Richard Gregory

 

Richard has contributed a great deal to the project, especially in relation to Hartington. Below are several memories that Richard has collected from Hartington village residents.

 

A memory from Alstonfield

 

In Alstonefield, (there is) Gypsy Lane and Gypsy Bank, leading down to Wolfscote Dale. (I remember) being told by someone, years ago, and if it is who I think it was he is no longer alive, that the flattish lip of ground at the top of Gypsy Bank was a regular stopping place. This seems possible/likely; the ground shows some signs of disturbance (and) possible levelling off, and the track used to zig-zag down the slope to the river. Present-day walkers tend to take a more direct line up or down the slope and some of the zig-zagging has now almost disappeared from view.

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Henry Brocklehurst - a memory from Arbor Low

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Henry came here often as a boy. One grandparent used to farm Upper Oldhams at Arbor Low, while the other was the station master at Parsley Hay. There used to be a small quarry at the site and every year a Gypsy caravan would visit, parking in the quarry. 

 

From Sites of meaning - a Middleton and Smerrilll Millennium Project - Boundary Marker Stone 13 - Arbor Low

http://www.sitesofmeaning.org.uk/postscript/downloads/booklet-print.pdf

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A memory from Hartington

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An older member of the village who has now passed away, used to tell his son that the Gypsies used to stay in a field up Hyde Lane. It is across the very top of Hyde Lane, and there used to be a lane going across a field on the left hand side. This lane was known as gypsy lane.