Anchor Church history

Anchor Church is thought to have derived its name from an Anchorite hermit, St Hardulph, who lived and prayed there in the Anglo-Saxon period. The word anchorite itself is derived from the Greek word meaning ‘to depart into the countryside’.

By the 18th and 19th centuries St Hardulph’s residency had become part of the folklore of the area, with William Woolley describing Anchor Church in 1715 as a ‘most solitary, pleasant place’. However, research in 2021 revealed that is it in fact highly likely that St Hardulph lived there in the 9th century, and that he was not just a saintly hermit but the exiled Anglo-Saxon King Eardwulf.

Eardwulf was deposed from the Northumbrian throne in 806, and lived the remainder of his life as a hermit in the caves of Anchor Church with a group of followers, before his death and burial 5 miles away at Breedon on the Hill in 830. This discovery would make it the oldest intact domestic interior found in Britain.

Local legend tells of another religious inhabitant of the caves. In the later Middle Ages, a deceptive monk named Bernard supposedly occupied them in solitary penance for his sins. He had been paid by the Baron of Boyvill to inform local lord Sir Hugo de Burdett that his wife had been unfaithful to him, as Boyvill himself wished to marry her.

When Burdett heard of this, he flew into a rage, killing Boyvill and cutting off his wife’s hand where her wedding ring was placed. The monk, realising the magnitude of his deceit, fled to Anchor Church in shame where he later died.

Whether Hugo de Burdett is indeed linked to the caves, it is known that in the 18th and 19th centuries the Burdett family of Formarke Hall occupied them for leisurely pursuits.

They enlarged them, fitting a door and steps to the entrance in 1845. By that time Anchor Church was part of the romantic landscape of Formarke, and used a summerhouse by Sir Francis Burdett, who with his family and guests would hold picnics as they admired the views over the Trent Valley.

Anchor Church today 

Today Anchor Church no longer has the Burdett’s fitted door and cosy furnishings, however it remains reminiscent of what may have at the most been an ancient home, and at the very least the site of some rather quirky gatherings!

With carved out holes for the door and windows, and a number of adjoining rooms carved through the rock, it is a hidden gem that provides an intriguing visit to those exploring the Derbyshire countryside’s many curiosities. 

Getting to Anchor Church 

Anchor Church is situated in the village of Ingleby, just south of the Peak District, which can be reached from Repton on the B5008 or Swarkestone on the A514.

There is street parking in the village, and a signposted footpath off Main St leads you to the caves. The nearest train station is Derby which is a 20 minute drive away, and a number of bus services run in the area dropping off at Ash Farm bus stop.

Creswell Crags history 

Creswell Crags has been the site of human activity for tens of thousands of years, with its caves becoming a refuge for the hunter-gatherer peoples of the past. 

Neanderthals were the first to occupy the caves up until 40,000 BC, crafting hand axes and scrapers from flit, quartzite and clay-ironstone. Homo sapiens later arrived, using the caves from around 22,000 BC, through the end of the Ice Age and beyond. 

Artefacts uncovered from the caves have provided a wealth of information about those who occupied them. For example, we now know that they hunted wooly rhinoceros and arctic hare, while hyena, lion and reindeer bones have also been found in excavations! 

The caves’ wall art has been its most intriguing feature to date however, with etchings of stags, bison and various birds found on the walls and ceiling. 

‘Art Mobilier’, or portable art, was interestingly also discovered at the site, usually etched into animal or human rib bones. The most famous of these is the ‘Robin Hood Cave Horse’ that features an etching of a horse’s head, and the Pin Hole man depicting a male thought to be in ceremonial dress.

Creswell Crags today

Today the historic site is open to the public alongside a museum and visitor centre. The museum hosts a number of artefacts found during excavation of the site over many years, and tells the story of those who occupied it.

Guests can explore the various caves, including Robin Hood Cave, Pin Hole, Mother Grundy’s Parlour, and Church Hole, the latter of which hosts the large collection of wall art. 

Once the homes of our early ancestors, these atmospheric caves provide one of the most personal experiences possible to the people of the Stone Age, while also allowing visitors a breath of fresh air through the various surrounding nature trails. 

Getting to Creswell Crags

Creswell Crags is located 5 miles off the M1 motorway, taking exit 30. Brown tourist signs will lead you from the A616 Sheffield-Newark road, or the A60 Mansfield-Worksop road, and pay-and-display parking is available at the visitor centre. 

Creswell railway station is approximately 1 mile from Creswell Crags, and a walk through the gorge is available avoiding the main road.

Stagecoach buses 77 and 209 drop off in the nearby area, with walks under 1 mile to the caves. 

Numbers differ, but between 500 and 1,000 soldiers were treated at Franja Partisan Hospital and, despite fervent attempts by enemy forces, it was never discovered. The buildings seen there today are reconstructions, as the originals were destroyed by flooding.

History of Franja Partisan Hospital

The hospital was built deep inside German-occupied Europe, a few hours from Austria and the central parts of the Third Reich. Building started at the end of 1943, and underwent continuous improvements until 1945.

It was founded and built by Viktor Volčjak, but named after its managed and physician, Franja Bojc Bidovec, who started working there in 1944.

The hospital was extremely well-equipped for a clandestine, partisan operation, and was designed to treat as many as 120 patients at a time, and saw nearly as many as ten times that during its occupation.

The majority of the patients there were wounded anti-Nazi resistance fighters who would otherwise be arrested at a normal hospital. Among the patients, however, was a wounded German enemy solider who, after recovering, remained at the hospital as a member of staff.

German military activity was frequent in the general region throughout the operation of the hospital. As a result, the hospital’s entrance was hidden in the forest, and was only accessible by bridges which could be retracted if the enemy was in the area.

Its location was so secret that patients were blindfolded while being transported there. It was also protected by minefields and nests of machine guns, and was concealed by the many trees and camouflaged buildings which were pivotal for its secrecy when faced with enemy air reconnaissance missions.

It was never discovered, and was in use until May 1945, then became part of the Cerkno Museum in 1963.

In 2007, it was badly damaged by a flood after severe and torrential rains. It was therefore reconstructed and completely rebuilt by 2010, and has reopened for visitors. It is currently a candidate to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Franja Partisan Hospital Today

Today, visitors can enjoy walking around the reconstructed buildings of the Franja Partisan Hospital. The storehouse is the only original remaining building.

There is signage in English, as well as an abundance of natural beauty, including waterfalls, amongst the stunning landscape.

Getting to Franja Partisan Hospital

From Cerkno, the hospital is a 5 minute drive via Cerkno- Novaki- Črni Vrh. There are also a number of regular buses which take around 20 minutes from Cerkno. By foot, it’s an uphill climb via Cerkno- Novaki- Črni Vrh, and takes around an hour.

Ihlara Valley history

The valley was probably first inhabited in the 4th century AD, initially by hermits and priests as a place of solitude; but the natural defences of the gorge attracted new converts to Christianity, some fleeing persecution by the Romans.

At its peak Ihlara Valley was host to up to 80,000 inhabitants, with a huge number of dwellings cut into the rock walls and churches decorated by frescoes. These frescoes are particularly interesting as they document the spread of Christianity; as the religion spread amongst diverse populations, the message of Christianity was spread using imagery. Therefore the frescoes which adorn the valley’s churches portray the life of Jesus and other themes found in the Bible.

Ihlara Valley today

The main entrance to Ihlara Valley is by Ihlara village, at the southern end of the valley, where the churches dating from the 6th century display a Persian and Syrian influence. As one travels further down the valley, one finds a large number of Byzantine churches and domestic dwellings.

At the northern end of the valley stands the majestic Selime monastery. Cut out of the rock walls of the valley, the Selime monastery is quite a sight to behold, not looking at all like the European preconceived image of a monastery, but nevertheless, gazing upon this monument, which was commandeered as a fortress by the Byzantine and Seljuk armies between the 10th and 12th centuries, is a truly breath-taking moment.

As well as the historic attractions, the natural scenery of Ihlara Valley is spectacular and boasts wild olive trees next to the clear, green Melendez river. Taking up residence among the vineyards, poplars and pistachio trees are a number of lizards, frogs, and the occasional eagle.

Most people visit with an organised tour and, though they mostly cover the same sites, tours will differ as to exactly which churches and dwellings they will visit.

Getting to Ihlara Valley

It is an hour and a half drive from central Cappadocia to the Ihlara Valley. From central Cappadocia, follow the road through Nevsehir to Aksaray and then to the village of Ihlara. The traditional hike begins at the main entrance about 1 mile outside the village. You can also hike up and out to the main road and catch a rare dolmus (bus) back to the main entrance.

History of Kandovan Village

Kandovan Village was likely founded in the late 13th or early 14th centuries, though it’s thought these dwellings may well date back as far as the 7th century. Some researches of archeology even estimate the dwellings’ age up to 7,000 years old.

It is believed that the Kandovan caves were used as a place of refuge by people fleeing a Mongol invasion – as well as a safe shelter keeping the dwellings cool during summer and warm during winter. These inhabitants are thought to have decided to stay on permanently, turning the area into a settled village which is still occupied.

The cliffs have shaped hive cells which are also known as ‘Karan’. Every room of the cliff houses is carved out of stone, with earlier inhabitants making windows for the rooms and later decorating them with colorful glasses.

Kandovan Village today

Today, some of these dwellings are still in use and are made up of cone-shaped rock-formations which are truly astounding to gaze upon.

A visit to Kandovan is a must for anyone staying in Tabriz. In recent times, Kandovan has started to become a tourist destination and a few hotels and restaurants cater for the tourist trade. It is also possible to take a tour of the cave-dwellings for a small fee.

Getting to Kandovan Village

Kandovan is located on the mountain flank of Sultan Daghi, Sabalan Mountain, located in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. The nearest city is Tabriz, the capital city of East Azerbaijan Province. Kandovan is approximately 34 miles from Tabriz (around a 1 hour 10 minute drive via Route 21), making it a great destination for a day trip.

It’s easiest to get here by car, but mini-busses to Osku, the closest town to Kandovan, depart from Railway Square in Tabriz (slightly far out from the main centre). From Osku, you’ll then need to take a taxi to reach Kandovan – a 20 minute scenic ride through rocky hills. Tours are also available.

Longmen Caves history

The Longmen Caves were created during the rule of the Northern Wei Dynasty in around 494 AD. It was at around this time that they moved their capital from Datong to Luoyang. Once painted, the images were carved inside artificial caves in the area known as Yique meaning ‘The Gate of the Yi River’, marking the entrance to Luoyang.

One of the most well preserved of the Longmen Caves is the Lotus Flower Cave, whilst one of the most impressive sites is the 56 foot statue of the Vairocana Buddha, with her mysterious smile. The incredible collection of statues at the Longmen Caves has been added to over the centuries, notably by the Sui Dynasty and the Tang Dynasty.

The Ten Thousand Buddhas Cave is also a famed member of the Longmen Caves, probably constructed in around 680 AD during the Tang Dynasty and housing, as the name suggests, many statues of Buddha.

Longmen Caves today

Open between 7.30am and 10.30pm, today the massive Buddhas continue to cut an impressive landmark into the surrounding rockface, surrounded by cave dwellings. It is advisable to leave several hours to wander the site, which is well-signposted and allows you to get really close to the caves and carvings.

Unfortunately, many of the statues at the Longmen Caves have been destroyed or vandalised, mostly during the 20th century. Some parts have even been removed from the caves and can be seen at various museums such as New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Getting to the Longmen Caves

The caves are only a 15 minute car journey from Luoyang station or you can hop on the 53 bus (which costs 1 RMB), and you are advised to take a small golf buggy from the ticket office if you do not fancy a trek up to the statues.

President Theodore Roosevelt established Mesa Verde National Park in June 1906, to “preserve the works of man”. The first national park of its kind, today the continued preservation of cultural and natural resources are the focus of Mesa Verde National Park, which features among our Top 10 Tourist Attractions in the United States.

Mesa Verde National Park history

Mesa Verde National Park was once the home of the Pueblos, an indigenous American people who lived there for over 700 years. The Mesa Verdeans survived through combining hunting, gathering and subsistence farming crops, such as corn, squash and beans. Sometime after 650 AD and the early 12th century, the inhabitants built massive cliff homes called pueblos.

Made of sandstone, mortar and wooden beams, the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde sprawled across the beautiful landscape, some built on the mesa tops. However, by 1285 during a period of severe droughts, the Mesa Verdeans left the area and moved south to Arizona and New Mexico.

Mexican-Spanish missionaries explored a route to California in 1776. They reached the Mesa Verde region but never got close enough to the cliff site. It was not until the 1870s when white Americans expanded westwards through Colorado, that prospectors and geologists found, explored and publicised the existence of the cliff dwellings.

By the end of the 19th century it was clear that Mesa Verde needed protection from visitors and private collectors who took artefacts as they pleased. In 1906, Theodore Roosevelt approved the Federal Antiquities Act that allowed the president to create national parks for places with environmental or cultural significance. Mesa Verde became the first of such parks.

Since the 18th century, there has been conflict between non-Indigenous environmentalists and local indigenous peoples. Forced into disadvantageous deals with the US government, the local Ute people were not compensated for losing their land to the park. In the 1920s, the park hired Navajo labourers to put on inaccurate ‘Indian ceremonies’ for tourists, exploiting indigenous workers and the differences between indigenous American cultures.

Mesa Verde National Park today

Today, at over 52,000 acres, it is easy to spend days exploring Mesa Verde National Park – it takes 2 hours alone to drive into and out of the park. You should plan to spend at least 4 hours here, starting at the Far View Visitors Centre before moving onto the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum and Spruce Tree House, then the Mesa Top Loop Road.

Several sites, such as the Cliff Palace and Balcony House, can only be viewed as part of a ranger tour for which you can buy tickets at the visitor centre, where you can also explore the large collection of artefacts on display. Further objects found at Mesa Verde are on display at the British Museum.

The National Park Service website contains a variety of itinerary suggestions for different timescales. There are plans to replace the Far View Visitor Centre with a new centre and research facility in the entrance to the park. Be aware it is also well worth looking up opening times as many of the attractions are seasonal.

Getting to Mesa Verde National Park

So you can explore the whole park, it is best to travel by car to Mesa Verde National Park. The entrance station is found just off US highway 160 in Colorado. To drive from Denver takes around 7 hours via route 70, or 4 hours from Albuquerque in New Mexico via route 40 and highway 491.