Stony Croft Lane

There is some uncertainty about how this old highway was used; some historians thought that it was once part of Halifax Gate, a packhorse route that ran between North Derbyshire and West Yorkshire and was useful to the wool and cloth trade. Others thought that it was an access road to a quarry, as years ago broken millstones were found in the top field. In fact, it could have been used for all of these purposes; the northern section, nearest Midhope Chapel, is reminiscent of a very old highway, being narrow, flanked by the remnants of old hedgerows and sunken below the level of the surrounding fields. The section that links to Mortimer Road is wider and could have been made so for easier access to quarrying. One other consideration is that it may have been what is often referred to as a ‘Moorgate’, that is, a route that simply led onto the moor. From there, various routes could be taken across the moor, depending on the season and weather conditions. Stony Croft Lane features on all published Ordnance Survey maps and is described as ‘a lane extending from Midhope Hall Lane to Mortimer Road’ in the relevant OS Object Name Book. The Definitive Map Reference is: BRA/3

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Mature trees on the right meet an old hedge forming a canopy over Stony Croft Lane, which is sunk below the level of the adjoining fields at this point.

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