This place is magical. In fact on damp foggy days when the air is still it’s actually quite eerie. The stillness really does emphasize this feeling. Perhaps a feeling of being watched. You can honestly feel the history of this place among the trees. It sits low on the edge of a valley surrounded by the quarry walls. This all adds to the atmosphere, the sound is dampened, the wind often subdued, I'm not religious but this place has a spiritual quality.
Over a 100 years ago the quietness would have been broken by the clank of heavy machines, the clunk of hammer on stone. This place serviced the dams of Howden and Derwent, huge ton millstones crafted from the quarry face. At its height over 400 people sweated blood and tears in long days of hard graft in the stone quarry. Familles set up home, the remains of structures can still be found lying reclaimed in among the revitalized landscape.
I have walked and photographed this place for many years, enjoying quiet and peaceful days. The quarry is now home to hundreds of birch trees, scattered throughout the vibrant green carpet of grass. It’s while photographing these trees I began to reflect on the history.
People worked, played and lost their lives working the land. Now what remains, standing tall are these wonderful silver birch and I like to imagine that these carry the soul and memories of those that once played their role in this landscape. the personalities reflected in the shapes and textures of the motionless statues. These trees, this place and these images a little nod to the history of Bolehill.