Derbyshire countryside around Dale Abbey with oilseed rape in the foreground and an almost clear blue sky

The hermitage in Hermit's Wood in Dale Abbey, Derbyshire. Said to have been made by a baker from Derby called Cornelius. He had a vision telling him to go here to worship in solitude. He lived here for around 20 years before moving down the hillside to build a chapel. Parts of which remain in the fabric of the village All Saints Church.

Abbey House. A lovely stone cottage in Dale Abbey which was built against the huge stone chimney from the abbey kitchen.

The great arch of the chancel east window of Dale Abbey. Suggested that the window was retained because of an ancient belief that if the arch falls, the villagers of Dale Abbey would have to pay tithes.

Impromptu walk around Dale Abbey this morning. Don't think spring mornings come any more perfect than this. Showed Beck the hermitage and the old Abbey ruins, including the cottage built against the huge chimney from the abbey kitchen.

#derbyshire #archaeology #heritage

Another absolutely essential album turns 30 this year. Failure's "Fantastic Planet" so often gets overlooked in all the 90s lists and articles, but it's SO SO SO GOOD!!

#listeningto #30in26 #music

The finds that we got around to cleaning from our test pit trial day. Still finding whiteware 60cm down was a little annoying, but all adds to the story I suppose! Nice chunky Pancheon Ware sherds though!

Continuing this weekend to see if we can get to an older layer! #archaeology #derbyshire

Test pit practice day with the Barrow Archaeology Group. Getting to grips with the art of digging test pits ahead of our community test pit weekend in September. #derbyshire #archaeology

Same alignment as the avenue on the left, and appear to respect the big tree, so later than those two things. Do they run events on that area?

Picked it from my massive to-read pile the other day, and so glad I did. It's perfect for the brighter, warmer days.

A hand holding up a copy of 'Grounded' by author James Canton. The cover features an illustration of a stone circle in a landscape of bare trees.

I suspect we all have a list of places to visit that's already long enough. And if you'd like to keep it that length, then don't start reading 'Grounded' by James Canton. I'm only 50 pages in and already have a sizeable list of sites. Also his writing is great. Really soothing yet poignant. #booksky

It's really lovely up there. Also, there looks to be a stone circle on the other side of Bar Brook, which doesn't seem to be mentioned anywhere, so want to wander over there to have a nosey! 👀

Ahh, thanks!! Hoping to get back up there to do the whole circle at some point. And maybe some of the cairns too!

It's not much, but I'm proud of my first step into exploring photogrammetry & heritage as a part of my @artscouncilengland.bsky.social project. Here's the tallest stone of Barbrook I stone circle. Thanks to @artfletch.bsky.social for the GIF help! skfb.ly/pHUAW #StandingStoneSunday #Derbyshire

You absolute legend, thanks! After finding nothing online, I installed Blender, but I was getting nowhere with it!

Love these! Do you mind me asking how you create the GIFs? I've been wrestling with Sketchfab and can't work it out!!

Old photograph of Farnah Hall, near Duffield in Derbyshire. © Unknown

25in OS Map from National Library of Scotland's website. Farnah Hall and The Moat are featured.

Google satellite image of the area around Farnah Hall and Champion Park.

LiDAR image created using data from DEFRA's website. The image shows the sides of the moat very clearly. The remains of Farnah Hall...not so much.

Trying to post some regular archaeological sites in #Derbyshire over on the Derbyshire Archaeological Society's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/groups/69721...). This site has captured my interest lately, so thought I'd share it here, too. Farnah Hall / Champion Park nr Duffield. #archaeology

Blue sky with wispy clouds over Big Moor near Curbar in Derbyshire

Barbrook I stone circle on a sunny day with a clear blue sky, on Big Moor near Curbar in Derbyshire

Barbrook II stone circle on a sunny day with blue skies. Near Curbar in Derbyshire.

The interior of Barbrook II stone circle showing the remains of a cist.

Good weather meant some Derbyshire exploring was on the cards. Loved my time up on Big Moor, near Curbar, saying hello to the stone circles and all the barrows and cairns dotted about the place!

I'll be back here soon as part of my @artscouncilengland.bsky.social project!

#archaeology #Derbyshire

Ah, but the gigs were so cheap back then!!

I know!! And there's so many turning 30 this year. 96 must've been a REALLY expensive year for teenage me!!

TOOL - Ænema (Official Video) YouTube video by TOOLVEVO

I don't know how all of these (pretty recent, I'll have you know) albums are turning 30 this year! Clearly something wrong with time at the moment. Maybe it needs turning off and on again.

Amazing band. Amazing album.

#listeningto #music #30in26

A hand holding a stone with a runic design on the surface.

Making use of the good weather, I went to see Barbrook I & II, and whilst there, met a chap who gave me this stone for good luck. He was going to leave it in the stone circle for someone to find but said that it brings more luck if you give it to someone directly.

Which was nice.

#derbyshire

Going to keep it under my hat for now. There are quite a few moving parts, so even if I get past this first stage, it still has a few hurdles before the big application.

a young boy is covering his face with his hands while sitting on a bed . ALT: a young boy is covering his face with his hands while sitting on a bed .

After a LOT of work, planning, emails, video calls, umming & ahhing, persuading, worrying, and waiting, I finally submitted an initial enquiry for a Heritage Fund application for a #community #archaeology project! Can everyone cross their fingers for me, please? Thanks.

I still think of this as a "new" Soundgarden album. Apparently, it's 30 years old this year! #30in26 #music

I guess I'm off to Reddit for the next half hour or so then!!

Proposed Planning Policy Reforms: Implications for Archaeology and Heritage in the Draft NPPF An online talk with Neil Redfern and Catherine Bell

Join us online on 26 February, 7pm.

In this free Zoom webinar, CBA Executive Director Neil Redfern and Casework & Advocacy Manager Catherine Bell will unpack the government’s proposed revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework, the most significant changes since 2012. 👉

These are fab! Love the blurry movement!!

I've sent Beck on a mission to find you! Hope she manages to grab a quick hello.

I love this! It's wonderful how these things get passed down!

a two-tiered theatre filled with people sat down attending Derbyshire Archaeology Day at The Winding Wheel theatre in Chesterfield. Photo by me.

Landscape archaeologist David Went standing on stage pointing at a screen during his presentation at Derbyshire Archaeology Day. Photo by me.

A man with a beard and a flat cap sat in a theatre crowd holding a microphone during the Q&A section of a talk at Derbyshire Archaeology Day 2026

Alex Cave from Derbyshire Records Office stood on a stage at Derbyshire Archaeology Day giving a talk about her archive project. Photo by me.

A few of my photos from a fab time at Derbyshire Archaeology Day 2026 in Chesterfield. Full of fantastic talks, great archaeology chats between speakers, and the infamous Colin Merrony book stall! January 2027 seems a long way off! Maybe some sort of Summer heritage social is in order? #archaeology

Thanks!! Always good to see what other ArchaeSocs are upto!

Apparently it's "a local resident called John".

Can't find any other details about it. Looks like you need to phone the library to book so I'll ask then and let you know.