Restaurant Review – Jeera, Codnor
The British love affair with ‘Indian’ cuisine has come a long way in the past 50 years. From the days when anything with a hint of chili and a whiff of cumin was called a curry, to today when we can dine on authentic regional variations from the subcontinent. For example Eastern Indian cuisine is primarily known for its desserts. Where as Vindaloo is a traditional Goan dish from western India; an Indian restaurant mainstay. The cuisine of the countries and regions in the north, including Bangladesh, reflect a strong Mughal influence. It is characterized by a high use of dairy: milk, paneer (an Indian mild cheese), ghee (clarified butter), and yogurt are all used regularly in Northern dishes. Samosas, fried pastries stuffed with potatoes and occasionally meat, are a distinctive Northern snack. Clay ovens known as tandoors are popular in the North, giving dishes like tandoori chicken and naan bread their distinctive charcoal flavour. A local exponent of this distinctive cuisine is Jeera in Codnor; an authentic Bangladeshi restaurant. It’s been a few months since we were last here and we had been told that the restaurant had undergone some changes. At first glance, the interior at Jeera, the soft lighting and the clever use of spotlights in the bar, appeared just as I remembered it. However, changes have been made. The dining area decor has been tweaked but the most noticeable change is the seating. Gone are the tall heavy, brown chairs replaced by comfortable, light coloured, fabric covered tub style chairs. As a result the area appears more spacious and warmer. We settled in to the comfortable surroundings and I ordered a tall glass of cold Cobra beer for myself and a chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc for Susan. We sipped our drinks, chatted and nibbled on plain poppadoms accompanied by the usual dipping sauces and pickles: a smooth mango chutney, a hot green chili and lime sauce and a spicy diced red onion pickle. The service at Jeera is not hurried. It gives you time to read the menu and the extensive descriptions of the dozens of dishes on offer, from the simple vegetable samosa to the hearty mixed platter. For my starter I selected the fish shashlick. Fish is a staple in Bangladeshi cuisine and the shashlick is a traditional barbeque technique. The dish consisted of several portions of white fish cooked in a mild, slightly sweet marinated sauce with green peppers, tomatoes and onion, garnished with coriander. The fish was beautifully cooked and flaked apart when I cut in to it. The mildly spiced sauce had a smokey note but didn’t overpower the meaty fish making it a tasty, light starter. Susan opted for onion bhajis as her starter. A traditional mildly spiced first course; it consisted of 2 bhajis coated with chickpea batter, deep-fried to produce a light, crispy coat but retaining a soft and aromatic centre, served with salad and creamy mint and yogurt dip. The mild spices, the soft onions and the creamy sauce made it a light, savoury prelude to the main meal. Susan’s choice, from the long list of main course dishes, was the lamb pasanda; another traditional cooking style with its origins in the very north of the subcontinent. This pasanda was a mild, creamy curry with a hint of spice that set the taste buds tingling. It was cooked with sultanas and cashew nuts giving it added flavour and making it slightly sweet; a perfect counter point to the texture of the plentiful, tender lamb. Along with a choice of seafood mains the menu abounds with chicken and lamb dishes; ranging from the hot and spicy Naga Chicken to the tikka biryani; recommended for those who are new to Bangladeshi cuisine. The original driving force behind Jeera, Mr Rahman gained the notable accolade of Derbyshire Chef of the year and his renowned chicken Jalali dish is still on the menu today. A firm favourite with Jeera customers along with another favourite; the chicken chili ambari. Of the two, I went for the ambari. I now understand why it has gained it’s popularity. Marinated chicken breasts are cooked in the restaurant’s clay oven then blended with their home made chili sauce of green peppers, chopped onions and tomatoes. Although the chili sauce was bursting with warmth and flavour it didn’t mask the tender, tandoor cooked chicken which remained the star of the dish. The flavour balance was perfect and I would order chili ambari again. We shared a dish of plain boiled rice and, freshly cooked in their clay oven, one of the best garlic and coriander naans we have ever tasted. We had enjoyed such a relaxing evening at Jeera that we couldn’t stop talking about it in the taxi on our way home. Our thanks go to all the staff at Jeera for the attentive service and the amazing flavoursome food. 0-1
Walk Derbyshire – A Winter Warmer Around the Longshaw Estate
I have to make an apology before embarking on the text for this walk. In July I acquired a new hip, this was after upwards of ten years trying to ignore an ever growing problem. Fortunately I had the sense to build up a stock-pile of walks, which kept Garry and Alistair happy at Images HQ, making it possible for them to publish my walks as and when necessary. Feeling a lot better since my session with Mr Williams, one of the osteopath surgeons on the staff at Calow Hospital where, I must add, I didn’t feel a thing, and was much entertained by what sounded like the opening bars of Giuseppe Verdi’s Anvil Chorus from his opera il Travatore! Deciding it was time to put my boots on again, I chose this walk mainly because it is short and finishes with the alternative of a pub lunch or the excellent soup and sandwiches on offer at the National Trust tea-room next to Longshaw Lodge. Using easy to follow paths through what was once a sporting estate, the walk drops down into the upper valley of Burbage Brook. Here it joins one of the ancient Pack-horse tracks that once linked Sheffield to the salt wells of Cheshire, and carried finished metal goods such as scythes on the return trip. With far reaching views throughout, the walk starts by skirting the front of the lodge, along a path between it and the open moors now grazed by sheep, but once the realm of sportsmen and their guns in search of game. Going through a swing gate, the path splits with one going south towards Big Moor, and the other bearing right, drops down to the Grindleford road. This is the one we took, going past an attractive pond, the haunt of wild geese. The path crosses the road by way of a stone stile and then finds its way down to Burbage Brook. An ancient stone packhorse bridge crosses the brook which is followed upstream to another stone bridge. Here a right turn joins a cobbled track winding its way up to the Grindleford road again. Diagonally right across the road there is a gate house and behind it a footpath through woodland back to the car park. Longshaw Estate and its lodge was built in the early 1800s for the Duke of Rutland as a sporting estate. During the Great War of 1914-1918 it became a military hospital, mainly for Commonwealth soldiers. From old photographs it looks as though many of the fitter soldiers managed to enjoy the heavy snowfalls that seem to have been more regular then than now. In the 1920s Longshaw was bought by Sheffield Corporation as an amenity for the city whose boundary cuts through part of the estate. While the lodge has been turned into private residences, the rest of the estate having been gifted to the National Trust, is open to all. The now famous Longshaw Sheepdog Trials take place annually in the large field below the main house. The Walk : From the National Trust car park, follow the path down to the National Trust tea-room and Information Centre. Bear right and then left on to the path running between the lodge surrounds and open fields. Follow this path up to a swing gate next to wild rhododendrons. To your left as you walk along the first path, the raised wall apparently supporting the ground above it is called a ‘ha, ha’, or ‘haw, haw’. Its purpose is to prevent stock from encroaching the built-up area surrounding the lodge, but without spoiling the extensive moorland view. Reaching the gate, go through it, bearing right alongside rhododendron bushes, where pheasants are often sheltering. Wooden signs at the side of the path point to where children might find places where friendly boggarts live. Continue along this path until it reaches a large pond. Skirt round the pond with it on your right and then bear left past the second stone barn before you reach the road. It usefully serves as a shelter in wet weather, as well as offering information about the surrounding countryside and its wildlife. Cross the road and go through a stone stile and then drop down to a stone pack-horse bridge over the narrow brook. Cross the bridge and turn right, upstream for about a quarter of a mile, as far as the next bridge. Turn right and cross the narrow bridge. Follow a cobbled path, winding steeply uphill and through woodland as far as the road Go diagonally across the road, heading towards a gate house. Follow signs past the gate house and onto a woodland track. Continue along the track back to the National Trust car park Useful Information : 3miles (5km) of easy walking on well-maintained estate paths and riverside and woodland tracks. Recommended map: as the walk cuts through the northern and southern edges of both the OS White Peak (Sheet OL24) and OS Dark Peak (Sheet OL1) maps, it can make map oriented navigation rather difficult, but hopefully my poor quality sketch map and written instructions will be sufficient. Public transport: Regular service between Sheffield and Grindleford stop at the Fox House Inn a few yards from the entrance to Longshaw Estate. Parking: Inside estate (National Trust members free). Refreshments: Fox House Inn and Longshaw tea-room and Information Centre. Annual sheep dog trials as advertised. Guided walks and seasonal children’s events throughout the year. +10
Repton – Capital of The Kingdom of Mercia
The history of the North Midlands is writ large on this ancient town set high above the quiet meadows bordering the River Trent. Its history is traced from Saxon and Norman times, through Tudor to the present day. Even the Danes who came this far up the Trent in their longships, made it their winter base during their attempted expansion south from Northumbria into King Alfred’s Wessex. Repton’s parish church of St Wystan is built on Saxon foundations, part of the priory that brought Christianity to this part of the Midlands. Remains of the ruined 12th century ecclesiastical house are incorporated within the famous school, the most important remnants being Prior Overton’s Tower, now part of the Headmaster’s House. The school can trace its foundations back to the time when the earliest Saxons settled here; today it is the North Midland’s major centre of learning. The parish church, that most recognisable part of that monastery still stands, with a needle-like spire beckoning the faithful over miles of water-meadows. It shelters a rare old crypt as well as overlooking the fine school buildings old and new, with grey walls and red walls, gables and red roofs, green carpeted church yard sheltered by ancient trees, the whole overlooked by delightful cottages – along the road to Bretby there is even a rare example of a black and white house with a room that overhangs its porch. When those early Saxons erected their simple timber and mud-walled church some time around the middle of the 7th century, it began a thousand years of building, giving us one of the most noble of village shrines. They gave us a crypt which grew in fame until it became the northern equivalent of Westminster Abbey. Beginning with King Æthelbald (AD716-757) it became the final resting place of Mercian kings and queens including King Wiglaf and martyred Prince Wystan his grandson, who was murdered in AD849. For many years the crypt beneath the church sheltered the remains of the martyred prince who had been treacherously murdered by his cousin, but in 874 his remains were transferred to Evesham on the approach of invading Danes. By this time Wystan had been made a saint and his shrine a place of pilgrimage. Such was the popularity of a pilgrimage to St Wystan’s Repton tomb that the crypt was regularly dangerously overcrowded by devout pilgrims. As a result an extra set of stairs was made, creating an early example of a one-way system, which stands to this day. Around this time the Danes were for ever making a nuisance of themselves and after one particular foray in 850, they destroyed the monastery which had stood there for more than 200 years. When later Saxons built a church on the site of the old abbey, they laid its foundations on the remains of the old chancel walls, walls that are still standing to this day. Part of this rebuilding left us a crypt that has been called the most perfect example of Saxon architecture, certainly in this part of England. Only 17 feet square, it has a vaulted roof with small rounded arches resting on four spirally wreathed pillars, and eight extra half pillars on the walls. Modern windows have been cut into the walls to let light in and show us the crypt to its best advantage. There are still traces of an old altar, and an opening in the western wall which is believed to have been a peep-hole in by-gone days when lepers or the infirm could view the shrine without struggling up and down the steps. The crypt was desecrated during Henry VIII’s Act of Dissolution and forgotten until the end of the 18th century, when a workman accidentally fell into it while digging a grave. Near an entrance to the crypt from the outside, a holy-water stoup, made for the use of the priory can still be seen. Today’s visitors have none of the struggle early pilgrims experienced. Modern lighting allows access even though it must be remembered that the stone stairs both in and out are hundreds of years old. Today’s visitors to St Wystan’s, Repton’s parish church, can see the work of the 12th century and later builders who reshaped the Saxon church but the chancel walls are mostly as they were when the original 10th century craftsmen downed tools on their last day’s work. There are still the remains of two Saxon pillars with square capitals which were once part of the 13th century nave arcades, but now stand in the two-storied porch. Above its ancient door, St Wystan looks out from a small niche, watching visitors, old and young who come to see his wonderful Saxon church. Outside and on the side of the support tower of the slender spire is a clock, which prides itself as being half the size of Big Ben’s clock on the Houses of Parliament in Westminster. It comes as something of a shock when wandering around the churchyard, to see the number of Commonwealth War Graves tucked away in a secluded corner. With only the odd exception they hold the remains of trainee glider pilots killed during training flights from their school based on the site of what is now Toyota’s Burnaston factory off the A38 near Derby. Repton School celebrated its 400th Anniversary in 1957. Built on the site of the old priory church, its spacious main hall was designed in 1886 by Sir Arthur Blomfield, a major Victorian architect, in memory of Doctor Stuart Pears. It was under his rule that what was then a grammar school, became in the space of twenty years one of the great public schools in the country. The friendly local pub the Bull’s Head offered to look after our dog while using the inn’s toilets in a village without such public conveniences for visitors, rounded off a day visiting this one-time capital of Mercia, one of England’s original four kingdoms. A stroll around this attractive not-so-sleepy village
Travelling Through History – Where Our Forebears Trod 3
Having looked at Rykneild Street going South West, I felt it might risk any enthusiast rather hanging in the air if I did not continue the story of the same ancient road in its opposite direction. After all it was the Romans’ major SW to NE route, and it seems rather to have pivoted at Derventio. According to the plan drawn in 1721 by the antiquary William Stukeley, it seems to have had a sort of bypass around Little Chester (as Derventio ultimately became). Once one had crossed the Derwent, as described last week, one reached the settlement itself by turning immediately north up what is now City Road to enter the Roman small town. But if you wanted to reach Chesterfield, the next settlement on the route, one passed Derventio to the east, along the alignment of the present Mansfield Road. Essentially, the route went due north along much of what is in part the A61, leaving the County boundary somewhere just NE of Dronfield. From the junction with Old Chester Road, Rykneild Street runs north along what is from the Old Chester Road called Alfreton Road (and Mansfield Road diverges east over the railway line). From there it went through Breadsall village, but its course thence has been utterly lost through the building of the Derby Canal (Little Eaton Arm), the Great Northern Railway line to Heanor and Sir Frank Whittle Way. But leaving Breadsall, drive between the church and the former school (founded by the philanthropic Harpurs in the Regency period) and you are back on the alignment. From there it runs straight as a die up Moor Lane to the entrance to Breadsall Priory, the original monastic house no doubt founded there for that very reason: ease of communication. From there it backs more to the NNE as Quarry Road and you can follow it from the comfort of your car until the T-junction with Brackley Gate/Cloves Hill. From there the course is barely visible, but is helpfully marked on the 1:25,000 OS map, from which you can tell that Horsley Lodge (where acceptable refreshment may be obtained) sits right by it and one suspects that the drive overlies it to a large extent. Unfortunately, the construction of the golf course around it, without an archaeological assessment, has probably led to the loss of much potential information along with stretches of agger – the bank on which it was pitched – is visible in part in the fields to the north. From Golden Valley to Bottlebrook (which it jinks as it crosses) it follows part of the modern road on the east of Kilburn, helpfully named Rykneild Road until it jinks at the point where Denby Lane goes off to the right, but continues as Ticknall Lane, Rykneild Hill, Station Road and then Street Lane Marehay, right up to the point where the alignment it cut by the modern A38 just west of Ripley. The course then backed NNW to ascent the ridge to cross the B6374 Upper Hartshay to ascend Bridle Lane across the A610 and up onto Pentrich Common. Pentrich is one of a select few Derbyshire places with a fully British name rather than Anglo-Saxon or Danish. It derives from penn (=hill) and tirch, plural of twrch (=boars), thus Boars’ Hill. On the highest point, just short of Castle Hill (and hence the name) are the vestiges of a Roman fortlet , built as the temporary home of a cohort sized detachment of soldiers probably in the first stages of the conquest of Northern England around 47-50. That it may have found use later is possible, for it must long have been a feature in the landscape to name the accompanying summit. Descending from there it meets the alignment of the B6013 and runs through Oakerthorpe, Fourlane Ends to Toadhole Furnace where it parts company from the road and proceeds along the hillside below the road until the two re-combine at Higham, where there was once an ancient cross on the alignment. Strettea Lane is another Roman Road (as one might gather from its name) running from Higham eastwards to Stonebroom and Morton. Just north of Higham the alignment becomes the A61 and runs through the diagnostically named Stretton-in-Shirland. Thence it follows the A61 un-deviatingly, all the way through Clay Cross, Old Tupton, Birdholme and thence across the Hipper (where the discovery of a stone paved causeway was reported in the local paper in 1932) to Chesterfield, Old English caestra (from Latin castrum = fort) + feld (= field). Here there was a fort, in use from around 68 to 120 but later used as a store prior to abandonment, although the civilian vicus around Vicar Lane probably supported a small wayside settlement including a posting station or mansio. In fact the site of the fort – the famous parish church of St. Mary & All Saints sits within its former enclosure – is now believed to overlie an Iron Age hill fort on this spur of land above the valley of the Rother, crossed by Ryneild Street possibly north of the town presumably via a causeway and ford, although no-one is quite sure. The real problem at Chesterfield is that the Romans appear to have abandoned it relatively early, so that when a new settlement eventually came about, no vestige was left to inform the street pattern, unlike many other places; only the walls of the fort, inside which the church was founded, were probably obvious several hundred years later. That being so, there emerges a real problem when it comes to following Rykneild Street north out of the town. William Bennet, the antiquarian Bishop of Cloyne, wrote at the beginning of the 19th century, ‘The country people have a tradition of the road going on still further to the north, and that after crossing the Rother near Chesterfield, it proceeded on the east side of that brook, passing on the west of Killamarsh church, and through the parish of Beighton
Product Test – Charlotte Tilbury
A Little Bit of Magic Airbrush Flawless Finish £34 Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder features ingredients to prevent excess shine and brighten complexions. This shade in 1 Fair is ideal if you have very fair to fair skin, perfect for fair redheads and blondes! What makes Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder magic: • Enjoy effortlessly flawless skin in a silk touch like you’ve never experienced before! • Soft focus micro powders from nano-particles blur away lines and imperfections, sitting like a soft micro-fine cashmere veil on top of your skin • Rose wax and almond oil hydrates your skin throughout the day and smooths flawlessly over your skin • Nourishing actives soothe and restore skin, with light-reflecting ingredients diffusing and reflecting light for a luminous complexion and even finish all day Magic Foundation £29.50 Five years in the making, this is a new generation of anti-ageing, full coverage foundation that morphs to your face in a weightless texture, for a perfect second skin that lasts all day. Proven to instantly cover & treat in the long term: • Acne, Acne Scarring • Redness, Rosacea, Discolouration & Melasma • Mature Skin: Deep Wrinkles, Age Spots & Thread Veins • Tired, Dull Skin Problem skin transforms into Perfect Skin before your very eyes. The hyper-intelligent formula dispenses evenly over your skin and does not sit in imperfections. Magic Away £24 This is the magic wand of makeup for perfect-looking skin! Magic Away Concealer in 1 Fair is an incredible full coverage liquid concealer in an ivory shade for very fair skin with cool undertones. For five years, Charlotte Tilbury has been working on this holy grail of concealers that reduces the appearance of dark circles, blemishes and imperfections, for fresher-looking second skin instantly! Magic Foundation This is a great product. It makes your skin look flawless and lasts all day VP Magic Away Liquid Concealer An amazing product! The applicator sponge with its pointed tip give precision application around the eyes. It hides dark circles and blemishes and even covers fine lines. It lasts all day and doesn’t smudge or crease. CB Airbrush Flawless Finish I found this a very fine powder so the finish it gave was lovely and seamless. It lasted all day which was great giving a matt finish. I chose a shade too light thinking of winter colouring, so will go with ‘medium’ next time for my skin tone. JP 00
Celebrity Interview – Graham Gouldman
He’s the only constant member of 10cc, acclaimed as one of the most inventive and influential bands in the history of popular music. But Graham Gouldman isn’t just a singer and bass player: before he was 21 he’d written million sellers for the Yardbirds, the Hollies and Herman’s Hermits; he’s had success performing with other acts; and he’s a slick producer as well. This year Graham has done two tours with Ringo Starr’s band as well as taking 10cc around the country. Next year looks just as busy for the 72-year-old who will be performing in foreign climes including Russia and Japan. On their current tour 10cc will be playing an already sold-out gig at Buxton Opera House, a venue where they have performed several times before. Graham remembers the last time, a couple of years ago, very well. “Our PA broke down, so we did some numbers acoustically. It went down really well and it made for a special night. We did offer a refund on the tickets but hardly anyone took that up because they enjoyed the fact that we made the most of the situation and tried to give the audience what they wanted.”Twelve months ago Graham was back in Buxton, this time at the Pavilion Arts Centre. He performed his acoustic show Heart Full of Songs which he will be taking to Germany and Holland in 2019. “It’s an aside to 10cc really,” says Graham who comes across as intelligent, thoughtful and even-tempered.“We play smaller audiences but it’s something I really enjoy because I get to do songs that I wouldn’t be doing in a 10cc show, songs I wrote in the ‘60s, songs I wrote with Andrew Gold, film music and solo stuff as well.” Graham teamed up with the late American singer Andrew Gold from 1984 to 1990. As the group Wax their song Bridge To Your Heart reached number 12 in the UK singles chart. For some people, though, Graham will always be known as a quarter of 10cc. He says the current band is “as near as you’re going to get to hearing the perfect 10cc”. Why? “You’ve got one original member who sang some of the songs, all the 10cc records were co-produced by me, and two of the members (guitarist Rick Fenn and drummer Paul Burgess) have been with the band from the very early days on record and on the road.” Graham Gouldman was born on 10 May 1946 near Salford in Lancashire. He began playing in bands when he was a teenager and one of them, the Mockingbirds, signed a recording contract. But the Columbia label rejected Graham’s first single, For Your Love – which became a major hit for the Yardbirds. Graham also wrote Bus Stop for the Hollies, No Milk Today for Herman’s Hermits and Pamela, Pamela for Wayne Fontana. In 1969 Graham and his friend, former Mindbender Eric Stewart, became financial partners in a recording venture, Strawberry Studios, at Stockport. Two other friends, Kevin Godley and Lol Creme, joined them as session musicians. Three years later pop mogul Jonathan King signed the quartet and gave them the name 10cc. Since then they’ve sold more than 30 million albums worldwide. Three of their songs reached number one in the charts, I’m Not In Love, Dreadlock Holiday and Rubber Bullets. I’m Not In Love has been played more than five million times on American radio stations. No wonder Graham says that’s the one song the band can’t afford to leave out of their set wherever they perform. “It’s a special song, there’s no doubt about it. I’ve done different versions of it – I do it in the acoustic show so it’s a more stripped-down arrangement. The song has a certain something about it that’s almost mystical. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime song.” Did the band feel it was special when they were recording it? “Well, we knew it was good. The production was really very important. It matched the mood of the song, the melody and the words perfectly. So I always credit the production as much as the song.” Graham who was inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame in 2014 feels that the timeless quality of the songs has been the main reason why 10cc has lasted for more than 45 years. “It’s almost like there are three generations coming to see us: there’s the older generation and some of the 40-somethings are bringing their kids with them. That’s great to see. I think they want their kids to see musicians who can play well without the use of backing tracks or auto-tuners or anything else like that.” Graham treats the music business seriously although he confesses that he’s not working but enjoying himself a lot of the time. He tries to limit tour dates to no more than four in a row so that he doesn’t stretch his voice too much: “Within 10cc we’ve got two singers. I share the singing with someone else so there’s less of a strain. “The other thing to be said is that we don’t lead a rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle. As soon as we get back to the hotel it’s straight to bed. There’s no carousing or anything like that. We’re all conscious of looking after ourselves. Like any job you’ve got to keep fit to do it. And being on the road in a band is exactly the same as that. “Being on stage for a couple of hours is like all your workdays concentrated into those two hours. You come off stage and you might feel tired but you feel exhilarated at the same time and it’s a lovely feeling. “If you look after yourself, being on the road doesn’t have to be as unhealthy as it sounds. But you have to discipline yourself and not have the full English breakfast every morning!” Like many musicians and artists I’ve spoken to over the past few years, Graham feels fortunate to be doing a job he absolutely
Restaurant Review – Jeera, Crich
An evening of quality Bangladeshi cuisine. “Whoa, slow down Midge you’re going far too fast, you’ll have to explain that to me again” When people are passionate about what they do, it’s really hard for them not to try to tell you everything all at once. And all in one breath. If I was to put together a restaurant menu with dishes, some traditional, some handed down by eminent chefs and some of my own creations, I think I would be eager to tell you about them as I presented them at the table. Well Midge Mannan at Jeera, on Crich Market Place is of that ilk. He’s so proud of his heritage as understudy, from the age of fifteen, to Mr Rahman who, in my opinion was one of Derbyshire’s best at delivering quality Bangladeshi cuisine. Sadly he passed away about ten years ago but what he taught Midge (nephew of Mr Rahman) still lives on in passion for product, desire to create flavours and the need to please discerning diners. In contrast, the week before we ate at a restaurant whereby the waitress brought our starters, plonked them down with basically a “that’s what you ordered and now you’ve got attitude”. Not good enough. Midge in contrast whisked us through the content of dishes, how they were flavoured some of which not only were traditional dishes but also had a few twists of Spanish and Italian in them. When Midge had established what we liked and didn’t like, he shot off to the kitchen to explain to the chefs what he wanted to present us with. There was a good buzz in the restaurant which, being situated in the centre of Crich, attracts customers from far and wide. Crich Market Place is always busy and very much a travel to place, so if you enjoy something, you will go back for it again and that is the crux of Jeera’s customers and why at the weekend they can serve up to five hundred meals. Personally I prefer midweek eating, as places tend to be a little quieter and you get chance to chat and nail your exact meal, and also have the chance for Midge to explain what he’s prepared for you. It’s not been an easy road though. It takes time to build up a solid team and a good reputation with regular clientele and then hold onto them. I’ve sometimes felt that in the food industry restaurants generally get “one shot” at impressing us. Fail and we are off in search of pastures new. This was Midges chance to impress and boy did he do us proud when for a full three hours we tucked into some delicious food. “You’ll have to write down all we’ve had Midge because I’ll never remember it” I said. I was so busy enjoying it and talking to my dining companions Terry, and Mike. I’m not unaccustomed to this type of cuisine but I was surprised to discover some very tasty new dishes to add to my favourites list. The Lamb Bengal special, lamb cooked with green beans and eggs on top, was so succulent that the dish emptied at a rapid pace. I was worried that the Chicken naga (hot naga chillies cooked buna style) may be a little too spicy for me but no that was spot on and again proved a favourite. I was tipped off about this dish by Paul at Costcutter who said “Ask Midge to do it Desi style” We trusted Midge to just present us with a showcase of their food. So here’s how Midge presented and filled two tables for the four of us. Starters Fish tandoor, Naga wings, Chef’s mixed grill, Mushroom purée, ‘Character’ chickpea purée. Mains Chicken Jalali; a vibrantly colourful dish with yoghurt, mint and lemon. Lamb Karachi; sizzling authentic dish with onion and peppers. Zamora Goan special with Bangladeshi peppers; cooked dry and dressed with sliced potato. Lamb Bengal special; lamb cooked with green beans and topped with crispy edged fried eggs. Chicken naga; hot naga chillies cooked bhuna style. Extras Lemon rice, Pilau rice. Garlic and Coriander naan (cooked properly in a tandoor oven). Four of us couldn’t beat it. If you’d have seen how much delicious food was on our table you’d understand why. Here’s a comment from one of our dining friends; “The fish tandoori starter was succulent and beautifully presented. All the starters were complemented by puri bread. Zamora Goan was beautifully spiced without being too hot and the naan was deliciously fresh. Overall the chefs provided an excellent balanced meal. It was interesting to try authentic, regional Bangladeshi foods, as opposed to those adapted to the English palate.” Meet the team. Last but not least here is the team that can make you a great dining evening; Owners: Midge Mannan and Mislo Mannan Head Chef: Abul Kashem (trained by Mr Rahman). Tandoori Chef: Suruk Miah. Our thanks to you all for making us so welcome. Note: You will need to take your own alcohol but then again there is Costcutter next door! 00
Lost Houses of Derbyshire – Langley Hall, Meynell Langley
The history of Langley, just north west of Derby on the road to Ashbourne, is complex to say the least. As a consequence, it is not without its fair share of lost houses, about one of which we have sufficient information to be able to say something about it. The manor of Langley originally consisted of a knight’s fee and, by 1108 had been granted by the Norman grandee Ralph FitzHubert to one Robert de Meynell, whose father was the Domesday tenant of FitzHubert in the NE of the county. Until the senior male line of the de Meynell’s failed in 1227, and the family’s extensive holdings were divided amongst the husbands of his four daughters, the family continued to hold it entire. At that date however, some family holdings survived the division of land, and a half knight’s fee at Langley was bestowed upon the next brother of the grandfather of the four heiresses, who was called William. Another half knight’s fee at Langley – half the original manor – was bestowed upon William’s brother-in-law, Nicholas son of Ralph of Langley, otherwise Nicholas FitzRalph. The division was basically made using the line of the ancient Derby to Ashbourne road as a boundary. Nicholas FitzRalph had everything to the south, including Nether Burrows, Langley Common and Langley Green. He also founded the church of St. Michael on his half, for it does not appear in the Domesday Book and is mostly of that date and later. Hence his portion was distinguished by the name of Kirk Langley or Church Langley, the use of the Norse derived term ‘kirk’ suggesting a substantial Danish-speaking population in the area since the fall of eastern Mercia to the Vikings in 874. A new settlement grew up around this church. Meanwhile, William de Meynell retained everything to the north and east of the road, including the original village, which henceforth became Meynell Langley. It was situated just to the north and east of the present Langley Hall, and was investigated archaeologically in 1980. William de Meynell, seems to have adopted the place as his chief seat and built a house for his son mentions a ‘capital mansion’ there in a charter drawn up a few years later. Probably he founded a chapel to serve the village, too, and this appears to have become absorbed by the house, as happened at Markeaton Hall in the Medieval period. Once the village had become de-populated, it eventually became the hall’s domestic chapel. Further evidence for old Meynell Langley Hall dates from 1555 when it is recorded as having a deer park. William Senior’s map of 1640, shows a house, more or less on a similar site to the present hall, orientated NE-SW and set around most of a large courtyard. Now, the chances are that it had once been twice that size by the early 14th century, for the Meynells had become very important figures, two of them (both called Sir Hugo) serving as stewards to the Ferrers Earls of Derby, all holding important administrative posts and two fighting doughtily in Edward III’s campaigns in France. They even briefly inherited a barony from the de la Wardes of Newhall. They were certainly of equivalent standing to the FitzHerberts of Norbury, a fragment of whose ancient house survives. We know from research carried out in 2010 that originally Norbury Hall was set around two courtyards which was par for the course with important knightly families in our area then. Therefore, the inference must be that the hall at Meynell Langley was similarly laid out. Meanwhile, the FitzNicholas family at Kirk Langley were followed by the Twyfords, and the Twyfords by the Poles, and until the latter family inherited the place, no one amongst these families with their chief seats elsewhere, needed a house at Langley. The Poles however, did build a house, beside the church, the site of which is marked today by some uneven lumps in the field, called Pool Close, the mutated name deriving from that of the family. We have seen that in 1227, the senior line of the de Meynells ended with heiresses, leaving a younger branch with a diminished holding – mainly half of Langley and other places. The same thing happened in 1397. Ralph de Meynell died in 1389 leaving four daughters, who all married. His mother, Joan, held the estate until her death in 1397, when she divided it up, mostly between the daughters’ husbands, but part was bequeathed to her brother-in-law Sir William Meynell, whose posterity moved to Willington and Yeaveley. Meynell Langley went to Reginald Dethick of Dethick, whose only daughter married Ralph Bassett of Blore, in Staffordshire. It remained with their family until 1602, and the Bassetts it was who must have reined in the size of the house. They also rebuilt the chapel in Henry VIII’s reign, the date being confirmed by a pair of Nuremberg jettons found beneath the floor when it was demolished in 1757. From the Bassetts (who had as well bought Kirk Langley from the last of the Poles in the 1590s, re-uniting the manorial estate) it all passed to Charles I’s most loyal supporter, William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle, who allowed various relations to live in the hall, and who commissioned the 1640 map. By this time the village had vanished entirely – probably through a combination of the catastrophic climate change event of the 1340s, the consequent Black Death and the creation of the park, though by the 1640s the park too was mainly divided up for agricultural purposes. In the end, the Duke was financially ruined by the Civil War, and was keen to sell. The buyer was Isaac Meynell, one of three brothers who made colossal fortunes in the City during and after the Civil War; all three were descendants of Sir William Meynell of Willington, and were clearly keen to see the family return to their ancestral acres, despite the passage of 272 years! It eventually came
Derbyshire Antiques & Collectibles – Thimble Collecting
Thimble is a word used for a small cap to protect the finger for use when sewing, and the name derives from Old English thyma and Old Norse thumall – the same root that gives up ‘thumb’ – and more specifically thymel a fingerstall. The root word really meant ‘swelling’ and words like tumour and thigh are also related. The great thing about collecting thimbles is that they are small and you thus need only a limited amount of space to house your collection, and even if you have quite a lot, you are still not going to have your house or flat totally dominated by them. In the main, too, they are generally highly affordable – unless, that is, you decide to go in for either precious metal examples of antique or even ancient ones, for the use of thimbles goes back into antiquity. A bronze Roman example, a metal detectorist’s find, was offered for sale a few years ago for £25. Indeed, one of the most expensive thimbles ever sold was a silver gilt one bought by an American collector from a UK auction twenty years or so ago for £18,000. It had provenance, having said to have been given by Queen Elizabeth I to one of her court ladies. A very fine French ivory thimble (something that will soon be untradeable) decorated with scrimshaw ducks round the rim recently made £360. Another antique form is the Nuremberg thimble, like the same city’s famous jettons, were made, also in bronze, around 1530, right at the beginning of the modern thimble as we know it. A Nuremberg thimble sold recently for over £250, but more commonly for £30-50, like the one illustrated which has the added bonus of a maker’s mark on the rim – a flower. By the later 18th century our newly fledged porcelain industry was producing thimbles notably Royal Worcester, occasionally with signed painted decoration. It was during the Victorian era that people thimble collecting became popular; practitioners are today called Digitabulists. Purely decorative thimbles, made for collectors or souvenir hunters come in many decorative styles including filigree work, scenes, plant and animal depictions, cherubs, borders, fleur-de-lys, sewing-related themes and, like the antique examples quoted above, come in a variety of different materials. My wife bought a cloissonné enamel one recently, probably Chinese and modelled as a Fo Dog or a tiger (it looks at first glance like an owl, but on closer inspection has fangs) for £1 and absolutely loves it. Working thimbles – these are the sparsely decorated thimbles that were made specifically to be used. Although these might not be as fancy, they carry a lot of value of their own nowadays and are highly collectable. Commemoratives, souvenirs, advertising thimbles and many other varieties can be had for very little money. At fairs, for instance, some dealers have a box of them at a fixed standard price, and sorting through them can produce all sorts of attractive ones. Some modern ones can also be pricey. I recently spotted a silver one assayed in Chester in 1962, in its original presentation box, very desirable to the collector of more decorative types, but at £175 I thought it over-priced; £20-30 would have been our estimate at Bamfords. More affordable were a pair of Edwardian silver thimbles in their original boxes priced more reasonably at £60 each. Both were decorated in good repoussé flower patterns and one had a decorative frieze, too. A box spotted recently at a local fair of silver thimbles was offering each item at £10. A good rummage armed with a loop to check the hallmarks might lead to a few little treasures that might show a slight profit, although the unit price at auction for a single silver thimble would be about £1.50 to £2, but they are always sold in groups unless particularly special. Another stall I came across recently had a splendid selection: a 1970s NASA commemorative, and a pewter example boxed by the same supplier (£4), several porcelain ones, including a single Royal Crown Derby example (£1.50). Regarding the latter, a full set of 15 RCD ones with box shouldn’t set you back more than £50 and the firm issued several sequences of them. Many of those I saw were boxed, and there were others in brass, plastic, bakelite (sought after, and often £5-8) and so on, and all very reasonably priced. I also spotted a good embossed 9 carat gold thimble by Henry Griffiths & Son, on sale at £90, although at auction, £30-40 might be more like it. 00
Restaurant Review – The Hope & Anchor, Wirksworth
Standing proudly on the market place in the centre of Wirksworth is The Hope and Anchor, a grade two listed 17th century stone building. Closed in 2016 but now under new management and with around £100,000 spent on refurbishment, along with a new chef, The Hope and Anchor is now open for business. On their website they proudly proclaim that they are, “A good pub with real pub food”. Our visit, along with two long standing friends one Friday evening in mid July was a great opportunity to put that claim to the test. Occupying a prominent position in Wirksworth it was easy to let your mind slip back to the days in 1306 when the town was granted market status and would be jammed with colourful stalls and people plying their trades many of which are now lost. Over the years, with wealth generated by lead mining and stone quarrying, this market town came to be graced by some of the most lovely, historic, stone buildings. But now to our dining experience. We were welcomed by General Manager Jack, who showed us to our table in the large restaurant area, the rear of which is elevated. The late evening sun poured through the windows as we sat at a rustic table with plenty of space around us, it was so pleasant not to be squeezed in elbow to elbow with other diners. The décor here is contemporary with lovely muted shades, the walls have been partially clad with wood of various colours some featuring the imprint appropriately of an anchor. There are many nice rustic touches whilst the old building still retains many original features, which is quite fitting as it’s Rustic Inns who took over this pub in November 2017 and have worked tirelessly to put together a dining and drinking experience to suit current trends. Our waitress for the evening was Jersey who explained how much she enjoyed the food that the new chef was producing. Three of us ordered starters while one was saving herself for pudding! “It’s worth the wait” said Jersey. My starter was tomato bruschetta which consisted of three slices of rustic bread, tomato, chilli topped with torn mozzarella. A firm favourite of mine, not too overpowering and very clean tasting, a cracking start. Mike devoured his house pate infused with thyme, garlic and mushrooms, it was smooth and spread with ease on to the rustic bread. Generous triangles of salted butter and a homemade chutney accompanied it. Jane chose the battered prawns, dipped and fried in a very light tempura batter and served over a fresh salad, the pot of sweet chilli and lime dipping sauce perfectly added that touch of heat and sweetness. The farmers pie of the day was minced beef and onion which was encased in thin short crust pastry, and I chose the double cooked rustic chips. The pie was lovely and moist and was served with a boat of gravy too which was a bonus, the ‘skin on chips’ were very chunky and the buttered greens not over cooked. Mike’s ale battered cod was served on a wooden board and was huge, even for Mike who has a healthy appetite. Lockwoods mushy peas and sea salted double cooked rustic chips were served with this and a pot of homemade tartare sauce and wedge of lemon completed the dish. His determination to finish was testimony to how enjoyable it was. Julie tried the vegetarian curry which was quite hot and had a good variety of vegetables, her only comment was that she maybe missed a naan bread to go with it. Finally, Jane ordered the homemade lasagne, a slight twist on the usual with smoked bacon and red wine and tomato sauce added to the beef. This made for a very rich dish, but with a beautiful flavour, and the side salad was the freshest I’ve had anywhere. As predicted Mike and I passed on puddings, but Jane and Julie went for and enjoyed a lovely light and fresh raspberry mousse and a baked lemony cheesecake, both homemade and highly recommended. That really sums up the food here: locally sourced wherever possible, the chef has an eye for adding that extra something which lifts this good food just up another level. The presentation too is modern with delicate flower and micro leaf garnishes where appropriate. We had a great evening and there were many more dishes on the varied menu that we would have liked to try, and for those with not so large an appetite there is a ‘Lite bite’ menu available until 6pm. On Sundays there are traditional roasts alongside a reduced weekday menu. But, there’s still plenty there to tempt you at the Hope and Anchor. We all agreed that the Hope and Anchor is “A good pub, with real pub food, and a good collection of real ales. The music is pleasant and not too intruding, and they have a young group of staff that are friendly, relaxed and eager to please. It’s a great place to unwind at the end of the week. 00
