Charlesworth is a pretty village nestling on the side of the Pennines in Derbyshire, 12 miles north of Buxton and 2 miles south west of Glossop.
The cotton mills established in the 19th century have long since ceased to operate but the village
has two
rows of small cottages where the occupants used to weave cotton, many
of the cottages possessing third storey rooms where this cottage industry
took place. The weavers would have gone down Long Lane over the packhorse Best Hill
Bridge to Manchester for their supplies.
The Catholic church stands in lovely surroundings on the edge of the
river Etherow, the boundary between Broadbottom and Charlesworth.
This church was built in the year 1895 for the many Irish immigrants
who came over to this country after the potato famine, settling in
Broadbottom and working in the mills in the area. In 1849, the church of St John was opened and a liitle later a school and vicarage.
The cricket ground, lying in
the shadow of Cown Edge, is an idyllic setting on a summer afternoon; a
place where community spirit flourishes and an asset to the village.
Charlesworth still remains a thriving village, with its small business
concerns and many organisations attached to the churches, schools and
Community Association keeping alive the 'village' atmosphere. The
summer carnival and events such as the Garden Show demonstrate the
interest which people still have in 'their village'.
The site of a Roman fort, 'Melandra Castle' is situated 2 miles away and can be reached by a path from the Glossop to Stalybridge road.
