WHISTON COPPER SMELTER
Whiston was once a busy industrial site smelting copper ore brought on the backs of packhorses from the Duke of Devonshire’s Ecton Copper Mine near Warslow. It was more cost effective to bring the copper ore to Whiston, where coal for smelting was available from the Foxt and Kingsley coalfields than to transport coal to the Ecton Copper Mine, as it took about four tons of coal to smelt one ton of copper ore.
View of Black Lane climbing up to the Copper Works chimney on the skyline.
1899 OS Map showing the Copper Works.
1814 Tithe Map showing Whiston Copper Works
More information on the Copper Smelter to be posted later.
WHISTON CHURCH
Whiston church was built from stone reclaimed from the demolished Copper Works buildings, transported to site by local volunteer labour.
Whiston Church
WHISTON CHAPEL
Before the present day chapel was built meetings were held in the building on the opposite side of the main road.
Whiston Methodist Chapel
PUBLIC HOUSES
In addition to the Sneyds Arms, the village used to support other drinking houses. The Horseshoe Inn was on the bad bend at Whiston Leys.
Horseshoe Inn, Whiston Leys 2014
Sale of Horseshoe Inn, Whiston Leys 1866
The Ship Inn (now demolished) was on Black Lane where the double garage now stands between Ship Row Cottage and Little Ship.
Ship Inn, Black Lane, Whiston
WHISTON WORKHOUSE
The Whiston workhouse was the row of cottages standing in the elevated position above the A52 just on the Ashbourne side of what was the Sneyds Arms. It was sold in 1838.
