Thursday, June 02, 2011

High Peak - Part One

Late last week we decided to visit the town of New Mills to take another look at and photograph the Millennium Walkway.  We took a break at Chinley which is a lovely village just beyond Chapel-en-le-Frith.  As I took the photo below I turned and saw two goldfinches perched on the cow parsley in the lane; they were too quick for me to photograph  We have a pair visit our garden, in fact they are on the nyger seed feeder as I type this post but I only ever see them through the window so it was great to see them close to and out in the open.

Below is a photo of a little architectural gem the Chinley Independent Chapel, which is in fact just outside the village near the smaller hamlet of Chapel Milton.

It is one of the country's oldest non-conformist chapels and was built in 1711 but the group of dissenting worshipers who founded the chapel first started meeting in 1662,  led by the Rev William Bagshawe who was known as 'The Apostle of the Peak.'

Apparently it cost about £126, raised mostly by donations from sympathisers, to build and is two stories high. I peered through the windows and inside I could see galleried seating and box pews.  There was a huge central pulpit.  The two rows of windows let a lot of light into the interior.

In 1908 the chapel was almost completely renovated.  The walls were dismantled and rebuilt so the chapel looks the same as it did when first built.

The chapel will celebrate its 300th anniversary this year with a series of events to be held later this month.
Across the graveyard and cemetery is another architectural gem.   A bifurcating viaduct which carries two railways lines across the valley.


We'd passed under this viaduct many times on the main road on our way to Glossop or New Mills but had no idea there was an adjoining viaduct or that the delightful little building of the chapel was so close by.

When you actually stop to look instead of passing by it is the most amazing architectural feat.

Our next stop was New Mills,  a walk amongst the remains of the old  cotton factories in the Torr Valley and a visit to the Heritage Centre.  I'll tell you more in my next post.

9 comments:

  1. A lovely post Rosie. I especially like the photo of the poppies in the graveyard.x

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  2. Fascinating history Rosie. If you stop to think how those viaducts were built all those years ago .... amazing!
    xxx

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  3. There are lots of goldfinhes in my garden too and we saw them nesting around Benthall yesterday.

    I love the walks around New Mills, it's been a couple of years (wll more like 4 I think!) since we last went and we want to go again this year! Last time we followed the millenium walkway and then sat underneath it watching fish jumping up the weir. There was lots of work happening around the torrs, hyrdro electric things I think, and renovation to an old mill building. Dave is keen to go back and see how it looks now!

    I'm looking forward to part two!

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  4. Such a glorious view in the first photo! I so much enjoyed part one of my little tour with you ~ thank you so much for all the wonderful history and detail ~ that chapel is amazing! Very much looking forward to part two! Love Brenda

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  5. Gorgeous photos, but the first one just takes my breath away. Thanks for sharing.
    Anne xx

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  6. Lovely post about a beautiful area. I look forward to Part Two. x

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  7. When I went on the train to Manchester we went through Chinley and it looked worthy of a visit - I can see now that it is!! I have noticed loads more unusual finches around this early summer. Did you enjoy the Wentworth Woodhouse programme? I found it fascinating. I'd locw to SHow you around the Estate.xx

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  8. I managed to watch the Wentworth programme on i-player - it was fab wasn't it, and I did say to hubby that you and Paul HAVE to come and have a look round here - I know you would love it. xxx

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  9. The grass is still looking green and lush in your parts. I have Goldfinches around our garden. I enjoy hearing their tinkling sound. x

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