Tideswell.

Tideswell is a village in the Peak District of Derbyshire, England. It is famous for its 14th century church, known as the “Catherdral of the Peak”, which has a remarkable carved wooden screen and a 15th century tomb of Sir Thurstan de Bower and his wife. Tideswell also has a rich history of folklore and legends, some of which are as follows:

The Three Spirits of Tideswell.

According to a local legend, there are three spirits that haunt the village: a white lady, a black dog and a headless horseman. The white lady is said to be the ghost of a young woman who was murdered by her lover in a fit of jealousy. She wanders around the churchyard and the nearby fields, looking for her lost love. The black dog is believed to be a guardian of the church, who protects it from evil forces. It is often seen near the church door or on the roof, and sometimes barks loudly to warn of impending danger. The headless horseman is thought to be the spirit of a soldier who was decapitated by a canonball during the civil war. He rides along the main road through the village, carrying his severed head under his arm.

The Wishing Well.

There is a well in Tideswell that is said to have magical powers. It is located near the old market cross, and has a stone slab with an inscription that reads “Whoever drinketh of this water shall have whatsoever he desireth”. Many people have tried to test the well’s power, but only a few have succeeded. One story tells of a poor man who wished for wealth and happiness, and found a bag of gold coins under his pillow the next morning. Another story tells of a young girl who wished for a handsome husband, and met her true love at the well soon after. However, there are also tales of people who wished for evil things, and suffered terrible consequences.

The well near the market cross.

The Litton Mill Curse.

Litton Mill is a former cotton mill that was built in 1782 near Tideswell. It was notorious for its harsh working conditions and cruel treatment of its workers, especially children. Many workers died or were injured in the mill, and some were buried in unmarked graves on the mill grounds. It is said that the mill was cursed by the ghosts of its victims. who caused misfortune and disaster to anyone who owned or worked on it. The mill was destroyed by fire several times, and eventually closed down in 1991. It has since been converted into apartments, but some residents claimed to have experienced paranormal phenomena, such as strange noises, cold spots and apparitions. I found the following information in Tideswell church and it is as follows:

Litton Mill Apprentices

Frank, Charles, Robert, Samuel and John were sons of overseer Ellis Needham. Reports suggest that they inflicted great cruelty on the apprentices at Litton Mill in the early part of the 19th century. The book ” A memoir of Robert Blincoe” records the abusive activities. Both Litton and Cressbrook mills were inspected by a Mr Middleton (factory inspector) in 1811.

Possibly the final injustice visited on these children was that they were buried on the north side of the church in an area of the churchyard considered, at the time, to be the least desirable.

I also came across the following unpleasant story in Tideswell church and it is as follows:

There is a plaque on one of the main gate posts leading to the church which suggests that the head of Nicholas Garlick is buried in the churchyard. He and Robert Ludlum were arrested at Padley (near Grindleford) for continuing Roman Catholic practices when these had been declared illegal. They were hung drawn and quartered near St Mary’s bridge in Derby on July 24th 1588. It is said that there was a delay with heating up the cauldron for boiling the entrails and Garlick used the time to preach a sermon to the assembled mob.

Nicholas Garlick had worked in Tideswell and would most probably have known Bishop Pursglove (who founded the grammer school so it is possible that the gatepost plaque displays truthful information.

The plaque on the church gatepost.

These are some of the myths and legends that surround Tideswell and its nearby areas. They reflect the rich cultural heritage and imagination of the people who live there.