Rockwood Pigments, Matlock Jan 2017

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mookster

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Landie Man decided he wanted to see the Royalty in Birmingham whilst the going was good, I asked to tag along as something to do so after that we popped a little bit further north with the company of a couple of non member newbies.

I dunno what was up with me as I wasn't really 'feeling it' today, I guess we all have those days when you've been doing this for a long time. Still I was impressed by the boundless enthusiasm of the newbies, despite the day being more miss than hit after the Royalty.

Rockwood Pigments Factory is located under High Tor cliffs in Matlock Bath, Derbyshire. The factory is now empty and faces an uncertain future. It is known as the High Tor Works.

Originally called Viaton, it was originally established for mining iron ore but after this was worked out in 1850 the waterwheel was used to grind white lead. At the end of the century the Via Gellia Colour Company took over, installing a turbine to drive four pairs of Peak stones which for the next twenty years ground iron oxide. Then bone char, the waste product from sugar refining, was ground until the late 1960s. Later the site was used for blending pre-ground chemically-produced colour products for use in paving slabs and other cement products. Finally the site became part of the Rockwood group.

There is a mine entrance uncovered if anyone is interested in that kind of thing, I don't do mines so only gave it a cursory look.

I last visited Matlock as a kid of around eight years old, back when Riber Castle was still an operational zoo and not converted into apartments. I had forgotten just how beautiful a place the town is, it really is lovely indeed even in the depths of January.

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Thanks for looking, more photos here https://www.flickr.com/photos/mookie427/albums/72157676088795343 ;)
 
Lovely part of the country...the first two pics send a bit of a shudder, whatever's down there lol
 

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