Scheduled monuments in North East Derbyshire facts for kids

This page lists special historical sites and buildings in the North East Derbyshire area of Derbyshire, England. These places are called scheduled monuments.

A scheduled monument is a very important old place or building in the United Kingdom. It gets special protection from the government. This means people cannot change it without permission. English Heritage helps find and protect these sites. There are about 20,000 scheduled monuments across the UK. Sometimes, one entry on the list can include more than one site.

Even if a place is a scheduled monument, it can also be a "listed building." However, English Heritage thinks being a listed building is a better way to protect buildings. If a monument is no longer considered important enough, it can be removed from the list.

Derbyshire has over 500 scheduled monuments. These include many stone piles called cairns, stone circles, ancient burial mounds called barrows, old lead mining sites, and even parts of old Roman roads.

What Are Scheduled Monuments?

A scheduled monument is like a super important historical site that the government wants to keep safe. Imagine an old castle, a Roman road, or an ancient burial ground. These places tell us a lot about the past. By making them "scheduled," it means they are protected by law. This stops people from digging them up, building on them, or damaging them without special permission.

Why Are These Sites Protected?

These sites are protected because they are "nationally important." This means they are a big part of the history of the whole country, not just a local area. They help us learn about how people lived long ago, what tools they used, and how their societies worked. Protecting them ensures that future generations can also learn from these amazing historical clues.

Who Protects Them?

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport is the government official who officially adds sites to the list. But it's English Heritage that does most of the work. They are experts who find these sites and decide if they are important enough to be protected. They also help look after them.

Types of Ancient Sites in North East Derbyshire

North East Derbyshire is home to many different kinds of ancient sites. Each one gives us a peek into the past.

Ancient Burial Sites

Many scheduled monuments here are related to ancient burials.

• Barrows: These are mounds of earth or stone built over graves. They were used by people thousands of years ago.
• Cairns: These are piles of stones, often used as burial markers or monuments. Sometimes, many cairns are found together in a "cairnfield."
• Ring Cairns: These are circular arrangements of stones, sometimes with a central burial.

Old Industrial Sites

Derbyshire has a long history of mining and metalworking.

• Lead Smelt Mills: These were places where lead ore was heated to extract the metal. Lead mining was very important in this area.
• Coke Ovens: These ovens were used to turn coal into coke, which was a fuel used in metal production.
• Collieries: These are old coal mines. Some still have parts of their original buildings, like engine houses.

Roman Roads and Settlements

The Romans were in Britain for many years, and their influence can still be seen.

• Roman Roads: Sections of old Roman roads, like Rykneld Street, are protected. These roads were built very well and helped the Romans move around the country.

Other Important Structures

• Castles: Some sites are the remains of old castles, like motte and bailey castles, which were early types of castles built on mounds.
• Moated Sites: These were often important houses or settlements surrounded by a ditch filled with water for protection.
• Chapels and Crosses: Old religious buildings or stone crosses that marked paths or boundaries are also protected.

Notable Scheduled Monuments in North East Derbyshire

Here are some examples of the interesting scheduled monuments you can find in North East Derbyshire:

• Bowl barrow on Longside Moor: An ancient burial mound located near Holymoorside.
• Cairn complex near Dalebrook House: A group of stone piles found south of Dalebrook House in Brampton.
• Castle Hill motte and bailey castle: The remains of an early castle in Holmesfield.
• Coke ovens: Old ovens used for making coke, found near Summerley House in Dronfield.
• Plumbley Colliery including Seldom Seen engine house: A historic coal mining site in Eckington, with a well-known engine house.
• Ruins of Trinity Chapel: The remains of an old chapel in Brackenfield. It's also a Grade II listed building.
• Section of Rykneld Street Roman road: Parts of an ancient Roman road near Wingerworth and Tupton.
• Sutton Scarsdale Hall: A ruined stately home built in the Georgian style near Chesterfield. It's also a Grade I listed building.
• Wayside and boundary cross known as Lady's Cross: An old stone cross in Holmesfield that marked a path or boundary.

Images for kids

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  These old coke ovens were used to make fuel for metalworking.

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  The Seldom Seen Engine House is part of an old coal mine.

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  The ruins of Trinity Chapel, a historic religious building.

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  Sutton Scarsdale Hall is a grand ruined house from the Georgian era.

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  Lady's Cross is an old stone cross that once marked a path.