• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

Brinsley Headstocks (1872-1970) D.H. Lawrence (1885-1930) Where is the museum? The Country of My Heart Follow in the footsteps of the colliers of Eastwood by taking In the glorious East Midlands, near both Nottingham this short walk to Brinsley Headstocks, the site of a former Born to an ordinary working- and Derby, and just 40 minutes from Matlock at the A short walk to Brinsley Headstocks coal mine, located in the local countryside loved by D.H. class home, in the busy mining edge of the Peak District. Ten minutes from the M1, Lawrence. community of Eastwood, David close to the IKEA retail park. Short - Approx 1 ½ hours / 2 miles Herbert Lawrence became Imagine the miners descending into the darkness, the loud How do I get there? one of the 20th century’s most noises and strange smells emerging from the pit. Brinsley From M1 Junction 26, take the A610 towards Eastwood. influential and controversial Colliery was worked from 1872 until 1934, and was then From M1 Junction 27, take the A608, through Brinsley, used for access to nearby pits until 1970, when the surface writers. towards Eastwood. buildings were demolished. The headstocks were taken to a mining museum but returned to Brinsley in 1991, where they Known as Bert to his family, D.H. Lawrence was a sickly child were re-erected on their present site. who struggled to fit into the mining community of Eastwood. D.H. Lawrence never worked down the pits, instead he had The twin headstocks and nearby disused mineral railway track an education and trained to be a teacher. If he had have been are all that remains of an extensive coal mining enterprise sent down the mines, how do you think he would have fared? owned by Barber, Walker & Co. (local colliery owners). Lawrence’s father, Arthur, worked as a ‘Butty’ down at Brinsley Lawrence described the Pit, and employed other miners to work in his team to mine a coal mines: seam of coal. Arthur worked 780 feet underground, crouched down in an 18-inch coal seam. “like black studs on the Where can I park? countryside, linked by a ‘And my father, who always worked in Brinsley pit and who loop of fine chain, the always got up at 5 o’clock, if not four, would set off in the Pay and Display car parking is available at the nearby Scargill railway”. dawn across the fields at Coney Grey and hunt for mushrooms Walk, Victoria Street, and Sun Inn car parks (see map above). in the long grass or perhaps pick up a skulking rabbit which he would bring home at evening inside the lining of his pit Can I use public transport? coat’ - D.H. Lawrence, Nottingham and the Mining Country, You don’t need a car to come to us. For bus journeys to Terrain Information: The walk takes approximately 1929. Eastwood high street jump on the Rainbow One from 1 ½ hours, starting from the D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Nottingham or the Black Cat from Derby. Langley Mill Museum, and back again following the same route. Many of Lawrence’s stories train station is also only 1.5 miles away. This route follows adjacent to roads and along clear are based on this area and the footpaths. Appropriate walking clothes and footwear people who lived here, with How do I contact you? are recommended as footpaths can become muddy in many of his works focusing on wet weather. Please take care when crossing busy roads. D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum, life in the pits. Brinsley Pit is 8a Victoria Street, Eastwood, Begin your walk at the the backdrop for his short story, Nottinghamshire, NG16 3AW Odour of Chrysanthemums, D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum later dramatised in the play,The T: 0115 917 3824 8a Victoria Street, Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, NG16 3AW Brinsley Headstocks has a small car park on site. Widowing of Mrs Holroyd. E: [email protected] Nearest postcode: NG16 5AE www.lleisure.co.uk/dhlawrence /dhlawrencemuseum D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum 0115 917 3824 @DHLMuseum www.lleisure.co.uk/dhlawrence 3 4 Begin at 8a Victoria Street, Eastwood (NG16 3AW) now The Begin at 8a Victoria Street, Eastwood (NG16 3AW) Continue walking alongside Mansfield Road (A608) 1 1 D.H. Lawrence Birthplace now the D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum. This Turn left as you come to the end of Garden Road. to theWhen untilBrin emergingsyoule yreach Hea thefromd stsigned othecks footpathentrance and N toontoat theu Brinsleyrthee road, cross the road safely and building is a charming, award-winning museum, Headstocks and Nature Reserve on your right. Be Museum . Pay & 8 continue on the footpath (visible in the below image). Please stick to the featuring an exhibition including Lawrence’s original Turn right onto Lower Beauvale. Continue along this road until you Reservcarefule on whenyour crossing right. theBe road care asf thereul whe is a blindn water colour paintings and his headstone. 3 pathcorner. where possible, it is very narrow and overgrown in places, and passes Display car park available reach the car park & entrance for Colliers Wood on your right. crossing the road as there is a blind corner. throughQuarry aCottage working - The farmers home offields. D.H. Lawrence’s Turn left out of(S theca rMuseum,gill W alandk ).head down Scargill 6 Pass through the gated entrance to Colliers Wood, and follow the path around grandfather who worked as a tailor. Lawrence and Walk, passing the Craft Workshops. to the left. Turn righhis siblingst into would the cstealar p applesark a fromrea the, a ndtree p inas thes Pass through the archway and turn right. througgarden.h the wooden gate straight ahead. After approximately 5 minutes7 walking through Colliers Wood, you will come to Enter the car park of the Brinsley Headstocks and Follow Mansfield Road down the hill, passing points a gate on your right hand side leading onto ‘Dick’s Lane’ following the Nature Reserve, and pass through the gate straight 2,3 and 4 on your right. Enjoy a pit-stop and relax at the Brinsley Headstocks What to read when you’re here... ahead. Try the latch of the— gateYou if wiit appearsll walk locked. past an Pass through the archways and turn right. and Nature Reserve. Nottingham County Council footpath.6 The Mechanics’ Institute - In Odour of Chrysanthemums - A short 6 2 Follow this footpath, heading up the field. Aunt Polly’s Cottage - You will walk past an old Lawrence’s time this building was the What to read when you’re here... story featuring Aunt Polly’s Cottage. 7 Follow Mansfield Road down the hill, abandoned cottage, formerly owned by D.H. Mechanics’ Institute, a 19th century Sons and Lovers - Lawrence’s semi- oContinuewned b yalong D.H the. L apathwr einn thece ’sdirection Aunt P oof Greasleylly. Church, passing When you reach the top of the field, follow the footpath which turns to the left, Lawrence’s Aunt Polly. The house featured in his short pasversionsing of p ao workingints 2, man’s 3 & education4 on yo ur right. autobiographical novel features his father, 4 story Odourthrough of Chrysanthemums.a small kissing gate and heading up the field. college. It incorporated a lending Arthur Lawrence, as the passingWalter Morel through further gateposts indicated as the Nottinghamshire County library, which was used extensively by The building is just beside the track leading character. Council footpath. Walk“At the around edge ofthe the church ribbed and level head of sidings left squatthrough a low the Graveyard until you reach D.H. Lawrence and his first romantic— This was a up tcottage,o Brins threeley Hstepsead downsto ckfroms, athen dcinder wa strack. origin A al- interest, Jessie Chambers. a path which leads you to the B601. Keep to the left and follow the road 2 library D.H. Lawrence used to visit. Following the lane you will approach a locked gate, to which the public footpath large bony vine clutched at the house, as if to claw Now the Library Bar ly next to the colliery railway. is on the right. This space is very narrow and near a busy road . throughdown the Moorgreen, tiled roof”. turning left around the corner past the Horse & Groom PrincesP Streetrinc e - sThe St 19three tcentury—Law sawre an hugece h ated pub. 3 © Gavin Gillespie The building is just beside the footpath leading up to increase in the amount of coal produced in the Brinsley Headstocks, and was originally next to the region. sBarber,praw Walkerling d &e vCo.elo builtpme thesent houses, and 3 colliery railway. known dase ‘thescri squares’bes th ore s‘thee ’ sbuildings’.quares Lawrence’ as ‘so rdid described them as ‘great quadrangles of dwellings on Continue walking along the footpath, keeping to the the hillside’and and hid ‘sordideous and’ . hideous’! left as the path divides into two. Follow this path until 5 the hyouea reachdsto theck sheadstocks.. Safely crossSafe thely roadcro ssat theth etraffic road lights at t hpaste t rHallaffic Park Brinsley Headstocks - In many of his works, Lawrence 8 Brinsley Headstocks —D.H. Academy.lights past Hall Park Academy. describes this area and paints a picture of living a life Key 7 dependentLaw rone ncoal.ce’s own father Arthur worked Look right to Durban House - This large red brick 4 Route buildingLo wasok built ri inh t1876 to asD urbofficesan Hofor uBarber,se— TWalkerhis D.H. Lawrence’sat the p father,it he rArthur,e from worked 1883 at this-19 very12. pit & Co. As a boy Lawrence collected his father’s wages Stopping Point 4 from 1883-1912.

Load more

  2

Copy Link