This is one of only two pictures of Upperwood, high on the hill above
Matlock Bath and about 700 feet above sea level. Riber Castle
stands out on the far hillside and Starkholmes is below it.
The card's title is slightly misleading as most of Matlock
Bath is out of site!
The house centre left, only partly seen, has washing
in the garden (like two eyes in a mask!) is Valley View where,
in 1908, Charles Gregory let out apartments[1].
The web mistress is uncertain what the property next door is
called. Below these two houses is a road junction and just
below the junction, on the left, is the entrance to the Speedwell
Cavern. In the mid nineteenth century Benjamin Froggatt, who
also lived in Upper Wood, was the cavern guide[2].
The cavern is opposite a small cottage called Iris Cottage,
known as Angelina's Cottage.
On the right is a further group of houses, the largest
of which is Upperwood Farm and this photograph shows the building
with an extension on the left hand end (the farmhouse had not
been extended on the
nineteenth century picture elsewhere on the site). Daniel Massey was the farmer here at the end of
the nineteenth century and he was followed by James Steeples[3].
An article published about the farm in 1914 described the working of the farm as somewhat
laborious because of the slope. On occasion heavy carting meant the farmer had to use sleighs
instead of wheeled vehicles. Nevertheless, this farm had been in the hands of two good farmers in
succession - first Mr. Massey and then Mr. Steeples. The Steeples' landlord was Colonel
Cantrell Hubbersty[4]. Col. Hubbersty
died in 1915 and his property was auctioned over the next few years.
Another house is mostly hidden from view by the farm - this
is Cumberland House, or Cumberland Lodge as it was in 1901[5].
In the area between Cumberland House and the other unnamed
building is where the Zoo Tea Gardens were.
James Potter was farming in Upper Wood in 1916
- see Kelly's.
 Read Betjeman's poem that mentions
Upper Wood on Matlock and Matlock
Bath: Inspiration of Poets
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