Projects
Pathways to Pilsbury
Pilsbury Castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and, in fact, is one of the best examples of a Norman motte and bailey castle in Derbyshire. It is on a significant strategic site in the Upper Dove Valley and marks the boundaries between:
- the geological formations of limestone and gritstone
- the counties of Derbyshire and Staffordshire
- the ancient kingdoms of Northumbria and Mercia
- the feudal overlords of the de Ferrers and the earls of Chester
The Pilsbury Castle interpretation group sought to unravel some of the mysteries of Pilsbury
Castle Hills, involving communities from both sides of the Dove in its researches, including
children from five local schools. Members of the local community, the Peak District National
Park Authority, REAP and Arteamus (archaeological group) worked together to plan and deliver
the project. Matched funding was given by The Local Heritage Initiative and the PDNPA. There
were three major strands to the project - an archaeological survey carried out by Arteamus;
an oral history element; work with five primary schools using archaeologists, historians and
artists. REAP took responsibility for co-ordinating the oral history and the work with children,
as well as providing a photographic record.
Working with Artists and Archaeologists
The schools decided which art form they wanted their children to use to explain and interpret the aspects of Pilsbury. Artists, archaeologists and historians worked together with children both in school and at Pilsbury.
Oral History
Materials ranging from maps to recipes were collated and people's memories of the pathways and trackways through Pilsbury and of Pilsbury itself, were also recorded.
The story of William Proctor
"The original William Proctor came into Sheen area in the 1700s. He had been a packhorse man and he used to travel some of these routes. But he wasn't travelling same road as Rileys came because he'd used one from Sheen coming down to Brund - there's an owd packhorse track down there. He's be using that track from Sheen down to Brund. I don't know why he was using that route because he could have used Hill Lane. We never knew where he'd come from nothing. Family never revealed where his original roots were. But he were a packhorse man and got in with Slacks at Moor House. He paid land tax on Moor House." Henry Proctor
The Animated Walk
The children of Earl Sterndale, Hartington, Hollinsclough, Longnor and Monyash were invited
to become ace detectives. To help the children understand more about Pilsbury and the different
people who had lived in and around the Dove Valley, the team planned an animated walk, taking
the children from the Bronze Age through to the Victorian era.
Final Event - The Grand Finale... on Pilsbury Castle Hills
An exhibition at Hartington included children's art work, the Arteamus survey and findings, as well as oral history material.
All images on this page are copyrighted to REAP.
