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TRANSPORT
The A625 road, passing through Castleton, runs the length of the Hope Valley but since 1976, has been closed to the west of Castleton by the landslip at Mam Tor. The Winnats Pass remains as the only road to the West. Use is restricted to light traffic, so heavy traffic no longer goes through the village. The Mam Tor road will not be reconstructed and plans to build a new road through Pindale have been shelved.
The Peak Park’s only passenger railway service runs approximately hourly from Sheffield to Manchester stopping at Dore, Grindleford, Hathersage, Bamford, Hope, Edale, Chinley, New Mills and Stockport. Hope station is a little under 3 miles from Castleton.
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(Typical Summer Sunday) |
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| 1986 | 1990 | ||
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3759 |
August 4001 |
July 4949 |
August 4860 |
There is a weekday bus service to and from Sheffield, (route 272) which runs approximately 2 hourly. There is also extra buses to and from Bakewell on market day (Monday) and for school pupils as well as special buses from surrounding towns and cities on Summer Sundays and Bank Holidays.
Unlike villages in many rural parts of Britain, the population of Castleton is greater now than it was 50 years ago. Although there are still a number of farmers in the area, many of the population are now commuters, quarry workers or earn their living from Tourism.
Sources of Local Employment
Hope Cement Works (Blue Circle) employs about 300 people, around 90% local. Interconnection Products Ltd. (electronic equipment) employs 179 people, around 60% local. Thermal Measurement (electronic equipment) employ 21 people, mostly local. Losehill Hall (Peak Park Study Centre) employs 40 permanent staff, mostly local plus a number of seasonal staff.
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Hope Valley Cement Works |
| POPULATIONS IN THE HOPE VALLEY | |||||
| 1951 | 1961 | 1971 | 1981 | 1991 | |
| Bamford | 1099 | 1077 | 1078 | 1057 | 1089 |
| Castleton | 650 | 608 | 586 | 701 | 689 |
| Hathersage | 1382 | 1476 | 1410 | 1416 | 1352 |
| Hope | 771 | 794 | 843 | 912 | 900 |
| EMPLOYMENT IN THE PEAK PARK | ||||
| Proportion of the residents aged 16+ working in each section (%) | ||||
| PEAK PARK | ENGLAND & WALES | |||
| Agriculture, Forestry etc. | 10.7 | 1.9 | ||
| Energy, Coal, Water | 8.6 | 4.7 | ||
| Manufacturing/Construction | 19.1 | 25.2 | ||
| Services | 60.3 | 67.3 | ||
The figures for those employed in Tourism are probably much higher in a village such as Castleton, with so many tourist outlets, than in the Peak Park as a whole.
INDUSTRY
The earliest industries in the village of Castleton were farming and lead mining. Most of the farms have always been on the sunny south facing slopes of the gritstone ridge (Mam Tor - Losehill) and the shale valley floor. The farms are mostly mixed dairy and sheep with cows in the valley and sheep on the slopes. The area is not suitable for arable farming.
Lead mining was probably important in the area in Roman times, with a good road (Batham Gate) between the Roman fort at Brough and the spa town at Buxton. It reached its height in the 17th and 18th centuries and there are many remains in the landscape such as the crushing circle at Odin mine.
Other industries in the village were those associated with lead mining such as:
Rope Making - which took place in the entrance to Peak Cavern, the equipment is still there.
Candle Making - in a factory to the north of the village and Bootmaking. There was also a saw mill, a corn mill and cotton mills.
As lead mining declined towards the end of the 19th century, the gangue or waste materials thrown away by the miners became important.
Fluorspar is mined today for use in the chemical and steel industries (and also used in toothpaste). Barytes is mined for use in the paint and paper industry and as a lubricant in drilling oil wells.
Services for Local Residents |
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| Grocer | 3 general stores selling range of foods |
| Butcher | Nearest shop is in Hope |
| Baker | Nearest shop is in Hathersage |
| Greengrocer | Mobile Shop visits once a week |
| Chemist | Nearest shop is in Hathersage (Medical Centre at Hope) |
| Post Office | In the Village |
| Police | Police House in the village, Police Station at Hathersage |
| Church | C of E and Methodist churches in the village. |
| Village Hall | In the village |
| Library | Mobile Library visits once a week |
| Petrol | Available in the village |
Services for Visitors |
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| B & B/Guest House | 7 |
| Hotels | 4 |
| Camping/Caravan Site | 4 (includes Camping Barn) |
| Youth Hostels | 1 |
| Tourist Shops | Numerous |
| Cafes | 6 |
| Information Centre | 1 |
There are also 6 pubs and a fish and chip shop which benefit both local residents and visitors. |
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| POINTS TO CONSIDER | |||||
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