Findern Historical Walk

The Findern Footpaths Group and the Findern Historical Society have worked together to create a Findern Historical Walk, highlighting the heritage of Findern, with a history dating all the way back to the 11th Century.

This route is a combination of flat surfaces in the village, some steps, stiles and some more rugged sections of terrain – so stout shoes are recommended for those more difficult sections. Please be mindful that some of this route can get muddy when it rains.

Some of the key points you’ll visit on this route are:

• All Saints Church
  • The original Norman church that stood at this site was demolished in 1862, and the current All Saints Church was built and re-consecrated in 1863. The current church contains many remnants of the previous Norman church, including a hexagonal font dated 1662, 2 bells, the tympanum of the Norman doorway and an alabaster tombstone of one of the Fynderne Family – Isabella de Fynderne – who died in 1444. At the time of publication, All Saints Church also has the oldest chalice still in use in Derbyshire dated to 1546.
• Findern Castle
  • The Fynderne Family formerly occupied a fortified manor house or castle on what is called Castle Hill. Local legend states that the Findern Flower – the Poets Daffodil – was actually brought to the village by the crusader Geoffrey de Fynderne after he noticed the flowers during his time in the Middle East. The flower was prominent in the middle of the 19th century, this final
• Nadee
  • The Nadee itself is a quaint Indian restaurant and pub that provides a canalside dining experience that can’t be found in many other places. The historical significance is that the area the restaurant is situated used to be the wharf for the village, with all sorts of goods (including coal, limestone, bricks and so on) being loaded and unloaded to be delivered throughout the area. The location would remain important for inland cargo until the expansion of the railway networks and the development of the Birmingham to Derby line in 1840.
• Old Hall
  • The Old Hall was formerly the home of Jedediah Strutt and his wife, Elizabeth Woollatt. The Woollatt Family were stocking makers and Strutt joined the stocking manufacturing industry, and would go on to invent a frame that would knit ribbed stockings – the famous Derby Ribbed Frame. He would later partner with Sir Richard Arkwright, who could join him in opening mills at Cromford, Belper and Milford. The partnership would be dissolved in 1780 and Strutt would keep the Belper and Milford mills.

A PDF of the walk can be opened by clicking the download file button below or via the Findern Footpaths Group website.

For a more detailed route you are recommended to refer to Ordnance Survey Explorer maps 254 and 259.