Heage

infobox UK place
static_

static_image_caption = Baker's Hill
country = England
official_name= Heage
map_type= Derbyshire
latitude= 53.0420
longitude= -1.4450
civil_parish= Belper
population = 3,000
shire_district= Amber Valley
shire_county= Derbyshire
region= East Midlands
constituency_westminster= Amber Valley
post_town= BELPER
postcode_district = DE56
postcode_area= DE
dial_code= 01773
os_grid_reference= SK369505 The village of Heage in Derbyshire is situated midway between Belper and Ripley and is today famous for its recently-restored six-sailed windmill. Work on building the mill started in 1791 and it was first recorded as working in 1797. The tower is built from local sandstone and after its recent renovation it is now back in working order.

In 1817, the Lysons recorded that "Heage, alias High-edge, lies about five miles from Duffield, upon the road from Chesterfield to Derby. The manor, which had been parcel of the Earldom and Duchy of Lancaster, was granted, with Duffield, to Ditchfield and others. In 1629 it was conveyed to the Stanhope family. Sir William Stanhope bequeathed it, in 1703, to Godfrey Wentworth, Esq. his nephew, whose son of the same name sold it, in 1767, to Francis Hurt, Esq., grandfather of Francis Hurt, Esq., of Alderwasley, who is the present proprietor. " ['Parishes: Doveridge - Duffield', Magna Britannia: volume 5: Derbyshire (1817), pp. 129-142. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=50727. Date accessed: 27 August 2008. ]

Also located in Heage, at Morley Park, are the remains of two coke-fired blast furnaces for the smelting of iron, built by Francis Hurt of Alderwasley. The first, built in 1780 was the earliest in Derbyshire. The other was built in 1818 and they represent very early coke-fired blast furnaces. They closed in 1874, and most of the site has returned to nature, but the furnace towers still exist and can be seen next to the A38.

The present school was built about 1862 to replace two much smaller schools that were managed by the Church and the Storer Charity. Later it became a secondary school and is now an infants and primary school. The original old Victorian buildings still form part of the school and the old Church school and Charity school are located nearby. When the school was a secondary school it received pupils from three other schools, The Green school (now demolished), Ridgeway school, which has been converted to a house and Ambergate school that is still an infants and junior school. There are a number of recent housing developments in the village.

There are also many jitties (alleyways) in Heage that lead to unexpected places, many originating from the large recreation ground.

The bus service for Heage and most of the surrounding primary and secondary schools is provided by the Albert Wilde bus company, which is a relatively small enterprise in Heage.

The first mention of a post office in Heage was in 1847; the village, however, no longer has a post office. The last one, in premises adjoining the "Windmill" pub, closed in January 2008.

Local Amenities

External links

* [http://www.heagewindmill.co.uk/ The Heage Windmill Society]
* [http://geoimages.berkeley.edu/wwp1206/html/AndySavage.html 360 degree photograph inside the cap of Heage Windmill] - This interactive Spherical photograph allows you to look around inside the very top of the windmill, where the public are not allowed access.
* [http://www.engineering-timelines.com/scripts/engineeringItem.asp?id=513 Photo of the furnaces]