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TIDESWELL – PETER DALE – WHESTON – TIDESWELL
TIDESWELL – PETER DALE – WHESTON – TIDESWELL
DISTANCE: Approximately 5 ½ miles
The walk starts at the centre of Tideswell in front of the church which is dedicated to St John the Baptist.
Walk south down Tideswell’s main street, passing the impressive Bank and head towards Cherry Tree Square. At the public toilets walk up Hardy Lane on your right until it meets Sherwood Road. Turn left and walk for about 200 yards passing the top of Sunny Bank Lane.
Just before Primrose Lane go over a stile on your right which has the date 23.7.1957 carved on the top. Pass through stiles onto Slancote Lane and then go straight across following a well trodden path and a sequence of stiles, eventually emerging onto a further grassy lane.
Turn right and proceed along the track to the road junction at the end, where you will see Monksdale House. This track forms part of the Limestone Way, with extensive views of the White Peak countryside.
At the crossroads in from of Monksdale House turn left and follow the road as it drops down Cherryslack to the top end of Monks Dale. In the bottom you will go over a stile on the right and walk up Peter Dale.
Continue up Peter Dale until you eventually emerge at Dale Head where there is a stile onto a quiet little lane. Turn right and follow this road without turning off until it brings you back to Tideswell.
Notice as you pass through Wheston which has six farmhouses of longhouse design, the 14th century cross with representations of the nativity and crucifixion carved on it. This was probably a boundary cross of the Royal Forest of the Peak. There are two other ancient wayside crosses in the area, one is known locally as the ‘wishing stone’ and can be found nearer to Tideswell.
Wheston Hall which dates back to the 16th/17th centuries was at one time the seat of John Shaw, Steward of the High Peak Courts. However the Hall is better known for its ghosts, being those of ‘The Old Woman of Wheston’ who is said to appear dressed in poke bonnet and crinoline dress, and ‘Soldier Dick’ who was in fact a life size military figure that stood in the entrance hall. Legend states that if Soldier Dick was moved from this spot, misfortune would fall on the hall and its occupants. However, Solder Dick was later said to have been buried in the cellar.
On returning to Tideswell you will enter Market Square. The village was granted a market charter in 1250, with markets being held here until the start of the 20th century. Tideswell is now known for its Well Dressing festival which is held in June, although there was at one time another local custom that has since died out. This was known as ‘sugar cupping’. On Easter Sunday liquorice was embellished with sugar or honey and given to children to take with water from the wells.
In a private garden near to Market Square is the remains of the ebbing and flowing well which at one time was referred to as the third of the Seven Wonders of the Peak. It ceased to function however when a new drainage system was laid early in the 1900’s. It was at one time thought that this well gave rise to Tideswell’s name but it is now known that Tideswell derives its title from an ancient local called Tidi whose burial ground is at Tideslow to the north.
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