THE FLOODING OF THE VALLEY

Staunton Harold reservoir was created in 1964 – before that time the valley was a place for industry and agriculture. Beneath the water lies a fascinating picture of local history.

Sir Henry’s Bridge was begun by Sir Henry Crewe of Calke Abbey. Sir Henry rode over his half finished bridge on the way to London in 1817, and scolded the men for their laziness, telling them to complete it before his return. In London, the unfortunate Sir Henry was killed by a fall from his horse. The carriage bringing his body back to Calke was the last to pass over the still incomplete bridge. It was never finished but became a famous local landmark.

Calke Mill dates back to 1589 and appears to have been in continuous use until the 1950’s. In 1879 Sir Henry Harper Crewe of the Harper Crewe family, purchased it and the surrounding land. The mill’s last tenant was Fred Bentley who left in 1958, and whose family had lived on the Calke estate for over two centuries. At the time Fred announced, ‘before they turn our old house into a reservoir we shall get a barrel of beer, get all the family together and have a party’. The family still live locally.

Furnace farm now lies under water 200metres from the dam. This was the site of a forge believed to date back to the 17th century. Here, cast iron was worked into wrought iron using hammers powered by a water wheel in a stream running through the valley. By 1735, the old forge had been converted to a charcoal-fired blast furnace. Again water power from the nearby stream was used, this time to operate bellows; charcoal was supplied from Melbourne Wood.

At the time of the flooding, New England Farm and two other small-holdings were also covered by the new reservoir.

Our relatives living a the Dog Kennels at Calke, (now on the edge of the reservoir) also moved out to make way for the flooding of the valley, although in the event the cottages survived. They can be accessed via a private road which leads to the farm on the edge of the reservoir (off Broadstone Lane, Ticknall) or by foot from the back of the reservoir which borders on Calke Park. (Footpath leading from the 'Round Carpark). The road from the Kennel Cottages is the old road from Melbourne through Calke and leading straight to Calke Abbey.