Wetton, Staffordshire
Encyclopedia
Wetton is a village in the Peak District National Park
, North Staffordshire
, at the top of the east side of the Manifold Valley. The population recorded in the 2001 Census
was 157. This article describes the location, some of the main features of the village, and a number of places of historical or general interest in or near the village. These include Long Low, Wetton
, a prehistoric burial site unique to England.
Because the post town is Ashbourne, Derbyshire
, many sources of tourist information wrongly describe Wetton as being in Derbyshire.
Peak District
. It is located about 2 miles west of Alstonfield and 8½ miles east of Leek
. It stands high above the Manifold Valley and contains mostly stone-built properties. The village has an inn, and a church, part of which dates back to the 14th century church. The church is unusual in that it has an external staircase to its belfry.
The village gives its name to Wetton Mill (or Wettonmill), which is nearby hamlet on the River Manifold
, and Wetton Hill , which are both in the care of the National Trust
.
There are many burial chambers or mounds in the area, including those on Wetton Hill itself, at Wetton Low (1 km S of the village), and at Long Low
, some 2 km SE of the village. There are also several campsites in the area offering superb access to the Manifold Valley.
The parish Church of St Margaret is the most obvious public building in the village. It is now in the Benefice of Alstonefield, in the Diocese of Lichfield. The present building was rebuilt in 1820, but the tower dates from the 14th century.
The Reading Room, located by the churchyard gate opposite the village green, has noot been in use for many decades. This may have been the "Club House" referred to by Rev. J B Dyson in his 1853 history of Methodism in the Leek Circuit as an early venue for Methodist meetings.
The village school had to close because of falling pupil numbers. The excellent building is now in use as the Village Hall. The old village hall, situated on the road to Wetton Mill, was a corrugated iron construction which was unusable by the 1960s. Children from Wetton, and from nearby Alstonefield
(where the school in a village with a larger population has had the same change of use) now travel to Ilam
.
The former Chapel and Manse are next to Town End Farm, which is the last farm on the north-east of the village.
The Olde Royal Oak public house is famous for the annual toe wrestling
competition. It is said that this sport began there in 1976, but was not raised to a championship event until 1993.
point to prehistoric Stone Age
and Bronze Age
settlements. Items found in Thor's Cave and now in the museum at Buxton
, are said to show evidence of early cave dwellers.
.
Wesleyan Methodist Circuit
was formed in 1870, Wetton was chosen for the Manse. In 1932, the Circuit incorporated various Primitive Methodist Chapels. The Circuit was disbanded in 1969. The first Wesleyan Methodist building was opened in 1828 The Primitive Methodists held meetings in Wetton, but did not establish a Chapel there. However, the Methodist Chapel at Ecton
was Primitive Methodist, resulting from the industrial mission work from Ramsor
and later the Leek Primitive Methodist Circuit. After the completion of the railway in 1904, a building at Ecton became the Methodist Chapel there.
is most famous for the copper mine.
A cave, with several mouths and the centre open to the sky, is a prominent landmark. Immediately downstream from the mill are several swallow holes where the River Manifold begins to flow underground to Ilam.
There is ample parking by the mill, on the site of the old halt, and the cafe is a popular stopping point for walkers using the Manifold Way and the many other rural walks which can incorporate parts of it.
is a prominent landmark, both in the valley, and for some distance around. The cave is clearly visible from the moorland above Warslow
.
The main cave is near the top of a cliff overlooking the river. But the base has a number of small caves only just above river level, which may be reached when the river bed is dry.
crosses the river is known as Weags Bridge. The valley sides are steep at this point, and the road has hairpin bends on both sides. As with much of the Manifold Valley, the road is unsuitable for coaches.
is a prominent rock face opposite the confluence of the River Hamps
. This is popular with rock climbers.
on 27 June 1904, whilst being entirely operated by the North Staffordshire Railway
. The main purposes of the railway were (1) to provide more rapid transport for milk and dairy products from farms around the valley to customers in Leek and The Potteries, and (2) easier transport for the copper being mined at Ecton.
The village of Wetton was a good mile from the station, and the fact that the line followed the valley bottom whereas the settlements served by the railway were mostly on the hill-tops above was a contributary factor in its demise. The line closed in 1934, but in 1937 the route was reopened as the Manifold Way, a fully tarmacked 8-mile walk- and cycle-path which runs from Hulme End
in the north to Waterhouses
in the south.
power station, some 25 miles south.
s.
At one time a wooded area of the valley side near the Low was designated as a "Nature Reserve".
is a Neolithic and Bronze Age burial site of a rare form, unique to Britain. It is about a mile south east of the village, with Wetton Low about mid-way from Long Low to the village.
Peak District
The Peak District is an upland area in central and northern England, lying mainly in northern Derbyshire, but also covering parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, and South and West Yorkshire....
, North Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, at the top of the east side of the Manifold Valley. The population recorded in the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
was 157. This article describes the location, some of the main features of the village, and a number of places of historical or general interest in or near the village. These include Long Low, Wetton
Long Low, Wetton
Long Low is a Neolithic and Bronze Age site in the English county of Staffordshire. It is about 2 km SE of Wetton .It consists of two round cairns linked by a connecting bank- an unusual layout and one that is unique in England. The northern cairn measures 23 m in diameter and survives to a height...
, a prehistoric burial site unique to England.
Because the post town is Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Ashbourne is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales, England. It has a population of 10,302.The town advertises itself as 'The Gateway to Dovedale'.- Local customs :...
, many sources of tourist information wrongly describe Wetton as being in Derbyshire.
Location
Wetton is a small village in the StaffordshireStaffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
Peak District
Peak District
The Peak District is an upland area in central and northern England, lying mainly in northern Derbyshire, but also covering parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, and South and West Yorkshire....
. It is located about 2 miles west of Alstonfield and 8½ miles east of Leek
Leek, Staffordshire
Leek is a market town in the county of Staffordshire, England, on the River Churnet. It is an ancient borough and was granted its royal charter in 1214.It is the administrative centre for the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council...
. It stands high above the Manifold Valley and contains mostly stone-built properties. The village has an inn, and a church, part of which dates back to the 14th century church. The church is unusual in that it has an external staircase to its belfry.
Wetton village
Wetton village is primarily a collection of farmhouses, with the gaps filled in by cottages and a few larger houses. Towards the centre of the village are the village green, the Ye Olde Royal Oak public house, the Church, and the former vicarage.The village gives its name to Wetton Mill (or Wettonmill), which is nearby hamlet on the River Manifold
River Manifold
The River Manifold is a river in Staffordshire, England. It is a tributary of the River Dove ....
, and Wetton Hill , which are both in the care of the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
.
There are many burial chambers or mounds in the area, including those on Wetton Hill itself, at Wetton Low (1 km S of the village), and at Long Low
Long Low, Wetton
Long Low is a Neolithic and Bronze Age site in the English county of Staffordshire. It is about 2 km SE of Wetton .It consists of two round cairns linked by a connecting bank- an unusual layout and one that is unique in England. The northern cairn measures 23 m in diameter and survives to a height...
, some 2 km SE of the village. There are also several campsites in the area offering superb access to the Manifold Valley.
St Margaret's Parish Church
(1) on sketch plan.The parish Church of St Margaret is the most obvious public building in the village. It is now in the Benefice of Alstonefield, in the Diocese of Lichfield. The present building was rebuilt in 1820, but the tower dates from the 14th century.
Reading Room
(6) on sketch plan.The Reading Room, located by the churchyard gate opposite the village green, has noot been in use for many decades. This may have been the "Club House" referred to by Rev. J B Dyson in his 1853 history of Methodism in the Leek Circuit as an early venue for Methodist meetings.
School
(2) on sketch plan.The village school had to close because of falling pupil numbers. The excellent building is now in use as the Village Hall. The old village hall, situated on the road to Wetton Mill, was a corrugated iron construction which was unusable by the 1960s. Children from Wetton, and from nearby Alstonefield
Alstonefield
Alstonefield is a village and civil parish in the Peak District National Park and the Staffordshire Moorlands district of Staffordshire, England. It is about to the North of Ashbourne, drive East from Leek and south from Buxton...
(where the school in a village with a larger population has had the same change of use) now travel to Ilam
Ilam, Staffordshire
Ilam is a village in the Staffordshire Peak District, lying on the River Manifold. This article describes some of the main features of the village and surroundings.- Ilam village :...
.
Methodist Chapel and Manse
(8) (9) on sketch plan.The former Chapel and Manse are next to Town End Farm, which is the last farm on the north-east of the village.
Toe wrestling
(4) on sketch plan.The Olde Royal Oak public house is famous for the annual toe wrestling
Toe Wrestling
Toe wrestling is a sport gaining popularity in the UK. World championships started in Wetton in the 1970s and are now held at the Bentley Brook Inn in Ashbourne, Derbyshire. Top players include Tom "100m" Martin, Paul "Tomatominator" Beech and Alan "fiesty" Nash , who is the current world...
competition. It is said that this sport began there in 1976, but was not raised to a championship event until 1993.
History
The various tumuliTumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
point to prehistoric Stone Age
Stone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
and Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
settlements. Items found in Thor's Cave and now in the museum at Buxton
Buxton
Buxton is a spa town in Derbyshire, England. It has the highest elevation of any market town in England. Located close to the county boundary with Cheshire to the west and Staffordshire to the south, Buxton is described as "the gateway to the Peak District National Park"...
, are said to show evidence of early cave dwellers.
Industry
In modern times, the main industries are hill farming and tourism. However, the number of disused lead mines in the area point to a range of other industries. The most significant heavy industry was related to the construction of the Leek and Manifold Light Railway and mining at EctonEcton, Staffordshire
For the village and civil parish in Northamptonshire, see EctonEcton is a hamlet in the Staffordshire Peak District . It is on the Manifold Way, an 8 mile walk- and cycle-path which follows the line of the former Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway....
.
Methodism
When the Wetton and LongnorLongnor, Staffordshire
Longnor is a village in the Staffordshire Peak District, England. The settlement dates from early times, the first recorded Church building being in the Middle Ages. The village was named Longenalre in the Domesday Book. Located on a major crossroads, Longnor was a significant market town in the...
Wesleyan Methodist Circuit
Methodist Circuit
The Methodist Circuit is part of the organisational structure of British Methodism,or at least those branches derived from the work of John Wesley. It is a group of individual Societies or local Churches under the care of one or more Methodist Ministers. In the scale of organisation, the Circuit...
was formed in 1870, Wetton was chosen for the Manse. In 1932, the Circuit incorporated various Primitive Methodist Chapels. The Circuit was disbanded in 1969. The first Wesleyan Methodist building was opened in 1828 The Primitive Methodists held meetings in Wetton, but did not establish a Chapel there. However, the Methodist Chapel at Ecton
Ecton
Ecton is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, England. The village is just east of Northampton, just off the A4500 road. It was one of the first villages in Northamptonshire to be given conservation status...
was Primitive Methodist, resulting from the industrial mission work from Ramsor
Ramsor
The tiny hamlet of Ramsor in North Staffordshire played a significant part in the origins of Primitive Methodism. Listed in the Domesday Book as Ramshorn, this ancient hamlet is a typical example of the depopulation of the countryside. Very little now remains of this village apart from a few...
and later the Leek Primitive Methodist Circuit. After the completion of the railway in 1904, a building at Ecton became the Methodist Chapel there.
Places of interest
As a tourist destination, Wetton has a number of places of interest within the Parish.Manifold Valley
The main tourist destination is the Manifold Valley. Several places may be noted (starting upstream).Ecton
At the northern end of Wetton Parish, EctonEcton, Staffordshire
For the village and civil parish in Northamptonshire, see EctonEcton is a hamlet in the Staffordshire Peak District . It is on the Manifold Way, an 8 mile walk- and cycle-path which follows the line of the former Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway....
is most famous for the copper mine.
Swainsley
A little downstream from Ecton, this is the site of the only tunnel on the former railway. This was built because one of the owners of the railway lived there and did not want to be disturbed by passing trains.Wetton Mill
Wetton Mill was a water mill for grinding corn, and the remains of a mill stream, along with a grindstone, may still be seen. The mill is long since disused, but the Tea Room is popular with tourists.A cave, with several mouths and the centre open to the sky, is a prominent landmark. Immediately downstream from the mill are several swallow holes where the River Manifold begins to flow underground to Ilam.
There is ample parking by the mill, on the site of the old halt, and the cafe is a popular stopping point for walkers using the Manifold Way and the many other rural walks which can incorporate parts of it.
Thor's Cave
Thor's CaveThor's Cave
Thor's Cave is a natural cavern located at in the Manifold Valley of the White Peak in Staffordshire, England. It is classified as a Karst cave...
is a prominent landmark, both in the valley, and for some distance around. The cave is clearly visible from the moorland above Warslow
Warslow
Warslow is a small village in Staffordshire, England. It is located in the Peak District National Park about north of Ashbourne.Although in the county of Staffordshire, the village lies close to the Derbyshire border, and in fact has a Derbyshire postal address, i.e...
.
The main cave is near the top of a cliff overlooking the river. But the base has a number of small caves only just above river level, which may be reached when the river bed is dry.
The Weags
The bridge where the road from Wetton to GrindonGrindon, Staffordshire
-Geography:Grindon is situated near the southern end of the Peak District National Park. It is at the top of the western edge of the limestone bank of the Manifold Valley, south of Butterton and opposite Wetton on the eastern side of the valley. A comparison of two views north from the village...
crosses the river is known as Weags Bridge. The valley sides are steep at this point, and the road has hairpin bends on both sides. As with much of the Manifold Valley, the road is unsuitable for coaches.
Beeston Tor
Beeston TorBeeston Tor
Beeston Tor is a limestone cliff in Staffordshire. It overlooks the confluence of the River Hamps with the River Manifold, and is popular with climbers....
is a prominent rock face opposite the confluence of the River Hamps
River Hamps
The River Hamps is a river in Staffordshire, England. It is tributary of the River Manifold, which itself flows into the River Dove near Ilam. For its entire length the river flows through the Peak District National Park.- Etymology :...
. This is popular with rock climbers.
Leek and Manifold Light Railway
Wetton was served by a railway station which was opened by the narrow gauge (2' 6") Leek and Manifold Valley Light RailwayLeek and Manifold Valley Light Railway
The Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway was a narrow gauge railway in Staffordshire, Great Britain that operated between 1904 and 1934. When in operation, the line mainly carried milk from dairies in the region, acting as a feeder to the standard gauge system. It also provided passenger...
on 27 June 1904, whilst being entirely operated by the North Staffordshire Railway
North Staffordshire Railway
The North Staffordshire Railway was a British railway company formed in 1845 to promote a number of lines in the Staffordshire Potteries and surrounding areas in Staffordshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire and Shropshire....
. The main purposes of the railway were (1) to provide more rapid transport for milk and dairy products from farms around the valley to customers in Leek and The Potteries, and (2) easier transport for the copper being mined at Ecton.
The village of Wetton was a good mile from the station, and the fact that the line followed the valley bottom whereas the settlements served by the railway were mostly on the hill-tops above was a contributary factor in its demise. The line closed in 1934, but in 1937 the route was reopened as the Manifold Way, a fully tarmacked 8-mile walk- and cycle-path which runs from Hulme End
Hulme End
- Introduction :Hulme End is a small hamlet in Staffordshire, England. It is located in the Peak District National Park about 10 miles north of Ashbourne...
in the north to Waterhouses
Waterhouses, Staffordshire
Waterhouses is a village in the south of the Staffordshire Peak District.It is around 8 miles from Leek and Ashbourne, being nearly the halfway point between the two towns on the A523 road, which roughly follows the southern boundary of the Peak District National Park...
in the south.
Wetton Hill
With a peak at 1221 feet above sea level, Wetton Hill is a prominent landmark. Views from the summit include RugeleyRugeley
Rugeley is a historic market town in the county of Staffordshire, England. It lies on the northern edge of Cannock Chase, and is situated roughly midway between the towns of Stafford, Cannock, Lichfield and Uttoxeter...
power station, some 25 miles south.
Wetton Low
Wetton Low is another peak, almost due south of the village. The name Low comes from its use as a burial ground, with several tumuli. There are also a number of disused lead mines in this area, some in the form of aditAdit
An adit is an entrance to an underground mine which is horizontal or nearly horizontal, by which the mine can be entered, drained of water, and ventilated.-Construction:...
s.
At one time a wooded area of the valley side near the Low was designated as a "Nature Reserve".
Long Low
Long LowLong Low, Wetton
Long Low is a Neolithic and Bronze Age site in the English county of Staffordshire. It is about 2 km SE of Wetton .It consists of two round cairns linked by a connecting bank- an unusual layout and one that is unique in England. The northern cairn measures 23 m in diameter and survives to a height...
is a Neolithic and Bronze Age burial site of a rare form, unique to Britain. It is about a mile south east of the village, with Wetton Low about mid-way from Long Low to the village.