Leaving Cromford Road at the Lime Kiln Inn and travelling towards
Middleton the first quarry on the left is Stoneycroft also known as Bowne and
Shaw’s or Middlepeak. The quarry is the oldest of the group associated with the
railway having been started in 1830 by John Shaw landlord at the Green Man.
At first he burnt lime on site carting it to the Cromford Canal and bringing coke for the kilns on the return journey. In 1876, having in the meantime been joined by Mr Bowne, a rail connection was provided by the M.R. Shaw bought out Bowne in 1905 but the company carried on as Bowne and Shaw’s even after later take-overs by Stanton, Stewart and Lloyds, Derbyshire Stone and Tarmac!
The quarry had standard gauge lines on the lower level, 3ft narrow
gauge on upper and high level operated at first by horses and latterly by small
diesel. The tarmac collection photos show these lines to great effect.
Pictures from difference sources, click here.
The standard gauge lines passed through a tunnel under Middleton Road
over Old Lane connecting to the incline line at the rear of Rock House once the
home of the Shaws. This line lasted until the closure of the quarry and was the
home of Holwell No.3 featured in the Heritage section. (Now preserved at
Tanfield)
Today there is little to be seen of the quarry. It has been filled in, landscaped and gifted to Wirksworth as a public park. Interpretation panels displayed there give some helpful guidance to its past.