Alport

Derbyshire has three similarly-named places, the others being Alport Heights between Wirksworth and Ambergate, and Alport Moor in the High Peak. Better known is this charming village of Alport which stands at the confluence of the Bradford and Lathkill rivers, near Youlgreave. What connects the three Alports and, indeed, is responsible for the place name, is the ancient track known as the Portway. This ancient way pre-dates the Roman occupation and runs roughly south-east to north-west through the county.

The cottages here mainly date from the 17th and 18th centuries, but the village itself is much older than these dwellings would suggest. Much its wealth was found, like so many other White Peak villages, on lead mining.

The surrounding countryside (its lead mining area) was owned by the Duke of Rutland and, by the end of the 18th century, the industry was struggling due to flooding. In order to prevent the mines filling up with water, the Duke had a 4-mile sough (underground drainage canal) built to run the water off into the River Derwent. Begun in 1766, this project took 21 years to complete and, in an attempt to recover some of the construction costs, a levy was put on any ore being taken from below a certain level.

Sometime after completion of the project, in 1881, the River Bradford disappeared underground for several years. As with other rivers in this limestone landscape, it had channelled a route out underground, only this time it was taking the route of the sough to the River Derwent. After sealing the chasm through which the river had joined up with Hillcar Sough, it was restored to the above-ground landscape.

Among Alport’s many fine houses, Monk’s Hall (private) is one of the best, dating from the late 16th or early 17th century and probably, at one time, connected to a monastic grange. Another is Harthill Hall Farm, a gabled 17th century yeoman’s farmhouse with stone mullioned and transomed windows.