Dove Holes Village – An Introduction

Evidence of human occupation within the area that developed into Dove Holes village has been found in the ‘Henge’ known to us locally as the Bull Ring. The Bull Ring has been dated to the Neolithic – meaning late Stone Age period, which has traditionally been associated with the origins of farming and a sedentary way of life rather than nomadic hunter gatherers. Included as it was in the Royal Forest of the Peak, an area set aside as a Royal Hunting Forest, it is probable that some people made their homes in this area as we know they did in Chapel-en-le-Frith.

By 1650, according to the General Survey of the Manor of the High Peak, made to assess the property of the then late King Charles, we know that people were living, working and burning lime here. “All those quarries or pits of limestone lyeing in ye crofts by ye Dove Holes”, “14 kilns at work or thereabouts, the kilns being set up ordinarily and taken down by the people at their pleasure without licence”. Even then it seems the people of Dove Holes were making things happen for themselves! The village name is thought to have come from the Celtic word ‘dwft’ meaning water; hence water holes.

Until the advent of the Industrial Revolution and the completion of the Peak Forest Tramway in 1799 and the beginnings of the commercial quarrying industry in the village and locality, it would seem that the village was a collection of small farms where they also burnt lime to use on their land. Undoubtedly, the real expansion of the village was linked to the arrival of the Tramway and the expansion of the quarrying industry.

Throughout the 20^th century and into the 21^st century, through two world wars and into this technological age, the village, like Topsy, has continued to ‘just grow’.

There are many things which we will never know concerning the development of our village, they are lost in the mists of time. One thing we can be sure of however, is that they did not have the benefits of a Village Plan and the very real chance to affect its future as we do now – so let’s make the most of it!

Jenny Nicholson, local author

Dove Holes

Dove Holes sits on the A6, which bisects the village, and lies three miles from the large market town of Buxton in Derbyshire. It is a medium sized rural village with a population of approximately 450 dwellings, which house around 1200 residents who live in the main part of the village adjacent to the A6 or on outlying farms. The village has several businesses and shops. There are approximately 6 working farms within the village of Dove Holes and many more within the wider boundary of the parish that make an important contribution towards the economy and vibrancy of the village, as do the quarries which contributed to the development of the village. Dove Holes lies just outside of the Peak District National Park but is not a village that attracts many tourists.

There are two public houses in the village, one of which offers residential accommodation. There is also a general store and a Post Office. There is a daily milk delivery service and a mobile library visits every two weeks. There is a church, a Methodist chapel and a community centre, which serves the village’s needs. The village primary school currently has around 80 pupils and serves the surrounding villages as well as Dove Holes. The nearest nursery school provision is in Buxton, three miles away and for secondary school provision the children travel to Buxton or Chapel-en-le-Frith three miles away. Outdoor recreational facilities are provided within the village, particularly for cricket and football. There is also a playground. Most other facilities such as banks, swimming pool, leisure facilities and medical centre are located in Buxton, although there is some limited provision in the nearby town of Chapel-en-le-Frith, three miles away.

There are several community groups in existence in Dove Holes, for example: darts, dominoes, playgroup, art group, toddler group, sports clubs, indoor bowling, Over 60s, line dancing, sequence dancing, Keep Fit, golf society and a jazz club. There are also committees that represent a wide variety of interests such as the Community Association, the Parochial Church Council and the Dove Holes Village Group.

Background

Chapel-en-le-Frith Parish Council was approached in 2001 by Tracy Critchlow, the Village Agent for Dove Holes, to explain the Village Agent scheme and to ask for permission to undertake work within Dove Holes to develop a Village Plan. Permission was given and the Village Agent made contact with the existing groups within the village to try and form a committee. An Open Day was held to explain the scheme to all the residents and invite them to become involved on the newly-formed Dove Holes Village Group. The Village Agent would work with this group to create a holistic plan for Dove Holes.

The information gathered during the consultation was comprehensive in scope and personal in its approach. The questionnaire included sections on housing, education, countryside and environment, churches, health and social services, environmental and other services, emergency services, indoor and outdoor sports facilities, social activities, transport and highways, information and communication, local government, tourism, the local economy and what people liked and disliked about Dove Holes. The questionnaire was completed by a large proportion of the population and identified some priorities for action.

The aim was to involve a wide proportion of the population in the Village Plan process so that it represented a broad cross-section of the community. As well as using a questionnaire, it was decided to consult people by visiting and talking to them at their regular meeting places in order to seek their views and opinions. All local community groups and committees were contacted directly to raise awareness of the Village Plan and to ascertain the issues that people were concerned about.

Having gained an understanding of the ideas and concerns of the people, the Dove Holes Village Group included them in the draft plan. The draft plan was presented to the people of Dove Holes, for their approval, at an open meeting. A final plan was then drawn up which identifies projects for potential development. People were kept informed of the process through regular newsletters which were delivered by the group to every household in the village.

The Dove Holes Village Group worked closely with the Derbyshire Rural Community Council and had the support of a Village Agent and a fieldworker to help develop the process.

The following organisations were involved in the preparation and planning process: the Community Association, the local Church Council, Dove Holes Primary School, Dove Holes Playgroup, the Dove Chicks, the Methodist church, Dove Holes Youth Club, the local sports clubs and Chapel-en-le-Frith Parish Council who were all consulted on their priorities for the plan. They were updated regularly.

The Dove Holes Village Group will work closely with the residents of Dove Holes in the development of any projects arising from the Plan. The Local Authorities (Derbyshire County Council, High Peak Borough Council, Chapel-en-le-Frith Parish Council and the Primary Care Trust) will be included in their discussions.

Summary

In 2001 the Derbyshire Rural Community Council implemented a ‘Village Agents’ programme. This programme is aimed at communities within the High Peak and Derbyshire Dales. A dedicated worker is allocated to a village to consult with the residents and visitors with a view to help them identify what they value or dislike about their village, what they feel is missing or what they would like to remove or change to improve their environment and the general well being of the community. This is then incorporated into a Village Plan which can help to access funding to achieve some of the identified projects

After seeking permission from Chapel-en-le-Frith Parish Council to work within the village, the Village Agent formed the Dove Holes Village Group from interested people within the village and worked with them to develop the Village Plan. An application for a Countryside Agency Parish Plan Grant was submitted towards the end of 2002 in order that the Village Plan could be completed by the end of 2003.

During 2002 a wide variety of people were consulted including the children at Dove Holes Primary School and the older children at the Youth Club about what they wanted for the future of their village. The consultation methods used included a Wish List Day to which people were invited to come and find out about the Village Plan process and to put forward any ideas and issues they had about Dove Holes. Representatives from various organisations such as High Peak Borough Council’s tourism and sports development departments, the Rural Transport Partnership, arts and craft groups and adult education were on hand to inform people of the sort of things which could be available.

The Dove Holes Village Group developed an in-depth questionnaire which was hand-delivered around the village. Many residents completed the questionnaires which were collected in by the Village Group and then analysed. The issues and suggestions which were put forward were then written up into a draft Village Plan. This was presented to the people of Dove Holes at an Open Meeting at which they were given the opportunity to comment on the Village Plan and also to put their names against any projects they were interested in becoming involved with.

The comments and suggested amendments were incorporated into the draft plan and the final version of the Village Plan was printed and launched at an Open Meeting in January 2004.

The Dove Holes Village Plan has been developed by the people of Dove Holes for the people of Dove Holes.

Housing

At present there are approximately 450 houses in Dove Holes. The latest housing development, The Meadows, was begun in 1999 and now contains 66 houses. Five of these are owned by the Manchester Methodists Housing Association and are part-owned, part-rented by the occupants. This has both advantages and disadvantages but it does give people a start on the mortgage ladder. Previously, the newest housing estate was on Horseshoe Avenue which was built around 1990. Despite these two fairly recent developments, there is still a demand for low cost, affordable housing and starter homes. One of the reasons for this is that there is a fairly low turnover of housing because people are reluctant to move out of this close-knit community. The population of Dove Holes is also increasing. In 1991 it stood at 1038 but by 1999 it had grown to 1100 people. However, there is a shortage of available sites for housing. There is a complex of maisonettes within the village that are owned by High Peak Borough Council. These were originally built to house the elderly but there is growing concern that they are being increasingly used to house drug users from outside of the village.

There are many things that people like about the housing in Dove Holes. They felt that it is of a good standard, is fairly affordable, there is no overlooking by other houses, the new houses are well designed and the new housing estate is quiet. However, people didn’t like Dove Holes being used as an overspill for other towns and felt that there is a lack of affordable houses and a shortage of houses with parking and gardens.

A housing section was included within the questionnaire. The questions and responses are as follows:

Has anyone from your household ever had to leave the village to find affordable or sheltered housing?

No: 175 Yes: 7

Is there anyone in your household who, in the next few years, might need:

Affordable Housing 46 Sheltered Housing 39

If you are unable to move to accommodation of the type you need, is this because of:

Price 42

Lack of suitable housing to buy 27

Lack of local authority housing 11

Lack of other rented accommodation 13

Action points

Provide more starter homes
Provide more affordable housing
Build more houses to keep families in the village
Provide more rented accommodation
Complete the Meadows development and have the roads adopted
Improve the access to the Meadows
Ask the council not to place any more undesirables in the maisonettes

Dove Holes has a lot of potential – the new housing estate is well thought out – shows that with sensitive development it could become a really nice village

Education

Dove Holes has a Church of England controlled primary school within the village that caters for 5 – 11 year olds. The school received an OFSTED commendation in 2001 and is regarded by many parents to be a good school. The school has just increased its scope and is now taking nursery age children on a part-time basis. There has been a school within the village for at least eighty years and it has always been an integral part of village life. The current board of governors is made up of parents and councillors who all show a keen interest in the successful future of the school. There are currently 80 children at the school.

A playgroup was established in 1988 and is based at the Community Centre. It currently runs for four mornings per week, although responses given to the questionnaire indicated that there is both a demand and a willingness to provide a fifth morning session. The playgroup currently caters for children from Dove Holes and the surrounding area.

In 2002 the Dove Chicks toddler group was established and is held once a week in the Methodist church hall. Babies and toddlers attend with their mums, dads, grans, granddads or carers to socialise and play with the toys provided.

Adult education classes have been held on a regular basis for the past few years. Currently, a computer course and a yoga class are held weekly at the Methodist church hall. Other classes have been held in the past, for example aerobics and Tai Chi. The main feedback from the questionnaire is that people are not sure what is already provided within the village and would like more information as to what there is. There is a lot of demand for a wide variety of courses to be provided, for example

· Flower arranging

· GCSE, A level and higher education

· Pottery

· Practical skills, eg. mechanics, building, woodwork

· French

· Aerobics

· First Aid

· Dancing lessons

An Education section was included within the questionnaire. The questions and responses are as follows:

Is the existing pre-school, school and adult education provision within the village adequate?

Pre-school Yes 159 No 43

School Yes 204 No 20

Adult Yes 83 No 127

Action points

Provide playgroup provision five mornings per week
Provide more adult education and evening classes within the village
Improve the communication about what classes and groups are held in the village
Continuity of teachers at the school

Countryside And Environment

Dove Holes is surrounded by open countryside and, whilst it has a major road running through the middle of the village, the countryside and environment are an important and much appreciated aspect of the village. The countryside and views are one of the main things that people like about living in Dove Holes. It is not too built up and still has plenty of open spaces, wildlife and trees. There are many good walks which people enjoy using and they appreciate the clean environment and fresh air. People also like the fact that, whilst Dove Holes has a country feel to it, it is very handy to get to nearby towns. However, people didn’t like the amount of dog and cat fouling around the village, the wildlife and flowers being ruined by dumping and the lack of trees in some parts of the village.

A variety of questions were asked on this topic and the questions and answers are summarised below.

Can you usually follow the footpaths and bridleways in the village without much difficulty?

No: 57 Yes: 128

The difficulties were mainly caused because the paths are poorly signposted and this is supported by the responses given to question 2. Some of the paths are quite overgrown and there are also problems created because the routes of the paths around the quarry keep changing and aren’t always easy to follow. Many people commented that they don’t know where the paths are and would find a map or leaflet useful, which is supported by the responses to question 3. Green Lane was mentioned on numerous occasions because of its poor condition and the difficulty people had with walking on it.

What do you think could be done with the roads, lanes and paths to make the local countryside better?

(a) Dog fouling bins

Very Important: 344 Worth Doing: 86 Not Necessary: 2

(b) Keep roadside verges mown and tidy

Very Important: 234 Worth Doing: 172 Not Necessary: 9

(c ) Stop vehicle damage to road verges

Very Important: 191 Worth Doing: 171 Not Necessary: 40

(d) Signpost paths and bridleways

Very Important: 156 Worth Doing: 214 Not Necessary: 27

(e) Signposts for local amenities and areas of interest

Very Important: 129 Worth Doing: 210 Not Necessary: 37

People felt very strongly about the amount of dog fouling and the complete lack of dog fouling bins within the village. There was a general feeling of annoyance with dog owners who didn’t clean up after their pets. There were a large number of comments requesting that the grass verges throughout the village be planted with bulbs and flowers.

3. Would you like to see a map of the village and public footpaths publicised in a leaflet?

No: 26 Yes: 154

4. What areas of the village could be visually improved and how?

There was a very large response to this question with a large and varied amount of suggestions being put forward. Many of these fit better under other sections of the village plan but the ones relevant to this section are summarised below.

People felt very strongly that they would like to see more flower tubs and hanging baskets along the A6 road and around the public areas of the village to brighten the village up and try to change its dour image. Grass verges also needed to be mown regularly, as well as being planted with bulbs and flowers and cleared of litter, the verges at the village entrances and at ‘Brickrow’ being mentioned in particular. Although there are quite a few trees already within the village (some of which need pruning), people felt that they would like to see more, possibly at the entrances and on some verges. Trees were also suggested as screening for unsightly areas within the village such as behind the football pitch to screen the tip area and to screen the scrap metal dealer from the train station. Several areas in and round the village were felt to be in need of cleaning up or landscaping. Whilst most people felt the village needed a really good clean up, some places were mentioned in particular. These included the war memorial tidying up, the spoil heaps next to Dale Road landscaping, the park tidying up, the entrance to the Over 60s keeping tidy and the island at Barmoor Clough junction landscaping and planting. It was felt that the entrance to the community centre could be improved visually and the community centre and cricket club needed clearing of litter, painting and planting with flowers. People also felt that the village should be entered into the Britain in Bloom competition. There were several references to the amount of litter and the lack of litter bins around the village. Whilst some people wanted to see this litter cleaned up, others felt that the emphasis should be on teaching people not to drop the litter in the first place.

Action Points

· Improve signposting of footpaths around the village

· Provide a map or leaflet of walks around the village

· Reduce vehicle damage to verges and footpaths

· Improve Green Lane

· Provide dog fouling bins around the village

· Keep roadside verges mown and tidy

· Provide signposts for local amenities and areas of interest

· Put up signs to encourage dog owners to take their dog muck home with them

· Plant grass verges with bulbs and flowers

· Provide flower beds and hanging baskets throughout village

· Plant more trees

· Plant trees to screen lime tips from football field

· Plant trees to screen scrap yard from station

· Tidy up War Memorial

· Landscape spoil heaps on Dale Road

· Tidy up the park

· Keep entrance to Over 60s tidy

· Landscape and plant island at Barmoor Clough

· Clear litter around the community centre, paint and plant flowers

· Enter in Britain in Bloom competition

· Provide more litter bins

· Educate people to use litter and dog bins

· Tidy up area around maisonettes

· Public footpath down to the blacks and the entrance from the football field is steep, muddy, rocky and dangerous – it needs steps and handrails

Rebuilding fallen down walls

The main message which came out of this section was the comment ‘Let’s have pride in the appearance of our village’

Churches

There are currently two churches within the village. One, St Paul’s is Church of England and the other is a Methodist Chapel. St Paul’s church was built in 1878 and its parsonage was built in 1893. The Methodist Chapel is slightly older, with building work commencing in 1871 and opening in 1876. Both buildings have played an important part in the lives of the villagers over the years, not just for weddings and funerals but were also a major part of the social activities within the village.

As part of the Village Plan questionnaire, people were asked if they thought the existing church facilities were adequate and the responses are as follows:

Are the existing facilities provided by the churches in Dove Holes adequate?

Church of England: Yes: 336 No: 31

Methodist: Yes: 266 No: 8

People were also asked if there were any changes or improvements they would like to see in the facilities provided. Whilst the vast majority of people are happy with the current provision, there are many suggestions for improvements. The main request to come forward was for improvements to be done to the driveways and car parks of both churches to enable parking for weddings and funerals and to provide easier access for pushchairs and the disabled. Kitchen and toilet facilities was another area which people felt needed improving. Better provision of information through leaflets and new notice boards was another thing that people

would like to see. Another area people wanted addressing was to make the churches a bigger part of the community by opening them up to the young, infirm and the wider community and to concentrate on addressing the needs of all the community rather than of just a few people. In the churchyards, people would like to see them tidied up and a water tap providing at St Paul’s.

When asked if they would like to see any other churches or faith communities in the village, the majority answered ‘No’. People felt that they were lucky to already have two churches within their village and felt that other faiths would be welcome within them. However, some did express a desire to have a Catholic church in the village. Whilst several people commented that they would like to see better links between the two churches, others couldn’t see the point in having any churches at all.

On the positive side, one of the things that people like about living in Dove Holes is that there is a good church community and that St Paul’s church is alive.

Action Points

· Resurface the drive and car park at the Methodist Chapel to allow pushchair and wheelchair access

· New notice board at St Paul’s and at the Methodist Chapel

· Encourage more joint working between the two churches

· Widen the access to St Paul’s to allow easier access into the churchyard and stop cars parking on the road during funerals and weddings

· Access Grant Aid for the upkeep of both buildings

· Update toilet facilities at both churches to conform to the new government regulations due to be introduced

· Provide a leaflet which gives details of services, Sunday School and events

· Provide kitchen facilities at St Paul’s

· Access Grant Aid to re-paint the interior of the Methodist Chapel

· Improve attendance

· Open the churches up to the young, the infirm and the wider community

· Provide better maintenance for St Paul’s

· Provide a water tap in the churchyard at St Paul’s for people putting flowers on graves

· Provide a decent path up the side of St Paul’s to the churchyard

· Tidy up the churchyard