead-mining interests around Wirksworth with a new smelter at Cromford. However, some sources say that the route was in use as early as 1720 for transporting stone from the Gell's quarries in the Hopton area.

The fabric known as Viyella is a wool/cotton mix, and is named after the Via Gellia valley, the location of W. Hollins & Company's textile mill where it was originally produced.

[edit] Modern history

In modern times the Via Gellia developed a reputation as being a dangerous road due to its disproportionately high casualty rate, particularly among motorcyclists. This was due in part to its relative narrowness, a high proportion of large goods vehicles using it to access the quarries, and its canopy of overhanging trees resulting in a persistently damp surface. Remedial measures, including resurfacing, were carried out by Derbyshire County Council in 2006.