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The Tors Entering Cromford, Derbyshire The caption on this postcard says "The Tors Entering Cromford" but it is actually within the boundaries of the Ecclesiastical District of Matlock Bath, looking towards Cromford, along what is now the route of the A6 Trunk Road. The 'Via Gellia' route from Bonsall (now the A5012) joins the roadway just around the corner on the right. On the left, the building you can see was 'Scarthin Lodge', one of the gatehouse-lodges belonging to Willersley Castle, occupied as two separate dwellings - and, in this image, looking somewhat surreal... At first glance, I'd thought it was a church! The roadway along the bank of the River Derwent between Matlock and Belper is a relatively newcomer, since sheer rock faces blocked some of the portions the A6 route now follows. A riverbank route between Cromford and Matlock was made during the 18th century by two Nottingham men, Smith and Pennell, who opened a hotel in Matlock Bath, building routes from Matlock Bridge to the north, and Cromford Bridge in the south (circumventing Scarthin Rock) to serve the hotel. The first cutting through Scarthin Rock itself (along a natural fissure, or 'Nick' ) was blasted around 1815. Successive road widenings after this view was captured necessitated Scarthin Lodge being demolished, and further portions of the rock face being removed. 'Scarthin Nick' is still marked on maps, but 'The Tors' are not! The date of the photograph is unknown, but the postmark is August 1912. (Commentary provided by Rosemary Lockie) References I am most grateful to Ann Andrews for very kindly identifying this scene, supplying background information about Scarthin Lodge, and reminding me of the roadway cut through the rocks alongside the Derwent. Information about building the road is compiled from the book: Dodd, A E & E M - Peakland Roads & Trackways. Published by Landmark Collector's Library of Ashbourne. ISBN 1-901522-91-1 Read more in this Review of ‘Peakland Roads & Trackways’, by Julie Bunting (Peak Advertiser, 18th December 2000).

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Image contributed by Sheila Rimmington on 21st July 2001.

URL of this page: http://www.wishful-thinking.org.uk/genuki/DBY/Cromford/TheTors.html

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[Created 19 Oct 2002. Last updated 23 Feb 2008 - 11:01 by Rosemary Lockie]