Editing Whatstandwell

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2016}}
{{Infobox UK place
|country = England
|static_image_name= whatstandwell corner.jpg
|static_image_caption= Whatstandwell corner on the [[A6 road (Great Britain)|A6 road]] main road looking North where it turns across the Derwent bridge in an 'S' bend to left then right.
|coordinates = {{coord|53.084|-1.502|display=inline,title}}
|official_name= Whatstandwell
|map_type= Derbyshire
|population = 
|shire_district= [[Amber Valley]]
| shire_county = [[Derbyshire]]
|region= East Midlands
|constituency_westminster= [[Derbyshire Dales (UK Parliament constituency)|Derbyshire Dales]]
|civil_parish = [[Crich]]
|civil_parish1 = [[Alderwasley]]
|post_town= MATLOCK
|postcode_district = DE4
|postcode_area= DE
|dial_code= 01773|os_grid_reference= 
}}

'''Whatstandwell''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|w|ɒ|t|s|t|æ|n|d|w|ɛ|l}}) is a village on the [[River Derwent, Derbyshire|River Derwent]] in the [[Amber Valley]] district of [[Derbyshire]], England.<ref name=OS119>{{cite map|title=Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 119 ''Buxton & Matlock (Chesterfield,  Bakewell & Dove Dale)''|ISBN= 9780319231890 |publisher=Ordnance Survey|date=2012}}</ref>
It is about five miles south of [[Matlock, Derbyshire|Matlock]] and about four miles north of [[Belper]]. [[Whatstandwell railway station]] is on the [[Derby]]–Matlock [[Derwent Valley Line]], and the [[A6 road (Great Britain)#Leicester–Peak District|A6]] [[trunk road]] crosses the River Derwent in the village. Most of the population is included in the [[civil parish]] of [[Crich]] but the village may be said to extend across the Derwent into the parish of [[Alderwasley]].

==History==
On [[Peter Perez Burdett]]'s map of 1791, it is shown as 'Hottstandell Bridge', probably a literal spelling of the local dialect. A mid-19th-century [[Ordnance Survey]] map shows it as 'Whatstandwell Bridge' which was the name given to the railway station. The name derives from Walter Stonewell, who "held of the convent" the house next to the bridge which John de Strepul built at his own expense, in 1393.{{Citation needed|date=August 2019}}

==Geography==
The [[Cromford Canal]] passes through the village, which was an important transport route to and from [[Richard Arkwright|Arkwright's]] [[Cromford Mill]] in the 19th century. The Friends Of Cromford Canal are currently seeking to reopen this navigation in full from Cromford to its junction with the [[Erewash Canal]] at [[Langley Mill]]. This area is part of the [[Derwent Valley Mills]] [[World Heritage Site|Heritage Site]].

To the east of the village is the steep climb to [[Crich]] and the [[National Tramway Museum]], while a short distance to the north is the former rope-worked incline of the [[Cromford and High Peak Railway]]. To the south, on the west bank of the [[River Derwent, Derbyshire|Derwent]], lies [[Shining Cliff Woods, Derbyshire|Shining Cliff Woods]], owned and managed by the [[Grith Fyrd|Grith Pioneers]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.grithpioneers.org.uk/ |title=Home page |publisher=Grith Pioneers |access-date=19 July 2023}}</ref>

[[File:Derwent Hotel - Whatstandwell - geograph.org.uk - 738620.jpg|thumb|280px|The [[A6 road (Great Britain)|A6 road]] from the [[Derby]] direction at the left behind the road-sign, with first half of the 'S' bend, the bridge over the River Derwent, and the right-turn in the distance where the road proceeds towards [[Matlock, Derbyshire|Matlock]]]]

==Culture and community==
The village has an active social group that holds several village events each year. The flagship of these is the Whatstandwell Festival held across the valley at Hankin Farm in the middle of June.  This features locally brewed real ale, local bands, games and a BBQ. The social group also organises a horticultural show, bonfire night, and a carol concert. The once-annual raft race was abandoned because of a lack of support and access issues.

There were two pubs at the turn of the century, but the Wheatsheaf is now a private residence, and the Derwent Hotel is a cafe/restaurant called the Family Tree.

Whatstandwell is mentioned in the [[D. H. Lawrence]] novel ''[[Sons and Lovers]]'', published in 1913, in a scene in which Paul Morel and Miriam go on a day's outing: "They went on, miles and miles, to Whatstandwell. All the food was eaten, everybody was hungry, and there was very little money to get home with. But they managed to procure a loaf and a currant-loaf, which they hacked to pieces with shut knives, and ate sitting on the wall near the bridge, watching the bright Derwent rushing by, and the [[Shooting-brake|brakes]] from Matlock pulling up at the inn."

[[Ellen MacArthur]], the round-the-world sailor, grew up in Whatstandwell.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ellen MacArthur Biography at BBC site| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/derby/features/famous_derby/ellen_macarthur.shtml |date=January 2003 |publisher=BBC|accessdate=15 March 2016}}</ref>

Ken Smith, the subject of the Scottish BAFTA-winning film ''[[The Hermit of Treig]]'', was born in the village. His book ''The Way of the Hermit'', published by Pan McMillan ISBN 9781035009817 describes his childhood in the village.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kelly |first1=Stuart |title=Book review: The Way Of The Hermit, by Ken Smith with Will Millard |url=https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/books/book-review-the-way-of-the-hermit-by-ken-smith-with-will-millard-4183032 |access-date=12 March 2024 |work=The Scotsman |date=14 June 2023}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|Whatstandwell}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Villages in Derbyshire]]
[[Category:Towns and villages of the Peak District]]
[[Category:Geography of Amber Valley]]