Bradfield Walks Trails

& Suggested walk in the area - “An Awful Thundering...” A short walk from Low Bradfield around 2.5 miles, allow 1.5 hours

Little evidence can be seen today of the terrible Construction of Filter Station 1913 disaster that took place here almost 150 years ago. Yet the lives of many were ruined by the collapse of Smallfield Lane

To Strines Reser the Dale Dyke dam in 1864. voir W indy Bank Although there was only one fatality in Low up buildings between his jaws and filling the Smallfield Bradfield, many buildings were damaged or air with his wrathful hiss. Trees snapped like swept away and livelihoods destroyed. pistols, mills and houses stood and staggered Woods River Mr. Joseph Ibbotson, owner of Bradfield Corn for a moment and then disappeared in the boiling torrent. Within the short space of five Building Agden Motte Mill, described the night of the disaster. Reservoir & minutes the bridge, the triple-storied mill, the Bailey “On hearing a noise and a shout, “The flood Suggested school house and the master’s house had all Walk is coming!” I instantly leaped out of bed and vanished.” Church PH looked out of the window. I could hear the roar and just discern the rushing water up the P You Are Here valley. I ran out of the house down to within

fifteen or twenty yards of the flood. Language Low Bradfield cannot convey the awful thundering, crashing

roar of the torrent. It seemed as if the bowels The mill was rebuilt, but burned wife was still undressed but I put her out of To of the earth were being torn up, or as if some down in 1940. The remains of the window and she was carried across and monster were rushing down the valley, lashing the mill pond can still be seen taken to Mr. Joseph Ibbotson’s. The body of the the hillsides with his scaly folds, crunching by the bridge behind the Smithy child was found in the coal cellar a few days Garage. after. My house was six feet deep in water and Sets of walks leaflets are available from local outlets. was much damaged.” Joseph Dawson was the local For more information visit www.bradfield-walkers.org.uk Low Bradfield flood damage tailor and lived at Burnside (Adapted from Samuel Harrison ‘A Complete Cottages. His child was the first History of the Great Flood at 1864’) Please follow the Acknowledgements: victim of the flood. Dale Dyke reservoir was rebuilt on a smaller Produced for Bradfield Parish Council by Countryside Code when CMP Consultancy and Rural Research. “The flood caught us and washed the blankets scale in 1875. By this time other reservoirs at Designed and made by Oakleaf Graphics Ltd. and my child away and left my wife naked Agden and Strines had also been constructed, visiting the area. in my arms. I was obliged to leave the child ✔ Historical photographs supplied by and copyright of learning lessons from the collapse at Dale ✔ Be safe - plan ahead and Malcolm Nunn, Archivist, Bradfield Parish Council. to its fate or I could not have saved my wife, Dyke. The reservoirs in were follow any signs. Suggested walk and map of Agden reservoir courtesy for the flood was in the house. I opened the built to meet the demand for a guaranteed ✔✔ Leave gates and property as of . back chamber window and tried to place a water supply from the population and you find them. Funded by East Peak Innovation Partnership LEADER mattress across to connect the window with industries of the expanding town of Sheffield. Programme and National Park Authority ✔ Protect plants and animals Sustainable Development Fund. an embankment at the back of the house, In 1913 a filter station was built in Low ✔ whence we could get on to the hillside out of and take your litter home. Bradfield Parish Council works in partnership with Bradfield to provide a purer supply. This has other local authorities, organisations and community danger. The mattress was too short to reach now been replaced by the water treatment ✔✔ Keep dogs under close control. groups across Bradfield, , , Loxley, across and it fell down. I shouted out for help. works in the Loxley Valley at Damflask. ✔ and to improve the ✔ Consider other people. quality of life of everyone in the area. My brother came to the window with Thomas Bradfield Corn Mill Robinson. They brought a ladder and laid it across from the window to the hillside. My

Supported by the Sustainable Development Fund