- Joined
- Jan 6, 2013
- Messages
- 5,577
- Reaction score
- 11,228
Have been wondering whether to post this one or not as it’s a bit different and pushing the boundaries of “Derelict Places”. But I guess it is a place that is derelict so thought I’d take a punt. The place in question is Bole Hill Millstone Quarry just outside Hathersage and Upper Padley, above Grindleford Station in Derbyshire. Hundreds of old millstone-grit mill-stones lay abandoned, some stacked neatly – some strewn around, and most with lots of thick green moss on them.
I’ve found a bit of history on the place. The quarry was originally chosen for the quality of the rock. Millstones, grindstones and crushing stones were made here for over 600 years. In medieval times the local stone was used for millstones for grinding flour but then when the move to white bread came, grit-stone was seen as being no good as it made the flour gray. From then on the stones were used for industrial grinding. However the industry collapsed due to cheaper foreign imports (from France) and this forced a disastrous slump in trade. The quarry was almost abandoned overnight and the pulp-stones we see here were left in-situ. They were due to be exported to Scandinavia for use in crushing wood into pulp for the paper industry . There would have been some wooden structures at the quarry but these have long rotted away.
Didn’t really know whether to post this in ‘Industrial’ or ‘Rural’ but went for rural in the end. Either way, it’s a pretty magical place so I hope you like the pictures.
img2690 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2689 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2685 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2683 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2680 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2676 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2663 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2662 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2661 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2652 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2651 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2648 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2691 by HughieDW, on Flickr
I’ve found a bit of history on the place. The quarry was originally chosen for the quality of the rock. Millstones, grindstones and crushing stones were made here for over 600 years. In medieval times the local stone was used for millstones for grinding flour but then when the move to white bread came, grit-stone was seen as being no good as it made the flour gray. From then on the stones were used for industrial grinding. However the industry collapsed due to cheaper foreign imports (from France) and this forced a disastrous slump in trade. The quarry was almost abandoned overnight and the pulp-stones we see here were left in-situ. They were due to be exported to Scandinavia for use in crushing wood into pulp for the paper industry . There would have been some wooden structures at the quarry but these have long rotted away.
Didn’t really know whether to post this in ‘Industrial’ or ‘Rural’ but went for rural in the end. Either way, it’s a pretty magical place so I hope you like the pictures.
img2690 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2689 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2685 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2683 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2680 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2676 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2663 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2662 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2661 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2652 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2651 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2648 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2691 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Last edited: