Above: The packhorse bridge with the stepping stones just visible over the Goyt after the surrounding farm houses and barns had been demolished, probably taken in the 1940s. The bridge would be saved and rebuilt further upstream in 1965, just before this part of the...
Above: The view from Windgather Rocks north towards Minninglow on the far horizon. Above: Click to play a ‘Relive’ of the walk, and use the expand button to view in full-screen. At 11 miles, this is one of the longest walks featured on the website. But the...
Above: Anne and Samuel Grimshawe’s memorial in Taxal Church. Although it’s usually locked, Taxal Church is well worth a visit if you can get hold of the key. There are some fascinating memorials inside, including one to George II’s ‘Yeaoman of...
Above: The lane from Goyt’s Bridge snakes around from the left before crossing the bridge and heading up the Valentine to Fernilee. (Shawstile Farm is top right.) It was only recently that I discovered an aerial photo showing a small stone bridge that now lies...
Above: Rev Evans had to fight a battle with church authorities to extend the graveyard. But today it’s as overcrowded as the old one across the lane. I’ve visited Taxal Church quite a few times over the years, but it’s only recently that I discovered...
Above: The main photo shows Taxal Church before the new south window was installed. So it would have probably have been taken in the late 1880s. Today, the foreground is overgrown, muddy and crowded with grave stones. Under one of which lies Rev Evans (inset). An 1888...
Above: I found this photo of Rev. Evans, alongside a young boy captioned as Lomas, on the Whaley Bridge History website. It’s clear from the previous post that the ‘remarkable rector’ of Taxal Church, Rev. Samuel Evans, was not a man to back down in...
Above: Rev. Samuel Evans pictured outside Taxal Church with the newly recast bells. He was said to have been a generous benefactor of the church and may have paid for these from his own pocket. I was taking photos inside Taxal Church last week and came across a copy...
Above: The wonderfully picturesque view from the bridge over the Goyt at Taxal (point 3 on the map below). Above: click to expand map. Some time ago Irene got in touch to ask how easy it was to get to the Goyt Valley using public transport. And my blunt answer was...
Above: Another image from the Whaley Bridge Photos website showing the bridge over the Goyt at Taxal. Judging by the hand colouring, and the ladies’ clothes, I’d have guessed it was taken in the early 1900s. But the bicycle looks closer to the 1930s....
