Tried & Tested With Diptyque
Diptyque pays tribute to Mediterranean nature by dedicating its entire summer collection to its inexhaustible source of inspiration for the maison and featuring special illustrations from the young french artist Matthieu Cossé. Summer Essentials collection The Summer Essentials collection pays tribute to Mediterranean nature by dedicating its entire summer collection to its inexhaustible source of inspiration. With inspiration from the Mediterranean landscapes such as those of Italy, Provence, and Greece where Yves Coueslant and Desmond Knox-Leet, two members of the trio who founded diptyque, spent their time discovering the beauty of these landscapes; this collection sees French artist Matthieu Cossé create drawings visualising the world of the summer collection. Summer Body Spray with Essential Oils £45 diptyque has specially developed a functional and beautiful body spray with a base of essential oils of lemongrass, geranium, and lemon eucalyptus that helps to repel mosquitoes. The spray is also scented with soft floral notes and musk to bring forth the feeling of summer. Eau des Sens Travel Spray £90 Diptyque invites you to discover its iconic destinations and to explore new ones through its new travel fragrance, a portable fragrance to take on all of your journeys. The bottle is a traveller, but it is also much more. It conjures up imaginary destinations, taking inspiration from vintage notice boards that were once in airportsand train stations. PRODUCT TEST :: PRODUCT TEST :: PRODUCT TEST Diptyque Paris Travel Spray This was both a beautiful, light, summery fragrance but also a little bit of fun. It came with 72 letters and symbols for me to add my name to the smart black spray container and its own black and white bag, perfect to carry with you or take on holiday. This would make the perfect gift for a friend who has everything !! JP Body Spray A lovely summery spritz for day or nighttime. You can smell the essential oils. Great added bonus of citronella especially for the summer evenings to ward off those biting flies. VP 00
Food In Derbyshire – Mitchells Butchers
There’s no better way to start the summer than with a sizzling BBQ. Eating Al Fresco, or even under the cover of a garden gazebo outside is a delight especially after enduring a grey and dull winter that seemed to last forever. To make it a truly enjoyable experience, throw away the skinny, dubious cheap sausages, the chicken drumsticks with no chicken and the wafer-thin burgers that burn to a frazzle. Instead, do as we did and visit your local butcher. For our first family BBQ of the summer, we visited Mitchell’s Artisan Butchers on the main road in Wirksworth. Parking was easy and the traditional looking shop was inviting. Mitchell’s is independently owned and their focus is on supplying meat from local farms. The benefit of this practice is that they control the quality by choosing farmers who employ good farming practice, for example the chicken is free roaming and ethically sourced. Davey Mitchell is a traditionally trained Master Butcher with a creative flare. So, this was perfect as we could buy meat ready prepared with herbs and spices for our BBQ, complete with advice and suggestions. The burgers were lamb, born just up the road in Hazelwood and raised in Derbyshire fields. We also had beef burgers, the perfect size for our large floury baps, unfortunately our teenagers devoured them all before we could say we needed their comments, but I suppose that was praise enough. The chicken kebabs had succulent chunks of chicken which had been marinated in a subtle Mediterranean dressing, and the chicken drumsticks were chunky with lots of meat, the best I’ve had. Personally, I often skip the sausages, but these had me coming back for more. With the addition of two or three different salads, some lovely wines we were set for the evening. It wasn’t the warmest of days, but hot coffee and a pile of blankets kept us warm and sitting outside until late. There really is nothing like it. Mitchell’s also sell a range of cooked meats, pork pies and meat pies all made by themselves, as well as oven ready meals. ‘The Sauce Shop’ chutneys, Snowdonia cheese, (which I must try) and many other products from independent small companies. Mitchell’s Artisan Butchers, 21 Market Place, Wirksworth, Matlock DE4 4ET Tel. 01629 820261. 00
Restaurant Review – Chevin Golf Club
Times change and so that means businesses have to adapt with them. Golf clubs traditionally have been a pretty no go area for members of the public but all that has changed at Chevin Golf Club, and their latest development reflects that refreshing approach. Light, airy and up to date with the emphasise on friendliness, this is the name of the game for 2022.  We were invited by Manager Andy Mellor to sample the new menu and enjoy the updated decor and furnishings. We chose the best day of the year so far. Bright sunshine and a light breeze really highlighted the beauty of the surrounding countryside, with carefully tendered greens rising to the Chevin hills beyond. The Chevin Golf club rests in a sheltered hollow just on the outskirts of Duffield where beyond the trees the little electric train rumbles along adding to the ambience. Situated just off the main A6 it is easily accessible too. So, what’s on offer? Fairways at Chevin Golf Club provides an excellent food and bar service seven days a week and you can choose to sit outside on the terrace which surrounds the conservatory restaurant, in the cosy Spike bar where walkers (and well behaved dogs) are welcome, or in the bright conservatory restaurant with views over the course. On arrival we were welcomed by house manager Hollie Pace who has a wealth of experience in hospitality locally and head chef Tom Gaskin, who heads an efficient young team. Tom is a very capable young chef very much in tune with modern dining trends, set to establish a reputation for Fairways for its excellent food. On our lunchtime visit we enjoyed a pleasant little complimentary appetiser presented on an edible spoon, of crab mousse with dill, and a Mediterranean inspired spinach cone with sun-dried tomato, attractively presented. As asparagus is in season my friend chose this as his starter, with a perfectly poached duck egg smothered in a rich Hollandaise sauce. I don’t quite know why but the distinctive flavour of asparagus is the perfect partner to duck eggs. The addition of slithers of home smoked salmon were very acceptable. My thinly sliced smoked salmon encased a very creamy mousse with dill, a Tempura prawn added crisp texture, and the granary bread a welcome base. The selection of starters can also be ordered as tapas, and the portions reflect this. From the Gastro mains menu the chef has selected to offer a variety from traditional home-made pie of the day, fish and chips, lasagne: a favourite of my friend and so his choice, to herb topped rack of lamb. The latter was my choice, not the easiest dish as it needs a crispy topping yet succulent pink middle. Mine did accomplish this and I really enjoyed the jug of mint jus and generous swirl of pea puree. The separately served Dauphinoise potatoes were excellent. Sadly the portion was a little too large for me, but far better than being left hungry. Creative to the finish, our desserts were a picture with surprises at every taste as the pictures will show.For me this is a little hidden gem, somewhere I can come to enjoy a light lunch with friends, or maybe a sandwich with a bowl of chunky chips, a mid morning breakfast or if time is short a coffee and pancake. Or a leisurely evening meal for those larger parties. This beautiful setting lends it’s self to hosting your special event or function, and the best thing is that you don’t have to be a member, everyone is given a warm welcome, and the same hospitable service is extended to all. Our thanks to all for a most enjoyable lunchtime experience. To view the menus visitwww.chevingolf.co.uk Chevin Golf Club, Golf Lane, Duffield, Derbyshire, DE56 4EE To book a table please Telephone 01332 840497 00
Walk Derbyshire – Osmaston Park
The A52 Derby to Ashbourne road passes through some of the gentlest rural countryside in Derbyshire. Tiny villages little changed in centuries sit around junctions of minor roads that wander pleasantly between both ploughed fields and pasture. This walk skirts three of them, one barely bigger than a hamlet; starting at Osmaston, the largest, it wanders through Osmaston Park and on to Shirley. Field paths and farm tracks then take us by way of Shirley Mill and into the outskirts of Wyaston. Here a right turn takes the walk back into Osmaston Park, entering the village by way of its delightful green. It is complete with a duck pond and seats to rest and admire the scenery. Osmaston where the walk begins and ends was the home village to Osmaston Park, whose estate employees’ thatched cottages are now much sought after properties. The village church appears Victorian, rebuilt by the architect H I Stephens of Derby in 1845, but from the size of the venerable yews in its churchyard and the mediaeval font, it is obviously built on ancient foundations. While the parkland is magnificent, the 19th century Osmaston Manor is no more, abandoned apart from estate houses and the odd tower peeping over the surrounding trees as seen on the latter stages of the walk. Shirley, like Wyaston is only entered by a short but worthwhile extension to the walk as it passes so close: this village easily dates from the 14th century, but there are even older Norman stones slotted around the church doorway. The remains of a much damaged Saxon cross in the churchyard and a massive yew that was once badly damaged in a gale give some hint of its age. Further on is Wyaston that nestles in a green hollow a quarter of a mile off route, sharing its pub with neighbouring Edlaston, another village with an ancient yew in its churchyard. The Walk From the car park beside the village hall, turn right and walk down the street, past several thatched cottages and attractive brick-built old houses and their gardens. Bear left around the pond to follow a wide bridleway to the left of the park gates. This track is signposted to Shirley and is arrow-straight almost all the way. Walk on between fields and downhill through mature woodland. Go straight on at a crossing, continuing downhill to a causeway between two mill ponds. Go past a substantial one time water-powered saw mill on your right and re-enter the forest. Walk uphill and out of the tree cover, keeping the forest boundary on your right. Go past what appears to be kennels for the local hunt. The water mill was recently renovated and converted into a house. Parts of two long distance walks are used on this walk; the section between Osmaston and Shirley is along Bonnie Prince Charlie Walk, supposedly following his ill-fated route between Ashbourne and Derby. The other is from Shirley along part of the Centenary Way, a walk that wanders pleasantly across the fields of south-central Derbyshire. A surfaced lane continues along the route out of Osmaston Park. Where it meets the lane into Shirley, look out for a flight of wooden steps on the right. Climb these and follow a waymarked path, past a private garden and alongside hedgerows, then across fields. An extension into the compact village of Shirley is worthwhile if time allows. The village sits tightly around a staggered cross roads together with its venerable church where its broken cross is worth seeking out, or maybe the handy pub. This part of the walk is along a short section of the Centenary Way. Follow it slightly downhill towards the mature woodland of Shirley Park. Bear left in front of the woodland boundary, on to a farm track (muddy when wet), following it as far as a minor road. Turn right at the road and go between a farm and Shirley Mill now converted into a private house. Beyond the mill house look out for a finger post pointing the way through a gate and into fields. Walk past the mill pond and then begin to bear left, uphill on a pathless route through meadowland. At the top of the rise, climb a stile and go forwards to the right of farm buildings. Follow the farm lane around a sharp bend and then continue towards woodland marked by a cottage and a handful of caravans. Continue to follow the lane along the edge of the wood. Go past the drive to the first of two farms. Where the lane begins to go left at the second farm, climb over a stile on the right and into a field. Cross this and then over another stile. Follow the path through a wheat field. When the growing crop ends and overgrown grass begins, drop down alongside some trees to the road, reaching it through a gap in a broken wall. Turn right downhill along the road, going past the attractively yellow painted hollow square of Charity Farm to climb the hill opposite. At the top of the rise and unless diverting to Wyaston (return to this point if so doing), turn right and go down a bridle track and then out into fields gradually leading towards Osmaston parkland. With the rather eerie sight of the remnant towers of Osmaston Manor peeping above treetops on your right, go forwards along the track, past a couple of estate houses and the village cricket field to your left. Reaching a ‘T’ junction, turn left along the drive and go through two substantial gate posts, the remnants of the manor’s one time splendour. Walk past the village pond and go back into Osmaston village. Seats around the pond are just made to rest weary limbs and have the remaining drink left in the thermos. A rockery gone wild is in the middle of the pond and pretty thatched cottages make a perfect background. USEFUL INFORMATION: 6 miles (8.8km) of
The World’s Greatest Accidental Explosion
Brian Spencer investigates the worst military disaster to occur on British Soil. The Ordnance Survey map for Derby and Burton on Trent shows a strange feature in the countryside near the village of Hanbury, a little to the west of Tutbury, in Staffordshire. It is oval in shape and obviously deep, but too small for a quarry. As it is certainly not natural and as it intrigued us, we had to investigate. Following the success of D-Day five months earlier, by late 1944, the war in Europe was going well for the Allies; local soldiers from north Midlands’ regiments were slogging their way steadily through the Netherlands and into north-west Germany. Italy had capitulated and a joint task force of American and French air and sea-borne troops, part of Operation Dragoon were clawing their way through Central France, steadily overrunning determined German defences. At home, excitement was building up as pupils from Hanbury’s tiny village school began to look forwards to the December holidays. In the ground deep beneath strata running roughly east-west between Hanbury and Tutbury is composed of alabaster and gypsum, valuable forms of limestone used for purposes ranging from plasterboard, to plaster of Paris. A worked-out section of this area was used by the RAF as a bomb store. It was run by a labour force composed of RAF technicians based nearby at RAF MU 21, plus civilians and Italian prisoners of war, POWs. Being out of the war and mostly non-fascist, the latter were only too happy to help the allied cause. The bomb store was a busy place with ordnance personnel supplying bombs for the steady pounding of German industries and cities taking place day and night, almost non-stop, using thousands of tonnes of high explosive and incendiary bombs. Stores of unprimed bombs came by rail directly from manufacturing points throughout Britain, perfectly safe, that is until primers were installed prior to loading into the bomb bays of heavy bombers such as the famous Lancasters. Unfortunately this system was not fool-proof, unused, but still primed bombs had to be taken back into store with their primers removed, a potential reason for subsequent failure. On a typically dull November day, with children in the village school settling to their lessons, and everyone going about their everyday work; at 11:11 a.m. on Monday 27 November 1944 a massive explosion rent the air as the RAF bomb storage depot at Fauld near Tutbury exploded with a power that was heard scores of miles away; the seismic disturbance was even recorded at the Moroccan national laboratory in Casablanca. The explosion was caused by the spontaneous detonation of upwards of 4000tons of high explosive bombs and 500million rounds of rifle ammunition stored in the underground storage depot, in a disused gypsum mine beneath Upper Hayes Castle Farm near Fauld. How it happened will never be known, but it is suspected that it was triggered off by someone accidentally letting a primed bomb fall on its nose, or maybe using a wrong tool to remove the primer from a bomb on its return to store. This triggered off the largest explosion ever to happen prior to the atomic bombs dropped over Nagasaki and Hiroshima. The Fauld explosion is said to have killed around 70 people both above and below ground. The crater when the series of linked explosions finally stopped was about three quarters of a mile in circumference and a hundred feet deep. Alongside local people as well as the RAF technicians, inexperienced Italian POWs had been drafted in from nearby prisoner of war camps. Whether it was one of these unskilled workers who accidentally caused such a catastrophic explosion will never be known. Maybe one of the live bombs on being returned fell on the floor, or what is more likely, someone was clumsy while unscrewing a primed detonator. Whatever the cause, the result was a huge loss of life. One subsidiary theory voiced during a later enquiry was that it was known for workers unscrewing the detonators to use brass tools rather than wooden mallets as strictly instructed. Metal on metal could easily have caused a spark. Eyewitnesses on the fateful day reported seeing two distinct columns of black smoke in the form of a mushroom cloud rising several thousand feet into the sky; they also saw flames pouring out of the ground at the base of the column. According to the commanding officer of RAF 21 MU at the time, Group Captain Stores, there was also an open dump of incendiary bombs nearby which caught fire, but it was allowed to burn itself out, causing no further damage or casualties. All the loss of life and damage was the result of the underground explosion. 52 civilian workers, RAF technicians and Italian POWs were killed outright and another 18 died on the surface. Almost all the houses, together with the village school in nearby Hanbury were severely damaged and the village pub, the Cock Inn had to be completely rebuilt. Upper Hayes Farm that stood more or less directly above the explosion simply disappeared, killing seven people and all the farm animals along with wrecking farm equipment – the farm was literally wiped off the map. A nearby reservoir containing 450,000 cubic metres of water was breached and the subsequent flooding caused further damage to nearby farms and lime works further down the valley. Fields in the surrounding area are still littered by debris contaminated by gypsum, leaving poor grazing where once lush grass flourished. As bad as it was the explosion could have been far worse if it wasn’t for the fact that the storage areas were separated by impenetrable rock barriers left when the gypsum mine was dug. At the time there would have been upwards of 129,000tons of bombs in store, but only a third of them exploded, enough to cause the biggest explosion ever to occur in Britain. Since 1944, the land taken up by the crater has been made as secure as
Celebrity Interview – Andy Hamilton
Andy Hamilton is holed up in a hotel in Ireland. A week’s holiday with his wife Libby has turned into a fortnight because both have caught Covid. But he assures everyone he’ll be fine for the start of his new tour in Nottingham. He has managed to avoid the virus for two years and describes it as “just like a nasty bug†and “we could be in worse places.†The man who’s known as a comedian, writer and game show panellist – he can often be seen on the BBC’s satirical programme Have I Got News For You – was unable to tour during the pandemic. So he’s delighted to be getting back on stage and entertaining audiences again. “I did various methods of doing a show virtually where there was an audience but you could hear them only a second after you’d said something. “So having real, live human beings sitting there, interacting with them – there’s no substitute for that.†Obviously laughter will be a key ingredient of An Evening Out With Andy Hamilton. In the first half he will talk on various subjects and have fun with the audience. “At the interval I leave a bucket at the front of the stage and invite the audience to write down questions and put them in the bucket. So the second half is constructed entirely around the questions that the audience ask me. “On a good night you get a really interesting mix of questions and for me that’s fun. It stops the show getting into a routine, keeps it fresh and quite often I end up talking about things that I know nothing about.†Andy admits the experience of having to live on his wits is to a certain extent similar to a particular television show. “Have I Got News For You is edited so it always makes you look quicker than you actually are. “I’m 67 now and I’ve got quite a big reservoir of stories, experiences, opinions and jokes, so I’ve got quite a lot to draw on. I enjoy it and it’s lovely for me to meet the audience who watched Outnumbered or Drop The Dead Donkey or listened to Old Harry’s Game or The News Quiz on Radio 4. Andrew Neil Hamilton was born on 28 May 1954 in Fulham. He read English at Downing College, Cambridge where he was a member of the Cambridge University Light Entertainment Society. His early work was on radio, mainly Radio 4. He is renowned for creating the sitcom Old Harry’s Game and played the lead role of Satan. He has also had considerable success on television, coming up with shows with his writing partner Guy Jenkin including the comedy Drop The Dead Donkey, set in the offices of a fictional TV company; five series of the sitcom Outnumbered starring Hugh Dennis and Claire Skinner; and their most recent success Kate And Koji, featuring a working-class café owner in a neglected coastal resort who develops a strong friendship with a regular customer who is an asylum-seeking doctor. Andy says Guy is “lovely†to work with. He explains the idea for Kate And Koji was formed over several conversations and they wanted to write a sitcom about an asylum seeker, a sympathetic figure who would get a lot of love from the audience. Brenda Blethyn, known more recently for playing Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope in the crime drama series Vera, is also a comedy actress. Both Andy and Guy had worked with her in the past and thought she would be ideal for the role of Kate. “Luckily we were able to get her. She’s a brilliant actress. There’s nothing she can’t do. I would work with Brenda any day of the week,†says Andy. He is keeping his fingers crossed that Kate And Koji will be commissioned for a third series. He admits that the most difficult part of his job these days is getting TV companies to stump up the money so that he can make programmes. “You’re competing with lots of people. Money is spread more thinly across different outlets. It’s a more chaotic environment than it used to be. I don’t think there’s necessarily less money – knowing where to find it is a little bit harder. “There are a lot more platforms and a lot more channels so it’s become more complicated for both the viewer and the programme maker. It’s still fundamentally what it always was which is a mixture of very good stuff and terrible stuff. That hasn’t changed. There’s never been a golden age and there never will be.†While Andy is recognised for his scripts, he has also written a book called Longhand – a novel published in his own handwriting. “It’s unique in that it’s a novel published in my handwriting. We think it’s the first work of fiction to be published in manuscript since the days of the Venerable Bede. It’s about a huge Scotsman with a secret. “It’s in the form of a very long letter that a man is reading to the woman he loves explaining why he’s had to abandon her and it just felt right for it to be in handwriting.†He reveals that Longhand stemmed from a visit to the British Library where he saw a letter from Queen Elizabeth I to her courtiers explaining why she felt she should be allowed to decide who she married. “As she gets more and more angry with them there’s more and more crossing out. I thought it would be interesting to write something where you could see the state of mind of the writer actually in the handwriting. It’s a great story as well.†By the wonders of technology the novel is even available as an ebook! Andy writes left-handed after having the thumb removed from his right hand when he was a child. “It was a congenital defect – it wasn’t a practical joke! “I trained myself to be left-handed. But when
The Lost Houses of Derbyshire – The Grove, Darley Dale
The name Alsop (with multitudinous variations of spelling) is by no means uncommon in Derbyshire, if only because it derives from an unique place name, Alsop-en-le-Dale, next to Parwich, just north of Ashbourne. The Alsops had a Norman or Norse ancestor, called Gamel (probably derived from the Latin for ‘twin’- gemellus), who took his name from the place when granted the sub-tenancy of the manorial estate there by Henry de Ferrers before 1086. His descendant remained there until poverty forced a sale in the late 17th century and a tall portion of the family’s Elizabethan house remains as an ornament to the village to this day. As the place name is unique, it is likely that all Alsops today descend from Gamel, although you would need to DNA test everyone bearing the name to establish that most were actually of the same blood, so to speak. Furthermore, the preservation of the uniform spelling of names was in the hands, before the 1870 School Board Act, of semi-literate parish clerks which is why many surnames have sometimes quite extraordinary phonetic variants. With the Alsops, it rested with the duplication or otherwise of ‘l’s and ‘p’s. Hence, TV personality Hon. Kirsty Allsopp and her ancestors, back to Derby tobacco merchant Thomas, all spell with two of each. When her ancestor, Sir Samuel Allsopp, Bt., 1st Lord Hindlip, was first ennobled, he wanted to take the title Lord Alsop of Alsop, but he failed to establish his descent from the ancient family, and the Heralds in 1886 refused and whilst such a descent seemed likely, lack of proof forced him to take the name of his Worcestershire country house, Hindlip Hall (now the West Midlands Police HQ) as his title, becoming ‘Lord Hindlip of Hindlip and of Alsop-en-le-Dale’ (of which parish he had thoughtfully acquired a modest amount of land). He also had to accept changes to the historic coat-of-arms. Back in Derbyshire, lead trader John Alsop of Snitterton who wrote his will in 1798, was a similar case. His descent, possibly from Luke Alsop of Wirksworth, living in 1693, cannot be provably traced to Alsop-en-le-Dale either, although for all his family’s skyrocketing wealth, he was never offered a peerage! John Alsop had two sons, the elder Anthony, was barmaster (legal controller of lead mining) at Wirksworth and was ancestor of the Alsops of Wensley Hall, three generations of whom were barmasters at Wirksworth. The younger son, John Alsop was a lead merchant like his father and settled at Lea Wood, dying there in 1831; his memorial still graces the wall of the former chapel there to this day. He had two sons and two daughters, of whom the elder son Luke lived at Lea Hall, a delightful Baroque villa (albeit facing the chilly north winds) high up in Lea, and married Lydia the daughter of his father’s brother Anthony. The house at Lea Wood stayed in this branch. The younger son was John who was also a lead merchant and acquired some land on the east side of the main road (now the A6) through Darley Dale. Here, about 1790, he built a decent, four-square three storey and three bay wide villa with a top parapet, which he named The Grove. Some twenty-five years later he decided to increase the size of his house, adding a pediment over the whole width of the original villa, and two bay wings of two storeys on either side, but containing somewhat loftier rooms than those in the original part, with the result that the wings were nearly as tall as the main, central, block. At the same time, he provided the garden front with a cast iron trellis verandah with an iron roof. The grounds ran to over 50 acres, but who undertook the landscaping is not known. John Webb, in the 1790s active at Willersley Castle, is a possibility. Indeed, we was working in conjunction with Thomas Gardner of Uttoxeter there, formerly assistant to Joseph Pickford of Derby, and it is not impossible that Gardner might have built Alsop the original villa. The finished house was, therefore, of some size, and was inherited in 1834 by John Alsop, the son, also a lead merchant who, for reasons not wholly clear to me (one assumes financial difficulties or the lure of becoming a gold trader) emigrated to Australia in about 1850. He let the house to Revd. William Hiley Bathurst (1796-1877) the second son of Charles Bathurst MP (formerly Bragge) who had inherited the Lydney Park estate in Gloucestershire from an uncle, Poole Bathurst, in 1804. Incidentally, the ‘a’ in Bathurst is always short. W. H. Bathurst himself had married Mary Anne Rhodes, the daughter of a Leeds businessman, but in 1863, his brother died and he inherited the Lydney Park estate, moving there that year. His successor was a lowland Scot and an Indian ‘nabob’, Robert Keith Pringle (1802-1897) of an old Selkirk family, who had risen high in the Indian Civil Service at Bombay (now Mumbai) under the Honourable East India Company. In 1848 he married Mary Jane, daughter of General George Moore of the Indian Army, but the couple had moved back to England in 1862, following the changes brought about in the wake of the mutiny. At the Grove, now re-christened Darley Grove (confusingly, bearing in mind there was then a substantial house in Derby of the same name – see Country Images August 2015) the couple added a canted bay to the south front along with a conservatory, supplied by Messenger & Co. of Loughborough. Here, at Darley Grove, they reared a brood of five sons and five daughters, and it may have been lack of space that persuaded them to sell up, in 1876 to a Manchester millionaire, William J. Roberts. Within a few years, Roberts decided to replace the house with something more befitting his status, so in 1884 demolished The Grove and set about building a completely in-your-face essay in Jacobean revival, of
Product Test – Weleda
Treat soil, the skin of the Earth, as you would your own skin. Soil, just like our skin, is a living, breathing eco-system. It is the living skin of our Earth. But a third of the Earth’s soil is degraded, threatening animal and plant habitats, and increasing greenhouse gas emissions. For over a century, Weleda has been growing the plants used to make our iconic products using natural, soil-friendly methods. We keep soil healthy and make it as biodiverse as possible by using soil-friendly biodynamic farming methods and collaborating with regenerative farming projects around the world. Our commitment to soil is at the heart of all our ingredient sourcing because it is the key to thriving ecosystems. Without healthy soils, we cannot tackle the crisis facing nature today. Skin Food £8.25 The ultimate natural moisturiser for dry, rough skin everywhere.Our best beauty secret – we’ve shared it with our customers since 1926. Now it’s your turn to discover the secret to soft skin. Harmony AromaShower £8.25 Experience the fresh woody scent of silver and Siberian fir trees, bringing the harmony of the forest to your shower. Harmony Aroma Shower allows you to experience the harmony of the forest in the shelter of a woodland glade. The fresh woody scent of silver and Siberian fir trees mingles with a hint of aromatic lavandin combining the harmony of the forest with a relaxing moment. Arnica RecuperatingBath Milk £4.95 An aromatic sensation, Arnica Recuperating Bath Milk combines the natural power of arnica – potent for aching, bruising and strain – with sensual rosemary and lavender essential oils, and invigorating birch leaf extract. Relaxing in warm water imbued with this soak brings relief for tired body and spirit. Lean back and let recovery soak into you as the steam rises.  PRODUCT TEST :: PRODUCT TEST :: PRODUCT TEST Arnica Recuperating Bath Milk As the gardening season gets well under way so my muscle ache increases. Adding this to a warm bath in the evening helped to relax my muscles. The essential oils were subtle but created a relaxing atmosphere too. GPWeleda Skin food Using this on my hands and legs I was impressed by the long-term benefits of this cream. It is not the easiest to rub in, but it made a significant difference which lasted, reducing the dryness. JP 00
Restaurant Review – The Fishpond, Matlock Bath
Myself and Susan had been invited to sample the Sunday carvery at The Fishpond. It had been a pleasant mid-day drive through the quieter country lanes to our destination: Matlock Bath. It was a warm Sunday and although the main roads were busy the car parks were a long way from being full. The day was beautiful and Matlock Bath was humming with life. After a five minute stroll we entered the tastefully refurbished bar of The Fishpond. The pub attracts families and this is reflected in the pleasant, relaxed atmosphere. It was busy but, with plenty of out door space, it wasn’t packed. We chose one of the many empty tables and enjoyed a pre-lunch drink. The non alcoholic bottled beer I’d ordered was served, with a smile, and in a chilled glass; nice touch. Many of the beers behind the bar are from local brewers. The menu at The Fishpond caters for all tastes and reflects the informal atmosphere. There’s a grill selection that ranges from grilled halloumi with Mediterranean vegetables to sirloin steak with chips, mushrooms and onion rings. Nothing can be more casual than a burger or pizza and the menu offers more than 10 different burger combinations and an equal number of topping combinations for their stone baked pizzas. There’s something for everyone from beer battered fish and chips to linguine served with a choice of sauces. Plus a selection of ‘small plates’ for the youngsters. However, I think there’s nothing better than a lovingly cooked lunch on a Sunday afternoon. On Sundays the first floor ballroom at the Fishpond is dedicated to the carvery where you can choose from the delicious selection of roast meats, a nut roast or homemade cheese and onion pie. The meats on offer when we visited were leg of lamb, roast pork shoulder, honey glazed gammon, turkey, chicken and four different beef roasts. The roast beefs ranged from a well done silverside to a rare fore rib and all presided over by the chef, Elmer de Villa. I selected the rare fore rib. Elmer generously sliced the beef, laid it onto a warm plate and topped it with a Yorkshire pudding. I then helped myself to the delicious looking freshly prepared vegetables. There was roast and mashed potatoes. Carrots and broccoli. Both with a little bit of bite; not overcooked. Sweet roast parsnips, peas, French beans and a delicious cauliflower cheese. Along with the tasty homemade gravy was an onion sauce, a good old fashioned accompaniment to the lamb. Large bowls of all the usual extras were available: cranberry sauce, mint sauce, horseradish, apple and mustard. The beef was delicious. It had good depth of flavour and melted in the mouth, enhanced by the sweet and warm notes from the horseradish. All the vegetables had retained their flavour and the smooth, rich gravy didn’t overpower the meal. Surroundings in the ballroom were very comfortable and the service was extremely friendly. The 1920s ballroom has been restored and decorated in a contemporary style. The room has a fully equipped bar adjacent to a large bay window that overlooks the road and floods the space with natural light. This versatile space is not only used for weddings and the carvery but also live music events and a beer festival. The outdoor space at The Fishpond comes as a surprise to those who only view the venue from the main road. At the front there are a few tables where you can sit and watch the lively A6. At the rear it’s more relaxed with a landscaped, multi-tiered patio. At ground level there’s seating and a Koi pond fed by a natural waterfall. 2 more paved levels have extensive seating plus, during the summer months, an open-air bar. The Fishpond is establishing its self as a wedding venue with the ballroom and its dedicated bar being much sought after. The Raft dining room, an intimate space on the first floor, is also available for hire and private dining, and has been cleverly decorated and restored; retaining many of the buildings original features. The Raft, along with the ballroom, is licensed for civil wedding ceremonies. Our Sunday had been a relaxing day at the end of a busy week. A cool beer, a proper lunch and an afternoon stroll through a picturesque Derbyshire town. 00
Restaurant Review – Denby Lodge
It was a mid-week evening and Susan and myself were out to sample the new menu at the Denby lodge. There’s something homely and relaxed about the Denby Lodge that I can’t quite put my finger on. It feels familiar. The decor helps with its modern, soft palette and mix and match furniture. The staff are friendly and attentive. And the recognisable dishes, on the diverse menus, have home cooked food written all over them. Perhaps the secret is a combination of all of the above. The Denby Lodge was known as a steakhouse and that reputation continues to this day. They serve meat that has been hung for 28 days and is sourced from farms in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. However we chose to ignore the extensive beef steak ‘grill’ selection and instead opted for two meals from the ‘main course’. Susan had the chicken in a creamy leak and Stilton sauce and I selected the lamb rump in a redcurrant gravy; quite the best lamb I have had in a while. My char grilled lamb was presented on the plate with a jug of glossy red current and red wine jus and accompanied by a dish of fresh and tender vegetables. The lamb was cooked just how I like it. It was not overcooked and had just a hint of pink when cut into. It had a slender outer layer of fat that was well grilled and crispy. The fat rendered down and had kept the meat moist and tender, adding to the flavour. The jus had a hint of sweetness from the red currants and a depth of flavour and acidity from the red wine. A perfect balance to the tender rump. Susan had chosen the chicken breast in a leek and Stilton cream sauce. The chicken breast had been poached and was lean, tender, juicy and flavourful. The cream sauce was a careful balance of flavours. The yeasty sweetness and a salty taste of the creamy cheese didn’t overpower the tender leeks but was a perfect counter point to the subtle chicken. Both our dishes of vegetables were identical. Boiled new potatoes, peas and carrots that still had a little bit of bite and a serving of flavourful, sweet, red cabbage that had not lost its colour. And then came the sweet; what a beauty. I’m not a fan of very sweet puddings and the lemon tart appealed to me. A thin pastry case filled with sharp, not too sweet lemon with a hint of a burnt sugar crust came with a dish of vanilla ice cream. Quite excellent. The main menu, that we made our selection from, also has a grill section, burgers and salad. There is also a childrens section, Sunday roast, lite bite and take-out menus. From lunch time till late afternoon there’s a ‘Two Meals for £14’ menu. The bar has an excellent array of cask ales including Marston’s Pedigree and local beers. It’s a popular destination. Whether it’s a table for two or a large party I’d recommend a table reservations for the evenings, particularly at the weekend. There’s also plenty of outdoor seating in the terraced beer garden for those warm summer days and nights. We found the Denby Lodge an enjoyable and relaxing place for a drink and a meal. It has a large, well lit car park and is in the centre of Denby Village, on Church Street. 00
