After sitting at the side of the canal with a warming mug of coffee watched over by our little friend (see my last post) who was probably hoping in vain for a crumb or two we went to explore the workshop and engine nearby.
Above a brake van or guard's van. The guard would be on the lookout in case the brakes had to be used. You can clamber onto the van and see inside.
The buildings have been recorded as the world's oldest surviving railway workshop.
The workers here looking after the nearby railway since c1830. The railway was known as the Cromford and High Peak railway and was built to transport minerals between the Cromford Canal and the Peak Forest Canal at Whaley Bridge.
The railway line was finally closed in the 1960s and in 1971 the line was bought by the Peak Park planning board and Derbyshire County Council and turned into the High Peak Trail.
After looking around the railway sheds we wandered back towards the wharf and crossed the road for a quick visit (time was running out on our parking ticket) to Cromford Mill.
We visited the Mill shop and also the craft shop. We had a mooch around one or two of the Antique shops there.
There were guides in costume for those going inside the mill. No photographs as they were all leading groups of children who were visiting in half term.
I know I've taken you inside the mill before but I can't find the post to link to. I'll edit this post if I find it. In the meantime here is a - link - to the Mill's website for more information.
There were lots of fascinating objects both inside and ouside the shops.
I loved all the baskets. I have three wicker baskets, including a Norfolk potato basket, which years ago were well used but I never use them now other than for storing things in on top of the wardrobe. I remember having a basket for Domestic Science at school as we had to take ingredients into school and travel back on the school bus with the finished product.
You hardly ever see baskets used now. In the late 1960s I used to carry a soft basket in stead of a handbag. Gone are the days of shopping baskets, wicker shopping trolleys and baskets on the front of bicycles. Now we carry bags for life recycled from milk bottles, tote bags or back packs and yet baskets will last for many years. A couple of mine must be at least forty years old. We do take one of them out occasionally for picnics.
I'm always fascinated by old bottles and jars and the details on them. One of my ancestors was born in Staveley where the family had moved for work. Some of the family members stayed there others returned to their original home or moved elsewhere. They seemed to move around quite a bit in a smallish area over the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire borders.
All for now.
I love museums like those. I hadn't noticed baskets disappearing, but you're right - I haven't seen many about lately.
ReplyDeletePerhaps baskets will make a come back, I may take one of mine shopping. I love that kind of museum too, both museums I've worked in were local/social history based ones, one based in a mining area and one in a farming area:)
DeleteI expect if we had walked further down the canal from the wharf we would have seen the red guard's van. We were limited for time as we had parked up by Cromford Mill. It's something to look out for if we return to Cromford. Our collection of baskets get used for storing items rather than for shopping these days.
ReplyDeleteIt is quite a walk down there but the junction now has refresment,facilities and a place to sit for a while. It's around that area that you can see the dab chicks and if very lucky the water voles:)
DeleteThese are wonderful shots. Time well spent.
ReplyDeleteThank you William, it's nice to just mooch around and forget everything else:)
DeleteWhat an interesting place to visit. I could spend hours there. I use baskets a lot at home, for storing potatoes and onions, and picking in the gardens, foraging in the woods, etc. But I guess I never used one for shopping. I did once take an oak split basket making class and name a few which I gave away unfortunately. They were really nice but hours and hours of work. Later I took a honeysuckle basket class and made quite a few, again giving them away except for a couple, which are now quite brittle and only kept for the good memories. They were quite easy to make, actually, but small.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to have been on the courses and made some baskets. I forgot to say we have a garden trug too as well as the shopping baskets and a picnic hamper. Glad you kept a couple even though you don't use them anymore:)
DeleteThere's plenty to see and enjoy at the Mill with the railway as well. I have my eye on those chimney pots with primulas planted on top. I love the baskets too, it's fascinating to watch them being made. You have reminded me that my Mum had a wicker trolley on wheels that she used to catch her tights on, goodness knows where it came from. 😊
ReplyDeleteCromford is one of my favourite places to visit, the canal, the mills both Cromford and Masson and also a wonderful bookshop up in the village called Scarthin Books and well worth a visit:)
DeleteA lovely post Rosie - so much of interest to see at the railway, canal and the Mill. I used to have one of those wicker baskets when I was at school to take in ingredients for domestic science. I love that old jar - I have something similar but without writing on it in my kitchen :)
ReplyDeleteI too love old bottles and jars. I think you would like Cromford and it has a super bookshop up in the village, perhaps you've visited at some point, if not it's well worth a visit:)
DeleteI enjoyed that & of course love railway stuff & the old mill must be fascinating. Ah, for the days of baskets, which I still use for my craftwork (two I made) & a trug to collect veg from the garden when it is producing well, though with weird weather, we've not done a lot this summer. Thanks for sharing, take care & hugs.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed the post Susan. We have a trug too which was a gift, I love to see all the produce from the garden in it, we too haven't done so well the last year or two. Take care:)
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