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MEERBROOK

Meerbrook is a tiny village with a pub, a church, a chapel, a youth hostel that has just closed(Jan 2007), a reservoir which has a visitors centre, a village green and a village hall.

The reservoir flooded the valley in the early 1960's. 9 properties were given up to the water including a pub, which was called the Fountain. A rather prophetic name it seems!

The church - St Matthews is a thriving church still very much part of the community. There is a service every Sunday at 11-15am.
According to Mary Breeze, a local historian
" There was a small church here before the dissolution of the monasteries in1538, belonging to Dieu-le-Cres Abbey, a mile away on the banks of the River Churnet, and several of the scattered farms were Granges for the lay brothers."
The present church dates from the 1873.

The Methodist Chapel which is on the right as you enter Meerbrook from the Leek - Buxton rd has Sunday services every fortnight at 2-30pm.

Titterswoth resevoir supplies Stoke-on-trent. At the north end there is a bird hide and plenty of birds to see. We occasionally get a visit from an Osprey. There is a fairly elaborate visitors centre with a few shops and an eatery. There are some pleasant walks around the reservoir.


Home Walks Wallabies Bob's Gallery Gallery Climbing Villages For the Locals Places of Interest Things of Interest Where to Stay Things to do Links Contact us	Villages 1.Upperhulme. 2.Meerbrook

	Upper Hulme is really a hamlet as it has never had a church, though it did have a chapel until about 1999, it's now a holiday cottage, a sign of the times. These days it consists of about 20 houses, a pub and a number of industrial units in what used to be Tatton's - a sizable dying factory. This is how Henry Wedgewood saw Upper Hulme in 1880. From the Book " Staffordshire - Up and Down the County" "Another notable place at the foot of the Roches is the village of Upper Hulme. This little hamlet, which consists only of a few houses, lies on the left of the Buxton road. It is situated really in a valley, though some ancient-looking houses stand on the hillside of the picturesque road that leads to the rocks above. Through this dingle-like village a brook of not very broad dimensions makes it’s way, winding between the cottages as it hurries on, impatient to pay its tribute of water to the Churnet that runs through its Frith. The beauty of the scene is increased by a wooden bridge which spans the little stream, although this is only for the accommodation of foot passengers: and horses and vehicles are left to ford the brook. Years ago there used to be a silk factory here; the building is now turned into a dyeing establishment, and the waters of the brook are still used to turn the mill wheel. We should say that Upper Hulme is a happy little village, with work for its few inhabitants, with its village shop and the farms and farm lands stretching around,- it seems perfect in itself. There is one draw back however that mars the picture as far as its completeness goes – there is no village church. No Sabbath morning and evening bells to tell of the sanctity of a day of rest. No ancient tower, no towering steeple, no wayside churchyard where the forefathers of the hamlet sleep. This want takes away much of the joy of a village wedding, and robs the village funeral of much of its simple solemnity. The nearest church to Upper Hulme is Meerbrook, two miles away in a still lower valley. However, on the hillside, just above the brook, as though it were smiling on the cottages below, is a small Wesleyan chapel." So Upper Hulme has changed very little since 1880 except perhaps we are even more deprived in that we don't have the Chapel or even a post box!!



	MEERBROOK Meerbrook is a tiny village with a pub, a church, a chapel, a youth hostel that has just closed(Jan 2007), a reservoir which has a visitors centre, a village green and a village hall. The reservoir flooded the valley in the early 1960's. 9 properties were given up to the water including a pub, which was called the Fountain. A rather prophetic name it seems! The church - St Matthews is a thriving church still very much part of the community. There is a service every Sunday at 11-15am. According to Mary Breeze, a local historian " There was a small church here before the dissolution of the monasteries in1538, belonging to Dieu-le-Cres Abbey, a mile away on the banks of the River Churnet, and several of the scattered farms were Granges for the lay brothers." The present church dates from the 1873. The Methodist Chapel which is on the right as you enter Meerbrook from the Leek - Buxton rd has Sunday services every fortnight at 2-30pm. Titterswoth resevoir supplies Stoke-on-trent. At the north end there is a bird hide and plenty of birds to see. We occasionally get a visit from an Osprey. There is a fairly elaborate visitors centre with a few shops and an eatery. There are some pleasant walks around the reservoir.
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