First Impressions
No. 06 - Part 03 - Little Hallam Hill
w/e 15 May 2022
All of this week's pictures were taken with a Nikon D3300
  The alternatives at the end of the Sowbrook
Lane section of this First Impressions series were to turn left
along St Norbert Drive to join Ladywood Road at the western edge
of Kirk Hallam at its junction with Godfrey Drive or right to
join at the eastern crossroads of Godfrey Drive (left) and St
Norbert Drive (Right) shown above.
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Beyond the crossroads, Ladywood
Road become Little Hallam Hill and as the road rises first of
all over a former railway bridge, it also crosses the Nut Brook
and the former Nutbrook Canal and there is access to a footpath
alongside the brook from both sides of the road.
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There is also access from the northern side of the road at the
end of the former railway bridge, via a flight of steps to the
eleven mile long Nutbrook Trail between Long Eaton and Heanor
which at this point runs along the route of the former L.M.S.R
Stanton and Shipley railway line.
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There is no pavement once the bridge has been crossed on the
southern side so we crossed over and looking back between the
road bridge and the pedestrian bridge, we could see the Nutbrook
Trail below.
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The reason for crossing though, apart from there being no pavement,
was to get a view of this stretch of water. It was once a reservoir
supplying drinking water to Ilkeston and it's within living memory
when the Beauty Spot as it is known, being used as a boating
lake and staging sporting activities, firework shows and carnivals.
Older residents may also recall the practice of "monkey
parading", the practice of young working class men and women,
dressing in their Sunday best and walking around the lake hoping
to meet someone of the opposite sex.
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The road now dips down again after crossing the bridge. The pavement
resumes on the right hand side, there is a ramped access to the
Nutbrook Trail and as the road begins to rise up Little Hallam
Hill, an old house was demolished and a Veterinary Practice built
in its place a little while ago. Housing on a new estate currently
under construction of Quarry Hill can also be seen backing on
to the vet's site.
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On the opposite side of the road is a paddock where animals can
often be seen grazing but in the distance there is a glimpse
of the oldest surviving domestic residence in Ilkeston. This
is Little Hallam Hall, also known as the Old Hall, a sixteenth
century Grade II listed timber-framed house on The Spinney.
(See Picture
the Past ref DCCS00086)
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The Spinney is the next road on the left and years ago the car
in the picture would be right underneath a railway bridge across
Little Hallam Hill carrying the Stanton Branch of the L.N.E.R.
line.
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The road continues to rise and almost at the top of the hill
is The Bull's Head pub which is currently undergoing some restoration
and redevelopment work with a number of new properties being
built behind.
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It's opposite the pub at the mini-roundabout that Quarry Hill
Road joins Little Hallam Hill, Quarry Hill Road of course being
the end of the fourth route into the town in this series. Part
4 of this route will follow from the top of the hill and continue
up Stanton Road.
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