| Famous People - Famous Buildings | |||
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In
the 18th century Two Dales (Toadholes - 'fox earths') came to be dominated by
the Dakeyne family who went on to establish a spinning mill in the village and
to build both Ladygrove House and Holt House. Sir Joseph Whitworth, the
Victorian mechanical engineer, purchased Stancliffe Hall in 1854 and took up
permanent residence there in 1872 with his second wife, Mary Louise. Whitworth
extended the hall, extensively landscaped the gardens and built a large
conservatory and a number of cottages for his estate workers. The estate contained a gritstone quarry supplying stone for many important buildings, from railway stations to stately homes, including Chatsworth House. Even the paving slabs in Trafalgar Square came from Darley Dale. After Whitworth's death Lady Whitworth paid for the building of the Whitworth Hospital and the Whitworth Institute and Park, as well as establishing scholarships at local schools. Another famous resident was Joseph Paxton who owned Darley House. It is said that the conservatory that he added to the property was an early inspiration for the design of Crystal Palace. In 1796 Sir Richard Arkwright also left his mark on the area with the construction of Darley (New) Hall. |
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