Cutthorpe Tour (Page 3)
After the Three Merry Lads pub, on the right of the main road is the Recreation Ground. The cricket pavillion within it
is pictured here. Mr S Botham in his book on the history of Cutthorpe says that the recreation ground was acquired for £98 through the Miners Welfare Scheme in 1924. Mr Botham also tells
that during the 1926 General Strike, village miners dug up coal from just under the surface of the recreation ground, in the process levelling the ground which was previously of uneven
surface, and helping as an unintended consequence to flatten the surface suitably for the cricket pitch.
Next, the Village Institute can be seen on the left side of the road. Just before it is a house which was originally the school house, then a butcher's shop, and which later became the Police house. It now appears to be a private dwelling.
The Village Institute, pictured left, was originally built by Mr John Brown in 1865 as the school. A new larger school was
built further up the village in 1884 when there were 142 pupils. After the children moved to the new school, Miss Shipton set up a library and reading room in the old building which continued
until 1893 when she moved away. An article in the Derbyshire Life and Countryside magazine of 1982 tells that when the article was published the institute was
being used by the Anglican Church for a mission room and Holy Communion was held there every two weeks and a Sunday school every week.
The large beech tree shown in this photograph is called the Coronation Tree and was planted on 22 June 1911
to celebrate the coronation of King George V. It is located opposite the institute at the top end of a lane called Common Lane, just
past the recreation ground. In this area a well-dressing display is held every summer about the end of July in the garden behind the Coronation Tree. The well dressing pictures are made by placing whole
flowers and seedheads into a base of soft clay.
An article in the magazine of October 1982 (named above) describes how the well dressing custom in Cutthorpe was revived in 1978 (after having lapsed for about 40 years) by Gordon Booker and Frank and Philip Needham who trained other village residents in the well-dressing craft.
This photo shows the Cutthorpe Well Dressing of July 2004 which was dedicated as a tribute to the memory of Phillip Turner Needham (1928-2004).
For photos of 2006 Well Dressing click here
Down Common Lane there once were mines (including one called Ward's Pit), this area is known as Cutthorpe Common, though it is not really close to Cutthorpe Common End. There used to be a row of terraced houses down this lane but there is now just one large house on the site. It is said that some ancient Bell pits were discovered in this area many years ago. Right down at the bottom of Common Lane is Abbeyhill Farm, and also in the valley is a wooded area known as Cutthorpe Plantation and a stream called Sud Brook.
On the 1881 census there are 5 households at Cutthorpe Common and three uninhabited houses. The heads of households are named Tagg, Tagg, Bircumshaw, Lucas and Bower. Occupations - Mr Tagg was a Cordwainer, Miss Tagg was a Domestic Cook, Mr Bircumshaw was a coal miner, Mr Lucas a coke burner, and Mr Bower a farmer of 20 acres.
Returning to the Coronation Tree, we are now in the central part of the village. Beyond the Coronation Tree is a side road on the right called Riggotts Way (named after local councillor Mr G.A. Riggott) where some quite modern houses and bungalows now stand.
Some old houses that used to exist in this area were a row of cottages called the Netts. There were still some remnants of these cottages existing when Mr S Botham wrote a history of the village in 1971. But they have been demolished and there is no trace of them today. The Netts are listed on the 1881 census and the five families there were Whyett, Bradbury, Bradbury, Rhodes and Mason. Mr Whyett was a general labourer, Mr Bradbury a charcoal burner, the other Mr Bradbury was a coal miner and Mr Rhodes was a coke burner, Miss Mason and her brother were farmers of 22 acres.
Further on there used to be two thatched cottages. It is said that this area used to be called Siddall's Hill because a family called Siddall lived in one of the thatched cottages, these no longer exist. Some old buildings however do still exist in this part of the village, including the Old Manor House.
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