Boundary Walk 14

3rd May 2022. Starting from Shepley Street, Glossop, SK13 7TP, United Kingdom

Latitude: 53.450315 | Longitude: -1.931738

Investigations today on finding easily accessible points to walk to, and cross over, the PDNPA boundary. Found a path (Doctor’s Gate) running from Old Glossop past Shire Hill, which is ‘cut’ through by the boundary, with no distinct features to correlate the mark on the map. 

Interestingly we have been given the answer to our question regarding the circular boundary that the Peak Park follows around Glossop, thanks to Kate Raine from the Glossop Heritage Trust. 

“Glossop Market Act 1844. It moved the centre of Glossop from the cross in Old Glossop to the Town Hall.”

1844 – The change that may have started the distinction of Old Glossop and New Glossop was the passing of the Glossop Market Act in 1844. This established a market located at the Town Hall in Howard’s Town. It also moved the annual fair in May from around the Old Cross in Old Glossop to the Town Hall area. It moved the focal point of Glossop legally to the Town Hall. “XVII limits of the Act…the limits of the Town of Glossop for the purposes of this Act shall comprehend so much of the Parish of Glossop in the County of Derby as is comprised within a Circle of Two Miles Diameter, of which Circle the Town Hall of Glossop shall be the Centre. Ps. The reason the boundary didn’t remain a full circle is it changed again when Glossop Borough Council was formed in 1866.”

We also went up to Dovestone’s Reservoir and from there you can easily see the boundary run up Alderman’s Hill, marked by two parallel drystone walls. It was good to go back to be reminded of our first boundary walk with volunteers and Rangers, where we set off from here and walked up to Alphin Pike, and then along to Chew Reservoir and back down to the comfort of being around people again in the busy car park.