Description: The ancient Parish Church of St Helens at Darley Dale is dominated by an even more ancient and famous yew tree, one of the thickest in England, having a girth of around 33 feet, 4 feet from the ground. It is believed to be well over a 1000 years old. The church dates from the 12th century and contains monuments to Sir John de Darley who was Lord of the Manor over 600 years ago, and in the chancel, a Kneeling John Milward, his wife and their 11 children. John was a colonel in the Kings Army during the Civil War, and they lived at Smitherton Hall, a stone gabled Elizabethan house situated 2 miles from the church. (information from www.derbyshireuk.net)
This image is one of a collection by the famous local antiquarian, Thomas Bateman, of Middleton by Youlgreave. (1821-1861). Bateman organized his collection by inserting them into a 4 volume copy of Lysons Magna Britannia, Derbyshire, creating a fascinating and unique illustrated record of the county. The purchase of the collection for Derbyshire Libraries was made possible by the generous bequest of Miss Frances Webb of Whaley Bridge, well known local historian, who died in December 2006.