The area around Chapel-en-le-Frith is noted for the high proportion of great houses. These are the remnants of the estates within the Royal Forest that were allocated by the early Norman Kings to ‘Foresters of Fee’. A charter of 1222 lists the men whose family names are still evident in some of the halls, mansions and houses in this cache series.
Eaves Hall
Eaves is an ancient area of Chapel-en-le- Frith, it is mentioned in Court Rolls in the 13th and 14th century
The current Hall was built in 1658 as a wedding gift from landowner Arnold Kirk to his son Henry & Anne Kirk in 1658. Further additions were made between 1749-1882. The house has remained in the Kirk family until 1916.
In the second world war the hall was home to about 20 Land Army women. Hilda Beswick, one such ‘Land Girl’, speaks of her experience while at Eaves Hall,
"Going from an indoor job to working in the fields in all weathers was difficult. We slept in dormitories and were taken out to work on the local farms on the back of a lorry."
"Everyone was very friendly, so one's memories are of having a good time but it was tough, too. We had to work darned hard, get up at 6am, have horrible porridge for breakfast and be out by 6.30. It was back-breaking work, especially the muck spreading. We would stand on the dray and shovel cow manure off the back and fling it on the land."
"We planted seed potatoes, picked up stones from an entire field, so they didn't damage the ploughs, and helped make gravel paths."
"I remember digging sheep out from under snowdrifts one winter and topping and tailing frozen turnips with no gloves – and, of course, helping out with the harvest."
"We had a record player and used to put so much money each a week towards buying records. With only 18 shillings a week in wages, out of which I sent five shillings home to my mother, there wasn't a lot to spare."