Miller’s Dale

Miller’s Dale is very near to the infamous Litton Mill. The original 19th century mill became notorious during the Industrial Revolution for its unsavoury employment practices. It was at Litton Mill where Robert Blincoe arrived as a child from a London poorhouse. He later wrote a harrowing tale of the cruelty and inhumane treatment meted out to the mill workers, many of the children died as a result of the harsh treatment they received at the hands of Ellis Needham and his sons. They were buried away from the mill to try and hide the truth about what went on, though in reality in those days, few people cared as long as these children were not a burden on local parishes. The mill, now luxury apartments, is said to be haunted by the ghosts of the orphans who were exploited as cheap labour.

The hamlet takes its name from one of several charming and compact dales that lie along the River Wye and provide excellent walking. The nearby nature reserve occupies land that was originally a limestone quarry, which was last used in 1971. This tiny settlement, situated in the narrow valley of the River Wye, began life as late as the 1860s when it was built to provide housing for the workers building the London to Manchester railway. All this has now gone but the dramatic Monsal Dale Viaduct (built in the 1860s to carry the railway line) remains and is now used by walkers taking the Monsal Trail. It has stone piers and a wrought iron superstructure. There is another viaduct to the north, built in 1905, to cope with increased traffic on the line.

The disused railway has been converted to a track for walkers, cyclists, horse riders and less active people, including wheelchair users. Between Blackwell and Monsal Head the trail follows the deep limestone valley of the River Wye for eight-and-a-half miles. It is unsuitable for cycling and wheelchairs at its western half, with rocky diversions around tunnels. Level access is available from Miller’s Dale Station, for half-a-mile west or two miles east.

The Parish Church of St Anne’s is on a hillside, and is comparatively modern, dating from 1879.