A STUMBLE IN STANNINGTON

Another ambitious 2 hour walk yesterday, after that first push westward towards the Peak.

A grey day, always threatening rain but a day wise enough to hold off till I’d got home.

Stannington had been calling me since that first walk up Hagg Hill on New Year’s Day.

Down beyond the bubbling streams and sweaty joggers of the Rivelin Valley lies an unexpected cluster of tower blocks.

There were 3 pubs near the Stannington flats at Deer Park, but they’re all permanently closed now. I DID think of taking photos of them but you get odd stares when you take shots of child care facilities, Co-ops and gyms, so thought better of it.

See the source image

So, no pubs at all to serve half the population (10k); for pubs you have to head up hill towards the medieval village, which is getting quite cross about houses in the nearby valley.

The 3 pubs (a 4th just demolished for housing) are what I’d call “plain”, and mean it as the highest compliment.

Your two favourite basic pub reviewers got to the Rose & Crown 10 years ago; Alan gave it 6, a harsher Will a point less. Will took the 61/62 bus up here, but I won’t hold that against him.

The Peacock has escaped the attention of the tickers, old and new. Not sure which of those two signs are odder.

Not a lot to see in the village, best head on to the ice cream and carols in Dungworth.

But stop to admire the impressive 19th century church,

and a final pub just up the hill.

Alan found Kelham Rider AND Pedigree 10 years ago in the Crown and Glove, which sounds like a Smiths B side. A nice stone-built, sprawling pub, it also offers the local specialty of giant Yorkshire puddings on a slate.

Mmmm.

Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

19 thoughts on “A STUMBLE IN STANNINGTON”

  1. Talking of stumbling, I ran into the nugget that “British pub” is an anagram of “rubbish tip”, whilst chipping away at the Guardian cryptic yesterday.

    There was also a Captain Beefheart theme to it, and the enthusiasts’ blog turned into his old fan club, or so it seemed to me.

    It even smoked out someone called Aqualung, who had been Missing In Action for a while, which was nice to see, before I went on my shambling way.

    But as ever, thanks for a nice read and great pictures Martin.

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  2. I’m not sure if the Aqualung that appeared on yesterday’s Fifteen Squared blog was the same as the Aqualung who used to contribute on the Pubs Glaore website and forum. He seemed a lot more cheerful and less curmudgeonly, which may indicate that it’s someone else with the same user name. Or simply that the old Aqualung is now a lot less grumpy!

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  3. I’ve only been in the Crown & Cushion once, on Christmas Day 1997 when I had only been living in Sheffield for two weeks and knew no one. I was not given a very warm welcome, possibly owing to not being in possession of a Sheffield accent. I think the ancient villagers of Old Stannington can spot an incomer at a quarter of a mile over open sights.

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  6. “the Crown and Glove, which sounds like a Smiths B side” –Had a good chuckle at this! I had a brief visit to England around Christmas 1986, and as I recall The Smiths were really riding high at that moment, with their single “Ask.” They got awfully poppy toward their last year or so, even the devoted fans should have to acknowledge that! šŸ˜‰

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    1. Yes, Christmas ’86 was peak Smiths, loads of jangly singles. I saw them at the Royal Albert Hall around then, 6 months after The Queen is Dead came out. They were awful, but by then I was obsessed with Lone Justice and the Icicle Works.

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  7. “but a day wise enough to hold off till Iā€™d got home.”

    Do you think the weather was worried about your wrath; or that of Mrs RM? šŸ˜‰

    “Down beyond the bubbling streams and sweaty joggers of the Rivelin Valley lies an unexpected cluster of tower blocks.”

    Are we talking Lego Village here?

    “I DID think of taking photos of them but you get odd stares when you take shots of child care facilities, Co-ops and gyms, so thought better of it.”

    Pfft. Just flash your badge showing your a Covid inspector. šŸ™‚

    “for pubs you have to head up hill towards the medieval village, which is getting quite cross about houses in the nearby valley.”

    Ah. A bit like Vancouver. Built all of their homes (by cutting down trees) and then get stroppy when newcomers want to expand by doing the same. šŸ˜‰

    “Alan gave it 6”

    Surely a 6 by Alan means it’s up there with the finest of posh pub places!

    “The Peacock has escaped the attention of the tickers, old and new. Not sure which of those two signs are odder.”

    The better question is; will either one last? (sigh)*

    * – it must be a bugger to keep taking photos of empty bloody pubs!
    (you have my permission to be a loyal member of those who drink at home in their underpants… for a day) šŸ™‚

    “But stop to admire the impressive 19th century church,”

    If I’d have had to walk that far to get married I may have chickened out.*

    * – kidding!

    “and a final pub just up the hill.”

    Coooooor.

    Cheers

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    1. “Built all of their homes (by cutting down trees) and then get stroppy when newcomers want to expand by doing the same. šŸ˜‰”

      You’re so right. It was all trees and fields and mud huts once, before those NIMBYs built houses and then pulled up the drawbridge. And it’s always the poshos who have multiple children who overpopulate the world.

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