chris542071 Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 I had a book on it, but I sold it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nodens Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 Time to jump into the Time Machine and travel back over the decades. This brings me to the late-1950's. There was a bad drought that caused the reservoirs and dams to drop their water level considerably. Unbelievably, the Derwent Dam became a mere puddle and fully exposed the village church that normally lay beneath its surface. I actually set foot in that ruined church while the dam was at an all-time low. It was such an eerie experience. Can anyone shed any light at all on the village and the church prior to the dam being built? There are some good books by Vic Hallam about the Derwent Dams that contain many excellent old photos. They are: Silent Valley, Silent Valley at War (1939-45) and Towers of Strength. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harleyman Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 Wasn't there a suicide by drowning in that dam back in 1953/4 if anyone is around who is old enough to remember? The suicide was a girl in her teens and there was quite a lot about it in the papers and a widespread hunt. After she was found the coroner ruled suicide and apparently the girl had been suffering from stomach ailments and was depressed over it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Foster Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 I went to derwent in the mid 90s with my son and my parents , we walked around the ruins , you could actually walkdown steps into what would have been peoples houses , totally eerie , fantastic thread by the way oh and i'v talked about the plughole overflowing at ladybower to my wife and how scary it was to a young boy , she doesn't beleive me can't wait to show her this thread lol , thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Squirrel Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 I went to derwent in the mid 90s with my son and my parents , we walked around the ruins , you could actually walkdown steps into what would have been peoples houses , totally eerie , fantastic thread by the way oh and i'v talked about the plughole overflowing at ladybower to my wife and how scary it was to a young boy , she doesn't beleive me can't wait to show her this thread lol , thanks I have walked in the ruins several times myself and quite agree with the eerie feeling and if you go there after dark and stand in the valley just below the Derwent dam, the size of that thing seems ten times larger with all the shadows etc.. it gives me the goosebumps just thinking about it, i love the place and those 2 old dams and would love to take a walk through the tunnels. Dr Foster, i would highly recommend taking the wife to look at the big overflows both when they are at correct/low level but more so when its in flood and watch the whirlpools take everything down with that spectacular but frightening 'gurgleing' noise........then take her to the valey at the bottom of the dam and watch the water pouring over the top......fantastic Again, Fantastic thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Foster Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 I have walked in the ruins several times myself and quite agree with the eerie feeling and if you go there after dark and stand in the valley just below the Derwent dam, the size of that thing seems ten times larger with all the shadows etc.. it gives me the goosebumps just thinking about it, i love the place and those 2 old dams and would love to take a walk through the tunnels. Dr Foster, i would highly recommend taking the wife to look at the big overflows both when they are at correct/low level but more so when its in flood and watch the whirlpools take everything down with that spectacular but frightening 'gurgleing' noise........then take her to the valey at the bottom of the dam and watch the water pouring over the top......fantastic Again, Fantastic thread. Mr Squirel , TUNNELS , please tell more you have undivided attention , as for the overflows that is what scared me as a child , it made a massive noise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djelibeybi Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 Mr Squirel , TUNNELS , please tell more you have undivided attention , as for the overflows that is what scared me as a child , it made a massive noise Dr Foster I assume Mr Squirrel's referring to the tunnels which run under / inside the base of the dam walls. My aunt's father walked through the base of Derwent Dam wall in those tunnels once, and is reported to have commented that they suffered (allegedly) from permanent leaks / damp, but the experience was second to none! Those plugholes gave me the ebbie jeebies when I was a nipper, and still strike terror in my heart as an adult! Damn amazing bit of engineering though! (Intentional pun!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plain Talker Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 I went to derwent in the mid 90s with my son and my parents , we walked around the ruins , you could actually walkdown steps into what would have been peoples houses , totally eerie , fantastic thread by the way oh and i'v talked about the plughole overflowing at ladybower to my wife and how scary it was to a young boy , she doesn't beleive me can't wait to show her this thread lol , thanks welcome to the forum, Doctor foster! There are pictures of the "terrifying plughole-thingies" earlier in the thread, one of the contibutors back then posted links to some astounding photos of the dam, which you could show your wife. ( s to mrs-docfoster). Derbyshire is fabulously picuresque, but even the photos of the gigantic plugholes at the dam brings back the feeling of terror I felt as a kid, seeing them and being scared utterly rigid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ousetunes Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 Derbyshire is fabulously picuresque, but even the photos of the gigantic plugholes at the dam brings back the feeling of terror I felt as a kid, seeing them and being scared utterly rigid. As I mentioned earlier, when the reservoir was officially opened by the King and Queen, there was a stone arched walkway which circumnavigated the plug-hole (the one near the Bamford Road). This can be clearly seen in numerous photographs. I would have loved to have had the opportunity to walk round the plug-hole and look right down it - and yes, I'd probably have been bricking myself!! Superb piece of engineering and when one stands beneath Ladybower reservoir wall one has two thoughts: 1 - Am I safe here? and 2 - Just how do they mow that grass? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plain Talker Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 As I mentioned earlier, when the reservoir was officially opened by the King and Queen, there was a stone arched walkway which circumnavigated the plug-hole (the one near the Bamford Road). This can be clearly seen in numerous photographs. I would have loved to have had the opportunity to walk round the plug-hole and look right down it - and yes, I'd probably have been bricking myself!! Superb piece of engineering and when one stands beneath Ladybower reservoir wall one has two thoughts: 1 - Am I safe here? and 2 - Just how do they mow that grass? Must have a search for the pics of the walkway thingies... how scary would they be? talk about "cacks-ville!" As for the mowing of the grass, YIPE! Scary concept! (I imagine they do what is done by the council on some very steep, tall banks, which is to let the mowers down,, very carefully on ropes as they are operating. Which probably contravenes any number of H&S regs, too ) (as you've probably guessed, I don't "do" heights"! lol ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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