Hadfield
The small town of Hadfield lies in the county of Derbyshire in the English East Midlands. Although a town in its own right it is most often connected with the larger nearby town of Glossop as it is essentially viewed by many people as being a suburb of this town. Like Glossop, Hadfield is in the High Peak Borough in the midst of some stunning and rugged scenery. Many people immediately recognise Hadfield when they see it as it is the place that became Royston Vasey in the TV series The League of Gentlemen. The town looks down over the Longendale Valley.
Due to its proximity with Glossop, Hadfield shared much of the area’s general history. This area is thought to have been inhabited since ancient times and the town was listed in the Domesday Book as being called Hetfelt. It is thought that traditional local industries and agriculture may have formed most of the town’s activities for many years.
During the times of the Industrial Revolution Hadfield, like many other local towns, saw a surge in growth and industrial activity. The town was, for example, given its own station on the Manchester and Sheffield railway which helped its transport and communication links. During this time the town also built up a few cotton mills in keeping with the mill activity in the surrounding area. The town was also well known in this period for the stone which was quarried in the immediate area and for its cattle markets which were usually held twice a year.
The cotton industry decline in the 20th century hit Hadfield and many towns in the surrounding area hard as much of the area’s industry and employment disappeared over a few short years. Nowadays many people live in the town as commuters and actually work in larger towns and cities close by such as Manchester, for example.
Many nature lovers, walkers, cyclists and hikers will visit Hadfield in the summer and use it as a base to complete a variety of local walks. The most popular walk here is probably the Longdendale Trail which takes in part of the former railway line in the area. Visitors to the town should also take the chance to see the Old Hall which dates back to the 17th century. A visit to the nearby Melandra Roman Fort at Glossop is also recommended. This is held to be the only visible Roman site in the whole of the Peak District area.