BACK FROM THE DEEP
THE remains of a lost Derbyshire village which was submerged have been revealed.
Derwent was “drowned” in 1944 – with its limestone cottages, a church, the stonebuilt country house Derwent Hall – and the neighbouring village of Ashopton – to make room for a reservoir to serve the growing populations of Derby, Nottingham, Leicester and Sheffield.
Ladybower, as it came to be known, was made famous by the WWII Dambusters, who used it for practice bombing missions.
But this year’s long, hot summer caused the water levels to drop, revealing the remains of the lost village of Derwent.
For only the third time in 80 years, visitors have the rare chance of being able to see what is left of the village.
Derwent’s pump house can be seen in full view now that the waters have receded.
And remains of the village are so exposed that visitors can walk right up to them and explore the ruins.
Dave Ashton, from the Peak District’s Upper Derwent Visitor Centre, told the BBC it was a very rare occurrence for the buildings could be seen. The last time he saw them was in 1995 – and the long, hot summer of 1976.
Mr Ashton said: “The dry spring and summer has lowered the water levels of the reservoir and, in the last four weeks, the remains have become visible.
“Visitor numbers are soaring because of it. People are walking in the exposed village.”
However, earlier this month a man had to be rescued after he got stuck in “extremely thick mud”
The Edale Mountain Rescue Team had to be called out on November 3, when it took 30 minutes to free the man.
Memories of the nearby village of Ashopton were saved for future generations in the form of a photographs published last year on a series of postcards.
They show locals on horseback riding through the village, others congregating outside the village inn – and a couple called “Mr and Mrs Winthorpe” outside a cottage.
Among the buildings lost in the 1940s were Ashopton’s inn and village hall, its Post Office and Methodist chapel.
The one monument that still exists is Ashopton Viaduct, which is now a bridge across the Ladybower on the A57.