Harpur Hill

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Harpur Hill
Harpur Hill St James 088936 f62561df.jpg
St.James church at the junction in Harpur Hill.
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Harpur Hill
Location within Derbyshire
OS grid reference SK065711
District
Shire county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town BUXTON
Postcode district SK17
Police Derbyshire
Fire Derbyshire
Ambulance East Midlands
List of places
UK
England
Derbyshire
53°14′13″N1°54′14″W / 53.237°N 1.904°W / 53.237; -1.904

Harpur Hill is a small village on the outskirts of Buxton, Derbyshire, England. It is in the Cote Heath ward of the High Peak Borough Council. It has a primary school, a park, a pub, a working men's club and a Methodist church.

From 1938 to 1969, the RAF Maintenance Unit 28 was based at Harpur Hill and it included the RAF Mountain Rescue Team for the Peak District. [1] RAF Harpur Hill was established as an underground munitions store. Tunnels were dug out to house munitions and ordnance. When the RAF left the tunnels were used as a mushroom farm. When the tunnels closed they were sold to a group of local businessmen and used as a cold store for cheese; a warehouse was built for dry and bonded wines and spirits. A number of local hauliers provided the transport for these goods. One of the hauliers was Lomas Distribution which was bought out by Christian Salvesen and was a major employer in the area; it later sold the site to French transport company Norbert Dentressangle. Many of the bunkers can still be seen in the surrounding hillside. [2] [3]

The Health and Safety Executive Laboratory is not far from Harpur Hill. [4] From 1916 to 1918 the site housed The Frith Artillery Range. [2] A railway was constructed with old London Underground Jubilee Line trains which were used to reconstruct the 7 July 2005 London bombings. A red flag is flown at the laboratory when an explosion is imminent. [3]

Also nearby is Far Hill Quarry, now flooded, where swimming is discouraged by the authorities as unsafe due to the high pH level of the water. [5]

Harpur Hill is the base of Harpur Club & Harpur Hill FC, and of Buxton Rugby Union Club. The tops of the rugby club's goal posts are the highest in the country. [6]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cromford and High Peak Railway</span> Early British railway company (1833–1871)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harpur Hill Quarry</span> Disused limestone quarry in Derbyshire, England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peak District Mountain Rescue Organisation</span> Charity operating search and rescue missions

The Peak District Mountain Rescue Organisation (PDMRO) is a UK registered charity which was formed in 1964. The purpose of PDMRO is "to save life and alleviate distress, primarily in Upland and Mountain areas". This is achieved by conducting search and rescue missions for walkers, climbers and missing persons in and around the Peak District National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buxton Mountain Rescue Team</span> Charity operating search and rescue missions

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">High Edge</span> Hill in the Derbyshire Peak District

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References

  1. "RAF Harpur Hill". Buxton Mountain Rescue Team. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Harpur Hill". Buxton Civic Association. 16 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  3. 1 2 "Harpur Hill – Buxton Online – Peak District". www.buxtononline.net. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  4. "HSE: Timeline". www.hse.gov.uk. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  5. "Toxic Derbyshire 'Blue Lagoon' dyed black". BBC. 10 June 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  6. "Buxton RUFC – Contacts". buxtonrufc.rfu.club. Retrieved 19 June 2020.