Boat house, Rudyard lake

Just as it said in the title a boat house on Rudyard lake.

Getliffes Yard

On Derby Street is the hidden entrance to Getliffes Yard,three cottages and stables that have stood since the early 19th Century. Today restored to its former lively character, it is a vibrant community of shops, businesses and cafes, on original cobblestones below a magnificent glass dome.
Local legend has it that a witch lived here in times past along side a baker. The baker noticed that when ever the witches black cat was near by all the baking was ruined. so one day the baker threw a hot oat cake at the cat hitting it on the back and then chased it into the witches house. In the house there was no sign of the cat but the witch was howling in pain from a burn on her back.

York street

It's not the biggest street in Leek and it does not have the benefit of a great location, but it must rank as one of the best kept streets in the whole town. Nearly every house has a glowing display of flowers, each trying to out do the other for colour and variety and all done with out any formal discussion on the part of the householders.

Colloco

From an old business to a new and successful one meet Colloco one of a crop of new and exciting businesses that have started to grace Leek's streets. I've picked this one out as it also has a great on line store so you can all have a look around inside.

Mortons

A step back from yesterdays shot, showing the whole of the building. Morton's was a local shop that seemed not to change from year to year, until it just closed down.

Door

Door to an abandoned building in Leek

Hotel Rudyard

The saying goes that “There's a book inside all of us”, well here is a chance to let your book out. The wonderful people over at Blurb have given me 3 vouchers worth £30 off a Blurb book and to be in with a chance at winning all you need to do is pop over to my other blog 365 to 42 and follow the instructions.

Set back from the lake is the imposing Hotel Rudyard, a great setting for a wedding or just a nice spot to have a pint after a stroll around the lake.

Dam end

The saying goes that “There's a book inside all of us”, well here is a chance to let your book out. The wonderful people over at Blurb have given me 3 vouchers worth £30 off a Blurb book and to be in with a chance at winning all you need to do is pop over to my other blog 365 to 42 and follow the instructions.

Today's photo is taken from the other end, the dam end, of Rudyard lake

Competition time

The saying goes that “There's a book inside all of us”, well here is a chance to let your book out. The wonderful people over at Blurb have given me 3 vouchers worth £30 off a Blurb book and to be in with a chance at winning all you need to do is pop over to my other blog 365 to 42 and follow the instructions.

Today's photo was taken some time ago at Rudyard lake.

Top of the Roache's

The highest point on the Roache's at 505 meters, hard to believe that I was lost on this very spot in a blizzard less than a year before.

The Earl Grey, Leek

The Earl Grey, Leek, presumably named after Charles Grey, the 2nd Earl Grey leader of the Whigs, who abolished slavery in the British Empire.

Waterfall 3 shires head

Waterfall at three shires head.

The Black lion, Butterton

Just opposite the church lies an other center of village activity the Black lion pub.

St Bartholomew’s Church

St Bartholomew’s Church in Butterton was built in 1871 to a design by architect Ewan Christian. It stands on the site of an earlier house of worship of which only a small amount of fabric and the original font have survived. The sharp spire was added in 1879 by Sugden and serves as a striking landmark for miles around, vying in competition with the spire of neighbouring Grindon Church.

Thor's cave 2

Looking up at Thor's cave from the valley floor

St Luke's Leek

In 1845 a district of ST. LUKE was formed out of St. Edward's parish; it covered the eastern part of Leek and Lowe township, including most of the eastern side of Leek town, and also Tittesworth township.Benjamin Pidcock, minister 1845–82, at first held services in a room over a stable in the yard of the Black's Head inn in Derby Street. In 1846 land bounded by Queen Street and Fountain Street was bought as the site for a church and school, and with the opening of the school in 1847 services were transferred there.The church was consecrated in 1848.

St. Luke's church consists of a chancel with a north vestry and a north organ chamber, an aisled nave of five bays with a south porch, and a west tower with a south-east turret. Built of sandstone in a Gothic style, it was designed by F. J. Francis of London, here is a drawing done at that time.In 1979 St. Luke's parish became part of the new Leek parish, with its vicar becoming a team vicar.

Froghall wharf 2

An other view of the main building at Froghall, for more details see my post from last month here.

London mill

London Mill, built at a time when the Ashbourne Road it fronts was called London Road, was built in 1853 for an unknown silk spinner and was purchased in 1863 by Brough, Nicholson and Hall whose names are set in stone over the door. This firm moved from smaller premises in Union Street and traded at London Mill until around 1960 when they sold the mill to Job White and Sons Limited. The premises, derelict in 2002 is now proposed for conversion to retail, business and residential uses. The exterior is substantially as built with nineteen bays, the three central of which support an elegant pediment. See this drawing of how it looked just after it was finished.

Too much

When it all gets too much, an over grown green house

Wall to wall doors

More old doors put to good use

No 26

Recycled door put to good use

Looking good

Looking back over the plots towards Beggers lane

Home sweet home

A place to rest after a hard days work.

From the management

The notice board warning that egg thieves are about. There is also a web address to the website of the Leek Allotment Holders and Gardeners Association

Wild flowers

Wild flowers and crops

Leeks Allotments

Allotment gardens are characterised by a concentration in one place of a few or up to several hundreds of land parcels that are assigned to individuals or families. In allotment gardens, the parcels are cultivated individually, contrary to other community garden types where the entire area is tended collectively by a group of people.

The individual size of a parcel ranges between 200 and 400 square meters, and often the plots include a shed for tools and shelter. The individual gardeners are organised in an allotment association which leases the land from the owner who may be a public, private or ecclesiastical entity, provided that it is only used for gardening (i.e. growing vegetables, fruits and flowers), but not for residential purposes.

The gardeners have to pay a small membership fee to the association, and have to abide by the corresponding constitution and by-laws. However, the membership entitles them to certain democratic rights.

That's according to Wikipedia, for me they represent a great photo opportunity, so a weeks worth of shots from Leeks Allotments

Hazelhurst aqueduct

The Hazelhurst aqueduct just outside of Denford

Lake view

View from the hills just above Rudyard lake.

Red brick mill

On of Leeks finest old mills, greeting visitors to Leek coming in on the Ashbourne road

Foxt village church

Another shot of the wonderful village church in Foxt

Thor's cave

The view from inside Thor's cave .