"So, Dad, what would you like to do for Fathers Day?"
"Well, I quite fancy going for a walk...."
Silly question really!
Jamie, Andy & Kirstie suggested a wander around some of the weekend's new well-dressings - a cracking idea: I'd stumbled across a couple of well-dressings on previous walks in previous years but mostly our visits to the Peak District have been at the wrong time of year & I hadn't realised that this revived Pagan tradition has become a summer-long fest!
Started out in Mayfield, Staffordshire, originally a Saxon village which appears in the Domesday Book as Mavreveldt
Crossing the River Dove took us into Derbyshire but we didn't use the Toad Hole footbridge, that's a little to the south & closer to Snelston - not on today's walk!
Mayfield is a fascinating area with its own heritage trail around the different 'bits' of the village; Jamie & Andy explored this & 'discovered' another 2 well-dressings while we set off for Church Mayfield & a more adventurous route to our lunchtime pub rendezvous!
Mayfield was, for a time, home to Byron's close friend, the Irish poet Thomas Moore - his daughter, Olivia Byron Moore, is buried in St John's churchyard
Song of the Day : 'Lalla Rookh' by Fairport Convention - an early 19th century Thomas Moore ballad, probably composed whilst living in Mayfield
Church of St John the Baptist, Church Mayfield
I'd read that bullet holes can still be seen in the west door & surrounding woodwork - a legacy of Bonnie Prince Charlie's bad-tempered retreat from Derby in 1745
Villagers took refuge here but several, including a local innkeeper, were murdered
Crossed the Dove through the site of Mayfield Mill & made our way to Clifton, original site of an 18th century mill possibly built by James Brindley but now more famous as the Down'Ards goal in Ashbourne's Royal Shrovetide Football Match!
Whilst murder or manslaughter is against the rules, unnecessary violence is only 'frowned upon'!
Other than that it's simply a case of getting the ball from Ashbourne to your own goal & tapping it 3 times on your goal-marker
Anybody can join in & it became 'Royal' in 1928 when the Prince of Wales (Edward VIII) turned up for a game!
On Shrove Tuesday & Ash Wednesday the shop windows of Ashbourne are boarded-up & visitors advised to park their cars well away from the town centre - ironic that the game's 'Turning Up' (start!) is in the middle of the town's biggest car park!
We looked at a house in Clifton, a converted bakery, & really liked the village.... I think we might be safer in Ipstones!
Beautifully-carved memorial seat to a keen Shrovetide participant for over 20 years - sited close to the Down'Ards goal
Beyond Clifton it was a little bit of ambitious route-finding over the fields to Edlaston.... this bit was easy 'cos it was waymarked - other bits were not quite so straightforward & a little nettly to say the least!
While this is a lovely photo of Kirstie I'd have to admit to being just as smitten with the stile! I've come across very few of this design in all my years of walking....
Sorry Kid!
After a battle through woodland, undergrowth & streams we finally reached Edlaston & our second well-dressing: Bishop's Well opposite St James Church
The church itself is tucked away behind trees but having caught a glimpse of the unusual tower I couldn't resist a closer look
Having exhausted the attractions of Mayfield, Jamie & Andy had arrived at 'The Shire Horse' & were wondering what was keeping us!
Excellent pub in a lovely setting: we'll be back & probably to eat - their food looks very good
Full of Fathers today but we had a finer plan in mind!
Beer of the Day : Sharp's 'Doom Bar' - an old favourite!
Only a few hundred yards along the lane from 'The Shire Horse' is the village of Wyvaston & another well-dressing
It seems that it's quite usual for villages close to each other to dedicate their wells on similar dates - ideal for visitors & particularly good for walking visitors who can string several villages, & wells, together
Despite the Pagan origins, well-dressing & their dedication is now closely associated with the Church & many depict Christian scenes & themes
We may just have identified a theme for some of our walks over the coming weeks!
Back at the beginning & one that we'd missed hidden away in Mayfield
This commemorates the centenary of Moorcroft Pottery in Stoke
William Moorcroft worked as a designer for MacIntyre & Co but formed his own company in 1913, going on to become Potter to Queen Mary in 1928
Moorcroft current designer, Rachel Bishop, is only their fourth in 100 years
All that remained was to head back to Ipstones for a barbecue & a few glasses of wine
Splendid Fathers Day outing!
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