A5012 road
Road in Derbyshire, England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The A5012 road is a main road in the south of the English county of Derbyshire.
| |
|---|---|
 | |
_-_Passing_through_Griffe_Grange_Valley_in_the_direction_of_Grangemill_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1000635.jpg) The A5012, Via Gellia, passing through Griffe Grange Valley | |
| Major junctions | |
| From | Newhaven |
| To | Cromford |
| Location | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Constituent country | England |
| Road network | |
Route
Via Gellia
The eastern part (Grangemill to Cromford, set in a deep valley) is known as the Via Gellia – a steep-sided wooded dry valley and road.[citation needed]
It is probably[original research?] named after (or by) Philip Eyre Gell in a mock-Latin style; he was responsible for building the road through the valley, the name being a link to the Gell family's claim of Roman descent. They held lead-mining interests in and around Wirksworth.[1] At its lower (eastern) end is the village of Cromford and its Georgian mill, built by inventor and entrepreneur Richard Arkwright. At the western end is the hamlet of Grangemill.
The road appears[weasel words] to have been constructed about 1790 to connect the Gells' extensive lead-mining interests around Wirksworth with a new smelter at Cromford. However, some sources[which?] say that the route was in use as early as 1720 for transporting stone from the family's quarries in the Hopton area.
In 1887, it was described as a "modern road, (in) Derbyshire, on route from Matlock Bath to Ashborne, in a deep winding valley, extending 4 miles from Cromford to Grange Mill; takes name from its constructors, the Gell family of Hopton Hall, near Wirksworth." in the Gazetteer of the British Isles.[2]
Modern history
In modern times the Via Gellia developed a reputation as being a dangerous road[citation needed] with a disproportionately high casualty rate, particularly among motorcyclists. This was due in part to its relative narrowness, the number of large goods vehicles using it to access the quarries, and its canopy of overhanging trees resulting in a persistently damp surface.[citation needed] Remedial measures, including resurfacing, were carried out by Derbyshire County Council in 2006.
World War I
In World War I, the name Via Gellia was assigned to a communication trench between Kemmel village and the British and Canadian front lines facing the German front lines before Wijtschate in Belgium.[citation needed]
Safety
Fabric viyella
The fabric Viyella, a wool and cotton mix, is named after the Via Gellia, the location of W. Hollins & Company's textile mill where it was originally produced.[5]
