The Drowned Villages of Ladybower

[@arthurbaldwin1804]

My grandparents lost their home when Ashopton village was flooded. I remember hearing them speak about it grandma crying and everyone comforting her when I Was about 5 years old i’m in my seventies now but that has always stuck in my memory.

[@peakadventures_]

Really nice video from such a lovely, soft spoken,intelligent sounding, beautiful woman.

[@danhensley1629]

I would love to travel to the UK someday, so much history and wonder.

[@daveflick12]

yes we have a very interesting history well worth a visit. hope you've made it since your post was 8 months a go

[@Walk_Adventure]

You don’t want to it’s shit

[@gillbancroft4287]

I really enjoyed watching this. Such a shame that such beautiful heritage was lost. Having visited Ladybower a few times, it was lovely to hear its history, even though a little sad too.

[@letsgopeakdistrict1669]

It is sad isn't it? Awful that so many generations lost their communities and history.

[@bbearsmama]

Wow! That is SO interesting! The black and white picture of the church's steeple as it was being submerged is quite a photo! I wonder if there is any "video" of that as it was occurring back then. Great video. I love how you talked about the people who lived there! Thank you for the information!

[@johnhankinson1929]

Fascinating video an the eerie atmosphere comes through the film , well done

[@brianirving814]

I grew up in Dore, W Sheffield in the Fifties and we would have days out at Ladybower, I remember sailing on a small dinghy there in my early childhood. Like so many other places in industrial northern England water was a massive necessity and many villages were submerged by dams to provide water for industry and population expansion, it happened throughout the country but especially up North in the Pennines and the Lake District to supply the major cities and industries with water. There are hundreds of examples of this, my most memorable are Haweswater, in the eastern lake District to supply Manchester, Blubber houses in West Yorkshire to supply Leeds/Bradford, and thousands of minor dams to supply water locally, I now live in Pendle which has dozens of small dams since old mill days that now supply town water, sweet and fresh. Thanks for your video, it reminded me of my childhood there, and the facts of such a vital, primal resource, now a commodity, rip off privatisation of basic need, ........

[@blue_ranger]

Great video. Was just here (September 22) the water is down again, similar to this video, but you explained and answered what we had been wondering about it. Thanks!

[@greengrass9572]

There's a blast from the past. We came here on a 3 or 4 day school field trip in 1990 October. I was in year 10, and remember the dam busters story and the lost village very clearly. It was completely under water at the time. When we arrived we were all given bikes to cycle around and take notes, there was an information board there showing that black and white photo of a church steeple out of the water. We thought it was a bit sad to loose a village like that. It took us hours to get to the peak district coming from the south east. We came in two yellow, noisy, slow and smokey Freight Rover Sherpa minibuses, and stayed in a hostel somewhere in the peaks I think. We also visited some moorlands and Castleton and I seem to remember there was alot of drizzle, fog and stone buildings there, and a big shopping centre in Sheffield before heading back if I remember rightly. I was probably too young to appreciate the beauty of the area.

[@lindalusby8468]

A well-crafted, informative video. The evocative music adds to the eerie feeling of being amongst those lost homes. Suzanne revealed not only her knowledge, but her heartfelt connection with the area. Beautiful autumn colours, too. Well done!

[@letsgopeakdistrict1669]

That is such a lovely comment Linda, thank you. I think it's really important that people don't forget the villages, and it's such a rare opportunity to see the ruins.

[@PeakDistrictSEO]

Very interesting video, thanks for sharing. I must get down there and take a look.

[@carlosincredible5157]

what a fascinating story thank you for sharing, i recently hiked Win hill the views are stunning

[@georgegunn9387]

Fascinating stuff...thanks for sharing.

[@NBMedia8928]

Facinating and I interesting video I'm planning a visit tomorrow while the water is still low thanks for the upload

[@andrewfox7861]

Amazing ,was just talking with a friend about this area thought I would check out this video ,thank you :-) ps your eyes are beautiful

[@JFW5358]

Most interesting. Thank you Suzanne. I wonder if the water fell as low last summer (2022).

[@gloriasking23]

Fascinating - when you admire beautiful scenery that is man-made you don’t really think about what was there before - never knew this about Ladybower - very sad.

[@letsgopeakdistrict1669]

Thanks Gloria - I love the fact that people are learning about the villages now, it's so important that they're not forgotten.

[@sharonprior2130]

Hey Suzanne I went to Ladybower yesterday and it was fascinating. The water level is still low and the ruined buildings are visible. Like you said it was a little eerie but also a little emotional treading in the footsteps of the people who lived there all them years ago. Loved your video, very informative, please do more.

[@letsgopeakdistrict1669]

Sharon Prior thank you ever so much! Please subscribe if you haven’t already, I’ll keep doing more videos from the hidden parts of the Peak District. :-)

[@Dave64track]

Hi Suzanne I have just come across your channel well worth watching great camera work and very informative of the area never been my self I think i'm going to have to go and have a look around myself. Thanks for sharing must subscribe and watch the others. See you in the next keep them coming very interesting to watch.

[@BS-Fact-checker]

Great video, keep them coming. Nicley edited but would liked to have seen more of the area as it is now during the dry time. May not get that chance again.

[@Timmysminivanventures]

Really appreciate this. Great vid

[@bobferguson4415]

I noticed what looks like a pump house or valve chamber at Derwent village in your film. I suspect a now redundant pipe line from the Derwent Dam and Howden ran down the valley through Derwent village and also through Ashopton as these dams were built twenty + years before Ladybower. I noticed a few days ago on the local TV channel, where I live, that there is one of these valve chambers or pumphouse buildings just off the Fishery office at Ladybower so there is one remaining structure visible from the village of Ashopton. I think they said it was the first time any structure from Ashopton has emerged or been seen in a long time. In fact, it could be a first so the reservoirs must be at an all time low. Its right at the end of the walkway used by anglers to reach the boats and isn’t far from Ladybower Dam. Millions probably do visit this area as it’s the second most visited national park in the world and second only to Mount Fuji National Park in Japan.

[@letsgopeakdistrict1669]

Thank you Bob, and yes you’re right, it is an old pumphouse.

[@mrjabz9558]

Just amazing

[@ChasingViews]

Top marks Suzanne. Great video with fascinating content.

[@letsgopeakdistrict1669]

Thank you! :-)

[@TheKurtsPlaceChannel]

Very interesting. Have a nice day now.

[@smilerpacey]

Really good article, thank you vey much Suzanne. More please : )

[@letsgopeakdistrict1669]

Thank you, that's very kind. :-)

[@beansoup9966]

super interesting! hard to believe man could ever create a place so beautiful. 👍

[@yvonnegreenfield5962]

Well done. such a fascinating story

[@letsgopeakdistrict1669]

Thank you Yvonne, it's a sad tale but it's so important that people know about it.

[@christineterry3526]

So interesting .....thankyou for a lovely clear explanatory video .....

[@letsgopeakdistrict1669]

Christine Terry thank you so much!

[@nitramretep]

Nice video, thanks.

[@albion2742]

Just subscribed, thanks for the video.

[@seawench555]

Thankyou that was incredibly well presented and as u say humbling, the things men do often make me wonder Why Why Why. Maybe one day they'll leave something beautiful alone to just be. 🇦🇺🌈

[@BikingVikingMTB]

Hi lovely information I ride my mtb up in the peaks n Ladybower too n its absolutely amazing! Thanks for the info on the two villages never new the names n a new subscriber is on the cards! 🙏🏻

[@villagerjim4777]

Learnt so very much that was simply fantastic

[@letsgopeakdistrict1669]

:-)

[@chriscalverley8434]

Very professional and informative.

[@letsgopeakdistrict1669]

Thank you Chris, glad you enjoyed it. Please keep following our channel - we will do more videos very soon!

[@billbright1755]

The British masonry and stone craftsmanship is astonishing.

[@omegaman3001962]

Nice to see the dam scheme works so well

[@stelley08]

Nice informative video

[@ByGraceIGo]

Here in America there is a reservoir about 10 miles away that also flooded a village called Triadelphia which the reservoir is named after and when the water goes down or they drain it for repair the old foundations show. It's such a pity a beautiful church and those places got flooded. Why can't they flood places that have no villages? I was visiting Northumbria in the border country of England and went to Kielder Water and it was lovely but don't know if any villages got flooded.

[@wylancslass]

Suzanne did a fabulous job but what a sad story. I lived in Glossop just a few miles away from Ladybower and never knew any of this until now.

[@letsgopeakdistrict1669]

That's brilliant Wendy, I'm so glad people are learning about the villages from the video.

[@SkyCharter]

Thank you.

[@DJFuzzl]

Nicely spoken

[@billbright1755]

What lovely country side.

[@macronencer]

They say the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. I'm not sure that would have been much comfort to most of the villagers, who lost not only their homes but their entire communities, with no chance of going back to visit. A very sad thought.

[@pirreli5]

bet that created heartache, all things will come to pass:)) ty....

[@judymay9801]

That was a really good documentary but it's so sad that all that community was dispersed. I'm from Manchester and of course so many buildings were cleared in the 1960's. I can see them so clearly in my mind's eye!

[@davidknowles3459]

They were not dispersed,they all moved to a local town

[@esssehyi]

... So so sad!

[@bobferguson4415]

Its a bit eerie and also sad though absolutely fascinating. Its only about once every thirty years we get a chance to see this.

[@letsgopeakdistrict1669]

It's a great opportunity to see the ruins. :-)

[@marcificht4013]

So sad that such a beautiful place was destroyed. The photos of the past show that it was a lovely little town and I can't even imagine what it was like for the citizens to have "home" flooded and wiped away. All they had left were memories...I would have been furious if they did this to my home!

[@shadowst0rm977]

What was this filmed with?

[@dianemccabe9907]

I just visited this area a few weeks ago. I had no idea of the history here. I'm from the States, it is a beautiful place, but it must have been so hard for people to leave their homes... Kinda sad.

[@danmather6983]

Very informative,I doubt millions visit Lady Bower each year.

[@letsgopeakdistrict1669]

Thanks Dan, glad you enjoyed the video. The official visitor numbers are 2 million a year - I was surprised too. :-)

[@jonjon9047]

Never mind Derwent. Can I just watch this lovely lady?

[@Dion_Mustard]

shouldn't the reservoir be more full by now? it's sad to think that a reservoir is so low. i know we had a very long dry summer but the north west has had lots of rain since. if there isn't much rain this year it will almost certainly dry up.

[@robertbilling3574]

It is ironic that siltation will be the ultimate fate of all the reservoirs in the peak district as the silting of the basen of the valley will mean that water will no longer be able to collect and as a result, the reservoirs eventually dry up; that also means that all the drowned villages will be lost to history being buried under tonnes of silt.

[@johnw7506]

Anyone who’s interested in this subject and also likes reading crime detective novels, please try ‘Cut to the Bone’ by Roz Watkins. It’s set right here in this location, and the reservoir plays a big part. 5 star recommendation!

[@peterduffield221]

Hey Suzanne im in love :-) Great Video BTW

[@onlyhuman1954]

That's very sad. If I visited I think I would be very moved. To think that once the seasons turned and the years and all the lives that called that drowned village home. Cats and dogs and all manner of animals roamed and slept in the sun... Progress?? Ruination. 😔😔

[@jonathantims2955]

Just wanted to mention that not all the houses were demolished 3 were meticulously disassembled stored over the wars and then reassembled near the waterworks itself

[@letsgopeakdistrict1669]

That's really interesting, thank you, it's fascinating to learn more about the area all the time.

[@paulharris5541]

Wow! And tragic

[@manicmechanic448]

This kind of thing happened allot in America. I can think of two with in 50 miles of here.

[@yellowgruts8340]

We have many towns that have been flooded and lie under man made lakes in New Zealand

[@geoffreylee5199]

Britain’s version of the Grand Canyon water recession? Where in Britain is this located?

[@MarkGeraghty]

No idea, it's up north somewhere, a map would be a good idea, or some description of location.

[@sladeippie5841]

Derbyshire, just outside Sheffield

[@RichardGMoss]

Just enter "Ladybower" into Google maps and you'll see!

[@steven2809]

Mark Geraghty It’s not ‘up North’ it’s the Peak District! Typical southerner........🙄

[@martydav9475]

Geoffrey Lee It's about eleven miles from the centre of SHEFFIELD, a city in northern England.There is a man called Patrick Dickensian who has a video on KZbin about the overflow system at Ladybower ("Patrick Dickenson Ladybower Reservoir Overflow" I think it's called.He also has one about a massive underground storm drain system called the Megatron, which was built in about 1860, is about 55feet underground,and covers the whole of Sheffield city centre.

[@Dragondave1000]

The reservoir was obviously needed. However given the historical and cultural issues, never mind the social concerns, I don't believe it would have received planning permission today..

[@davidlee6720]

old inhabitants talk of an even greater beauty before the devastating inundation. A great work of engineering though. I am torn between my heart and my intellect. being an artist though , my heart tends to win; my sympathies are aligned with the lost world. Alas life always moves on, we cannot hold on to the past. new generations soon adapt or are not even aware of of what had happened before in their ever changing landscape. Mores the pity.

[@jezmarshall9941]

Hi You don't pronounce Ashopton like that - it's a soft o. The buildings uncovered are valve houses (not pump houses) and the pipes actually pass inside Ashopton viaduct on their way to the Bamford filters.

[@thehillsx1]

Very informative video. Not sure if it's just me but I cringe a little when people hold their phone that close to their face (I know you've probably got it at arms length) to be honest I covered your face up with my hand while listening. It's not just your face anybody's face this close on a tablet screen is to close. I think a selfie stick would be a great improvement, also it would give you more freedom to move around while talking and getting more of the scenery in while you're still in shot. Please try one, they're such a massive improvement on selfie video's. 👍

[@letsgopeakdistrict1669]

uniuni thanks for the feedback. :-)

[@richardwilson1234]

probably a fault on the film but did anyone else notice a ghostly figure walking by the shoreline just above the left hand pillar at about 3.34 to 3.39?

[@craig.bryant]

Think it's just the reflection of the car when I saw it! :)

[@richardwilson1234]

@@craig.bryant You are right. Didn't see the car :)

[@mactheknife4786]

Not bad for an old un.

[@Dstew57A]

In the states they call this imminent domaine..where the government comes up and tells you they need your property “for the better community good”. You really don’t have much of a choice…so you accept their terms..sad really and dare I say unfair.

[@mickbaker9852]

Are you reading from prompts to the left ?

[@AB-gz9yb]

Should have left it standing as long as possible

[@slavensmolcic]

Please forgive me Myladi,but you are a very beautiful lady.Veri like Helen Mirren. ;-)

[@neilrobinson9806]

Destroyed on the wheel of capitalism

[@chrissyjohnson313]

Have heard about the drowned villages but never seen them. Great video but hard to watch as speech is out of sync. Well done Suzanne

[@letsgopeakdistrict1669]

Sorry to hear that Chrissy, one other person has mentioned that too but we can't get it to do the same thing for us so I'm afraid it's hard to work out why.

[@steve30b]

very nice video, i have a video on my channel done at dewent res..

[@gary9432]

The landscape is the same as it always was, just the water was put in and some excavation done.

[@janesgems7]

Compulsory purchase. Hateful.