This is the eighth event in a series to highlight some of the pinfolds that are found within Derbyshire. This one brings us to a typical example in the hamlet of Milltown, not far from Ashover.
Pinfold is derived from the Saxon Old English pundfald meaning an enclosure & the term was used largely in the north & east of the country. These enclosures were used specifically to house stray cattle or sheep which had wandered from their owners' land or which had been found grazing on common land without common rights. These would be rounded up & kept in the pinfold until they were claimed. To retrieve the animals, a fine would have to be paid to the pinder, who was an officer of the Lord of the Manor. It was a serious offence to break your animals out of the pinfold, punishable by a further fine or imprisonment! Occasionally the pinfold might be rented as a temporary holding pen overnight by drovers on their way to market. Although they date from much earlier, it is thought that by the 16th century, almost every settlement would have had its own pinfold & pinder. Sadly, most of these have been lost over the years, but some survive almost intact whilst others have been restored.
Milltown Pinfold is found on Gin Lane, due south of the pub & is believed to date from either the 18th or 19th century. By 1973 it was in a poor state of repair & so it was restored, with the works being completed by 1976. It is constructed from gritstone rubble, with triangular coping stones, but these are currently almost completely obscured by ivy! It is rectangular in design, with a central iron entrance gate, flanked by two large stone gateposts.
This short event will give us an opportunity to meet up safely outside for some geochat & to swap trackables in hopefully peaceful & beautiful surroundings. There are a few caches dotted around the area if you haven't visited them already. There may even be a new cache published for the occasion. There is limited street parking opposite the pinfold. Please park considerately.