Monument record MDR3614 - Taddington Glebe Chert Quarry and chert workings (site of), Parker Croft and Mill Cliff Top, Bakewell

Marked as a quarry on maps of 1879 and 1897, and as 'old quarry' in 1922. The site of a crane is shown in 1879, buildings are shown by 1897. (1-3) The mine was part of the glebe of the Perpetual Curacy of Taddington and was rented out by the Incumbent of Taddington. The mine appeared to have been opened in 1859 when the Rev. James Parker leased to Joseph Wilson of Bakewell, chert dealer, all chert and limestone in land then called Parker's Croft. In 1859 the lease of the Taddington Chert was run until Rev. Parker ceased to be the incumbent; no more than 1050 tons of chert were to be removed in any one year. The surface soil was to be preserved and at the end of the term Wilson was to level and restore 'all ground…to the Eastward and at the foot of the Quarry'. Wilson's activities here proved unsuccessful, production being so low that only the dead rent was payable and on 5th June, 1860, he wrote to Parker that he would relinquish the quarry from that date. By 1885 the land containing the Taddington Chert had been purchased by Mrs Mary Ann Smith and her sister Miss Sarah Heathcote of Bakewell. The land and buildings were sold in 1920 consisting of over an acre of grass land, a modern cottage with earth closet and coalstore outside, stables and sheds, and three pigsties let to different tenants. At Mill Cliff Top a George Bramwell was recorded as a tenant house and marble working sheds at the junction of Church Lane with Bagshaw Hill possibly just to the west of Taddington Chert (there is a lot of possible cross-over with the two mines). When all these premises were put up for auction in 1863 by Miss Lucy Hodgkinson the sale particulars noted a 'bed of superior chert'. These fields were purchased by Joseph Wilson in 1867. (4)