Heage

Coordinates: 53°03′00″N 1°26′49″W / 53.050°N 1.447°W / 53.050; -1.447

The village of Heage in Derbyshire is situated midway between Belper and Ripley and is today famous for its recently restored six-sailed windmill. Work on building the mill started in 1791 and it was first recorded as working in 1797. The tower is built from local sandstone and after its recent renovation it is now back in working order.

In 1817, the Lysons recorded that "Heage, alias High-edge, lies about five miles from Duffield, upon the road from Chesterfield to Derby. The manor, which had been parcel of the Earldom and Duchy of Lancaster, was granted, with Duffield, to Ditchfield and others. In 1629 it was conveyed to the Stanhope family. Sir William Stanhope bequeathed it, in 1703, to Godfrey Wentworth, Esq. his nephew, whose son of the same name sold it, in 1767, to Francis Hurt, Esq., grandfather of Francis Hurt, Esq., of Alderwasley, who is the present proprietor."

Also located in Heage, at Morley Park, are the remains of two coke-fired blast furnaces for the smelting of iron, built by Francis Hurt of Alderwasley. The first, built in 1780 was the earliest in Derbyshire. The other was built in 1818 and they represent very early coke-fired blast furnaces. They closed in 1874, and most of the site has returned to nature, but the furnace towers still exist and can be seen next to the A38.