Lost lanes of Linton (Derbys) Pt1
Through researching aspects of the history of my childhood home of Linton, South Derbyshire, I have come across the names of roads and lanes which have gone out of use or changed.
For instance, in a newspaper report of a sitting of the Petty Sessions at Swadlincote, on 26th October 1869, Linton farmer W.F.Tunnadine, summoned the Swadlincote Highways Board for 'neglecting to repair a certain highway in the township of Linton, called Wood Lane, leading from Wallway to Launders Lane(1). Council for the Highways board replied that 'the road in question is not a common highway, but an occupation road for the convenience of farmers to get to their land' - case dismissed! Just where were these lanes?
Let's start with Wallway. Despite living in Linton from 1954 - 1974, I first came across this name quite recently on seeing copies of the 1835 Ordnance Survey first series topological maps(2). A small group of properties named 'Wallway Houses', is indicated about halfway along the east side of the track or lane (now Main Street), leading from Linton village to Linton Heath. The houses are also shown on the 1821 'Hartshorn' map(3). The maps were drawn at quite small scale with little detail other than settlement names and outlying remote farmsteads being identified. Perhaps the Wallway Houses were looked on as a separate, developing hamlet, or 'end'?
So, was Main St. originally called Wallways? A number of notices of sale appear in newspapers, for plots of land at 'Upper' and 'Lower Wallways'(4). The first reference to Wallways in the National Census records occurs in 1871, prior to this, exact addresses are rare. Ten households were recorded on 'Wallway Road'. These occur immediately before entries for Linton Heath. In 1881, there is an entry for John Clamp and his family living at 'Wallway House'. This immediately follows the entries for Linton Heath and precedes those for Colliery Lane. Next are six entries for 'Wallway Linton', followed by entries for 'Linton Village'. In 1891 there are five entries for 'Wallway', in between those for 'Linton Village' and 'Linton Heath'. Main Street finally appears in the 1891 census returns, with no further specific references to Wallway from 1901(5).
At a meeting of the Linton and Castle Gresley School Board, reported on 22nd October 1883, it was resolved that 'a site for Linton mixed schools', 'should be secured in the north-west corner of Mr Burton's field, called "Wall Ways", three-quarters-of-an-acre in extent'(6). The school was opened in 1884 and is depicted on the 1901 1st edition 25" OS map, in an enclosure of 0.725 acres(7). This quite closely corroborates the School Board statement.
In the 1939 Civil Registration for Linton, we find two entries for 'Upper Wallways'; Cyril and Alice Wibberley, both A.R.P. wardens at one address and Frances Glover, a domestic servant at the second. There are also two households at 'Wallway Cottages'; Frederick and Mary Smith at one and John and Mary Eaglesfield at the second, with four other persons. Curiously, both Frederick Smith and John Eaglesfield's occupations are recorded as 'incapacitated'(8): had the cottages become Alms Houses?
The last reference to Wallway House that I have found, is as the residence of Henry Summers, in the transcript of the record of his burial at Christ Church Linton, on 18th December 1937. For Wallway Cottages, we find the burial of Frederick George Smith on 8th June 1955, also at Linton(9).
It is pretty clear from the foregoing then, that Main St Linton was originally known as Wallways (Lane/Road), before the eastern end of the village had developed significantly. The census records would appear to place Wallways House somewhere near the junction of Linton Heath and Main St: could it now be the property known as Heath House?
As for Wallway Houses/Cottages, their position as indicated on the early 19th century maps, would suggest that they were located somewhere near what was the upper crescent of prefabs. Were these the 'Upper Wallways' cottages? This is now the Winchester Drive/village hall area and the cottages may have pulled down, to make way for the prefabs.
There was another group of prefabs lower down Main St, opposite and between the school and the Main St/Linton Heath junction: had these replaced the 'Lower Wallways' cottages? Possibly, but an alternative might have been the terrace of small cottages, which once stood opposite the school. These were still standing in the 1970's, but have since been lost to redevelopment.
What might be the significance of the Wallway placename? It is not unique, occuring in a number of places around the country. Although no longer in use, it was to be found at Chale parish on the Isle of Wight between the 16th to 19th centuries, where it came to be applied to a number of fields. The placename Walpan however, is still in use there, which is thought to derive from Old English and meaning; 'the enclosure at the ridge or embankment' (Richard Smout, pers. comm.)(10).
An intriguing example occurs at Meare in Somerset. Here, part of the Neolithic wooden 'Sweet Track' was discovered at Wallway Farm. It is in an area of reclaimed wetland, with Wall a local term for a floodbank (Chris Webster, pers comm)(11). Also in German der Wall, means wall or rampart.
A third possibility, is that Wall could be a philological mutation of the Germanic (Saxon?) wald, meaning forest or woodland. This could be appropriate in the Linton case, as Wallway/Main St runs eastwards towards Linton Heath, with originally the woodlands that existed beyond it. So, 'the road to the woods'?
Lastly, another variant of Wallway in walle waye, could be read as 'the way to the well or stream'(12). This again has resonance at Linton. A footpath runs northwards from Main St, from approximately opposite where the 'Wallway Houses' are indicated on the 19th century maps. It crosses Foxley field, then on down into the Waterfallows gulley, where a spring feeds a small stream. A Well Way is shown on the OS maps of Morpeth, Northumberland(13), which runs past a well (St Thomas's) feeding a stream.
Of course Foxley field itself has a large pond, around which we used to play as kids and this must be maintained by a spring, or high water table. Linton had its own 'town well'(14), although exactly where it was is unclear. There is a pond shown behind the properties on the north side of Main St, nearer the village centre and curiously, a well is indicated in the middle of a field next to Foxley field(15): was it a spring?
We have a multitude of possibilities then, for the inspiration behind the Wallway placename at Linton, which must remain for now, lost in the mists of time!
Great local information
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