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1. The History
Derwent is a small village in Derbyshire that was famously flooded in 1944 when the Ladybower Reservoir was created, along with the village of Ashopton, Derwent Woodlands church and Derwent Hall. The Derwent Valley Water Board met at Nottingham to discuss constructing the great Ladybower Dam previously in 1934. Before the First World War it was estimated that the project would cost £750,000 but by 1934 the cost was believed to have increased by 50%. It was also estimated that the dam would take ten years to construct. A year later The Times newspaper reported that the Water Board had decided to complete the programme of works they had begun in 1899, with the third installment of the project and the construction of a third dam at Ladybower. Hence, from that date onwards, Derwent Hall's fate was sealed.
Map of Derwent Village:
Derwent Map by HughieDW, on Flickr
All of the buildings in the village had been demolished by autumn 1943, and the water-level in the reservoir began to rise by the end of 1944. The village’s packhorse bridge that spanned the River Derwent just near the main gates of Derwent Hall (picture below) were removed stone-by-stone and rebuilt elsewhere due to its designated monument status. The stones were numbered and then they were stored. In 1959 the bridge was rebuilt on the Derbyshire-Yorkshire boundary at the head of Howden Reservoir at Slippery Stones.
_98987204_bridge by HughieDW, on Flickr
The main casualty of the flooding of the village was Derwent Hall. It was a fine and picturesque old-gable building, built in 1672 by Henry Balguy, initially as a moderate-sized farm house. His son, also Henry, rebuilt the house two decades later, on an attractive small H-plan manor house of two storeys with gabled attics. After changing hands a number of times over the next two-hundred years, the manor came into the possession of Lord Edmund in 1878. He subsequently spent the next four years transforming it into a house of some style and ambition. He then sold the house to the Water Authorities in 1924 and after that the hall’s days were numbered. It was used as a Youth Hostel Association holiday centre from 1932 until 1943 when the dam was all but completed. It was then vacated and Charles Boot, a notable demolition contractor, employed to dismantle it. The best pieces of architectural salvage went to Boot’s home at Thornbridge Hall, Ashford. Meanwhile, the Derby and Nottingham both acquired oak panelling and other items for their respective Council HQs. The two pairs of late 17th century gate-piers and their iron gates were relocated to Woodthorpe Hall, Holmesfield and Ladybower Dam respectively. The remainder of the house was then reduced to low standing walls (see picture below).
20181118_164632 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Since 1945, only the spire of the abandoned parish church (since dismantled) has appeared during dry periods. The church held its last service on 17th March 1943. The bell from the church was relocated to St Philip's Church in Chaddesden, which was built in 1955. Meanwhile the bodies from the graveyard were exhumed in 1940 and reburied in the village of Bamford. Initially, the church spire was left intact to form a memorial to Derwent. However, it was dynamited on 15th December 1947, on the grounds of health and safety, as people were swimming out to the spire.
s11327 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The site of the village has periodically reappeared when reservoir levels have fallen, notably in 1976, 1989, 1996, 2003 and, of course, 2018. Despite being flooded, some houses still survive above the waterline along with the remains a civil parish of Derwent. As of the 2011 Census, the population of Derwent was listed at just slightly less than 100.
2. The Explore
Was in two minds whether to post this as it’s not your usual exploring. It’s been getting a lot of attention in the press recently and is becoming something of an unofficial tourist attraction. That said, it isn’t normally seen and is still a bit of an effort to get to. It also involves getting very muddy. I remember taking a few pictures back in 1996 when water-levels were low and a few things started to poke out of the water. However, the current level of the reservoir has not been seen for many years. It made a very pleasant wander over a couple of days in November.
3. The Pictures
Starting the walk from the Fairholmes carpark, the first thing you come across is the massive aqueduct:
img9571 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9574bw by HughieDW, on Flickr
If you look carefully you can see the remains of an old Mini Cooper on the bank of what was the Derwent river:
img9471 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9467 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Passing under the viaduct, you immediately come to what was once known as the Water houses. There’s a fair bit to see here:
img9561 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9567 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Fireplace brick with a maker’s name on:
img9558 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The garden path is still visible too:
img9552 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Then it’s the push on to the main attraction – the pretty extensive remains of the hall:
img9449 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9441 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9498bw by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9501bw by HughieDW, on Flickr
An old fireplace:
img9506 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9510 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9523 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9530bw by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9535bw by HughieDW, on Flickr
Steps down to the cellar:
img9538 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9545 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9529 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Finally, a few shots of the other side of the ‘river’:
img9495 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9434bw by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9439 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9435bw by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9427 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9423 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Derwent is a small village in Derbyshire that was famously flooded in 1944 when the Ladybower Reservoir was created, along with the village of Ashopton, Derwent Woodlands church and Derwent Hall. The Derwent Valley Water Board met at Nottingham to discuss constructing the great Ladybower Dam previously in 1934. Before the First World War it was estimated that the project would cost £750,000 but by 1934 the cost was believed to have increased by 50%. It was also estimated that the dam would take ten years to construct. A year later The Times newspaper reported that the Water Board had decided to complete the programme of works they had begun in 1899, with the third installment of the project and the construction of a third dam at Ladybower. Hence, from that date onwards, Derwent Hall's fate was sealed.
Map of Derwent Village:
Derwent Map by HughieDW, on FlickrAll of the buildings in the village had been demolished by autumn 1943, and the water-level in the reservoir began to rise by the end of 1944. The village’s packhorse bridge that spanned the River Derwent just near the main gates of Derwent Hall (picture below) were removed stone-by-stone and rebuilt elsewhere due to its designated monument status. The stones were numbered and then they were stored. In 1959 the bridge was rebuilt on the Derbyshire-Yorkshire boundary at the head of Howden Reservoir at Slippery Stones.
_98987204_bridge by HughieDW, on FlickrThe main casualty of the flooding of the village was Derwent Hall. It was a fine and picturesque old-gable building, built in 1672 by Henry Balguy, initially as a moderate-sized farm house. His son, also Henry, rebuilt the house two decades later, on an attractive small H-plan manor house of two storeys with gabled attics. After changing hands a number of times over the next two-hundred years, the manor came into the possession of Lord Edmund in 1878. He subsequently spent the next four years transforming it into a house of some style and ambition. He then sold the house to the Water Authorities in 1924 and after that the hall’s days were numbered. It was used as a Youth Hostel Association holiday centre from 1932 until 1943 when the dam was all but completed. It was then vacated and Charles Boot, a notable demolition contractor, employed to dismantle it. The best pieces of architectural salvage went to Boot’s home at Thornbridge Hall, Ashford. Meanwhile, the Derby and Nottingham both acquired oak panelling and other items for their respective Council HQs. The two pairs of late 17th century gate-piers and their iron gates were relocated to Woodthorpe Hall, Holmesfield and Ladybower Dam respectively. The remainder of the house was then reduced to low standing walls (see picture below).
20181118_164632 by HughieDW, on FlickrSince 1945, only the spire of the abandoned parish church (since dismantled) has appeared during dry periods. The church held its last service on 17th March 1943. The bell from the church was relocated to St Philip's Church in Chaddesden, which was built in 1955. Meanwhile the bodies from the graveyard were exhumed in 1940 and reburied in the village of Bamford. Initially, the church spire was left intact to form a memorial to Derwent. However, it was dynamited on 15th December 1947, on the grounds of health and safety, as people were swimming out to the spire.
s11327 by HughieDW, on FlickrThe site of the village has periodically reappeared when reservoir levels have fallen, notably in 1976, 1989, 1996, 2003 and, of course, 2018. Despite being flooded, some houses still survive above the waterline along with the remains a civil parish of Derwent. As of the 2011 Census, the population of Derwent was listed at just slightly less than 100.
2. The Explore
Was in two minds whether to post this as it’s not your usual exploring. It’s been getting a lot of attention in the press recently and is becoming something of an unofficial tourist attraction. That said, it isn’t normally seen and is still a bit of an effort to get to. It also involves getting very muddy. I remember taking a few pictures back in 1996 when water-levels were low and a few things started to poke out of the water. However, the current level of the reservoir has not been seen for many years. It made a very pleasant wander over a couple of days in November.
3. The Pictures
Starting the walk from the Fairholmes carpark, the first thing you come across is the massive aqueduct:
img9571 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg9574bw by HughieDW, on FlickrIf you look carefully you can see the remains of an old Mini Cooper on the bank of what was the Derwent river:
img9471 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg9467 by HughieDW, on FlickrPassing under the viaduct, you immediately come to what was once known as the Water houses. There’s a fair bit to see here:
img9561 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg9567 by HughieDW, on FlickrFireplace brick with a maker’s name on:
img9558 by HughieDW, on FlickrThe garden path is still visible too:
img9552 by HughieDW, on FlickrThen it’s the push on to the main attraction – the pretty extensive remains of the hall:
img9449 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg9441 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg9498bw by HughieDW, on Flickrimg9501bw by HughieDW, on FlickrAn old fireplace:
img9506 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg9510 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg9523 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg9530bw by HughieDW, on Flickrimg9535bw by HughieDW, on FlickrSteps down to the cellar:
img9538 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg9545 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg9529 by HughieDW, on FlickrFinally, a few shots of the other side of the ‘river’:
img9495 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg9434bw by HughieDW, on Flickrimg9439 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg9435bw by HughieDW, on Flickrimg9427 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg9423 by HughieDW, on Flickr
