The picture would have been taken shortly before or during the first
few months of the First World War. On the left is the Wheatsheaf,
at that time lived in by Thomas Anthony Walton and his family;
Mr. Walton was a farmer and cab proprietor[1].
Matlock Town's old sycamore tree[2],
that had stood outside the church for a long time, was by this
time just a broken and rotting stump. All kinds of events had been
celebrated on the green beneath its boughs over the years.[3].
These days another mature tree is in the same spot, surrounded
by the same low circular stone wall at the base of the tree seen
here. The replacement, an oak, was planted in 1924 following the
eventual removal of the unsightly stump. F. D. Baxter, the Council's
Chairman, did the honours; his spadework was watched by most of
the Council and some local people. The new tree, from the Stancliffe
estate, was already said to be over 30 years old when it was planted[4].
Plaque commemorating the tree planting on the low wall around its base.
There are several people in the top image. On the Green itself,
by the lamp post, is someone touching the stones though he or she
is not working on them. Also on the Green but close to the tree
stump is a man in a trilby hat and, near him, there is what is
possibly a sack or a box on the wall. Leaning over the
wall next to the road is a group of three men, the closest of whom
is peering down at something behind the wall; a jacket or coat
has been draped over the wall a yard or so to their right. They
could all be working on the removal of the tree stump or just carrying
out routine maintenance. Last but not least there is a small child
at the bottom of the path leading up to the church.
The replacement tree, almost 100 years later. It now towers over the church and hides it from view.
This large piece of stone beneath the tree, now very worn, has long been considered to possibly be the remains of the stump of an old market
cross [4]. There is, however, no evidence for this. The stocks were a little further away, sited
on a paved area closer to the churchyard. Perhaps it was another mounting stone for the rider of a horse, though it would be a large step
up! Any further suggestions would be welcomed.
Famous
Derbyshire Health Resorts. The Matlocks, about 1892 - Part 1 mentions
the church, the tree and the events held beneath it.
View even more about the church by clicking on the images below:
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