On the afternoon of Sunday 12th May a maximum capacity group enjoyed a walk around Hopkinson's House and historic Wirksworth to kick off DHBT's 2019 programme of walks and visits (find out more about what else is in store and book tickets here).
The walk, led by Barry Joyce MBE (who was a leading player in the town's regeneration project of the 1980s and described by Prince Charles as, 'brilliantly imaginative'), started at the Jacobean building owned by the DHBT. Members of the group were able to go inside Hopkinson's House and see the massive inglenook fireplaces and decorative plasterwork.
The group then managed a steep climb up Greenhill (past the 17th Century Babington House), and in between cottages connected by a maze of little jitties, down to the Dale, along another jitty up to Bowling Green Lane and then down again to Crown Yard off the Market Place.
With the sun beating down, the group enjoyed hearing about how the town grew up as a result of lead miners building cottages for themselves, claiming 'squatters rights'.
The walk wouldn't have been complete without a visit to the beautiful parish church, St Mary's, in its cathedral-close like setting, where Barry pointed out a remarkable figurative 8th century coffin lid.
The 1.75hr tour ended at the recently redeveloped Heritage Centre, where the group enjoyed much needed refreshments!
Many thanks to all who came along and endured the heat. We hope you had an enjoyable afternoon and look forward to seeing you at some of our future events.
