Above: Dated 1883, this photo shows a group of the Grimshawes’ friends, posing on the bridge (from left to right): T Brooks, J O’Neal, DeLisle, EC Warner, F Parker, W Paget, F Gaskell (cousin of the Grimshawes), J Brooks & F Paget.
It’s one of a series of similar photos taken on what must have been an annual shooting party (click here to view other photos in the series).
For some time I thought here were only two bridges in Goyt’s Bridge. The picturesque and very ancient Packhorse Bridge which features in so many old photos. And this one beside the River Goyt which crosses the stream running down from Shooter’s Clough. But after some more research, I found another bridge – Errwood Bridge – which would have been the largest and most recent (click to view).
Above: I’ve colour-coded and captioned this 1910 OS map of Goyt’s Bridge to make it easier to differentiate between streams and roads. The stream coming down the valley is Shooter’s Clough. It joins the Goyt on the other side of the bridge. (Click the map to view a larger image.)
Shooter’s Clough Bridge with its two square arches stood close to The Gatehouse & Gardener’s Cottage. Even though the bridge has long disappeared, its name survives. The modern bridge just before Errwood Hall carpark is shown on current OS maps as ‘Shooter’s Clough Bridge.
Above: This poor-quality photo (click to enlarge) shows the bridge failing to cope with a flood of water coming down the valley. This is probably the flash flood of 1930 which effectively ended the life of Castedge Coal Mine.