Parent's Guide to Pets: Learning about Loxley

Monday 8 October 2018

Learning about Loxley

At Malin Bridge, not for from the Mini-Market, is a sign to the great flood of Sheffield in 1864. The Dam on Dale Dykes reservoir broke Soon after construction, as it was filling with water. A Tsunami of water careered down the Loxley valley, which might explain why there is archaeological evidence of the mills that once filled this valley, but only the foundation stones, and large metal capstones and fly wheels. There are dramatic heart rending Victorian pictures of the incident. Apparently Henry Jessop, the mayor at the time, was felt to have handled the crisis well at the time. Jessop is a big name in Sheffield.

The Loxley and Rivelin valleys have a series of mill ponds. Each one signifies a factory, with forge and cutlery workshop. The smoke, noise and pollution has all gone.

The mini market is running by Dillar (he helped me by saying 'rhymes with Blair'). Dillar, a Kurd, escaped from Iraq many years ago. He told me he has wanted to go back, but his father says it is too unsafe. He felt the Iraq was a freer country under Saddam Hussein than it is now. He gave the thumbs up to Loxley. I bought Sheffield milk from 'our cow Molly' and Lilly's baps made up the road. Sheffield appears to have quite a flourishing local food scene.

Lovely and Wadsley common provide a perfect place for early morning walks, with or without a dog. I noted that somewhere on the common is the etching of a sword on a rock. It's location is a closely guarded secret.

Thomas Halliday has two houses of note. He was the Unitarian minister in Norton at the turn of the 19th century. The grand house of Loxley was his. Also a house at the top of a steep escarpment by the river. It is called Robin Hood Inn. Halliday had it designed to have the minimum possible amount of wood in its construction. He has experienced a family bereavement due to fire, and wanted to create a fireproof house. He called the area 'Matlock' after his Derbyshire origins. It retains the name to this day. A paved steep path, fitted with a handy rail, descends to a bridge over the river.