The Gigantic Thigh Bone (Little John's Cottage, Hathersage as it stood 100 years ago)
William and Christiana Shuttleworth's third son Captain James Shuttleworth on his return from the American War of Independance lived with his eldest brother John at Hathersage Hall, and in 1784 they had Little John's grave opened. Six feet below the surface was found a gigantic human thigh bone. It was carried into nearby house called Little John's Cottage, the home of Mr Shard and found to measure 32 inches on his tailor's board, (nearly one metre).
When an old huntsman saw it he shook his head and remarked 'No good will come to either of ye, so long as ye keep dead mens bones above ground!' They laughed at him, but sure enough when Captain James had the bone hung over his
bed, he suffered a whole series of accidents, including a bad fall while hunting, some records suggest the bone was moved to his cousin's at Cannon Hall, where a similar series of accidents followed. The Parish Clerk was told to put the bone back in the grave, but instead it is said he took it home with him and had it on display at sixpence a time until he was finally persuaded to put it back in the grave.
Dr. Spencer Hall, in his 'Peak and the Plain' describes his visit to Hathersage in 1847. He saw Little John's cottage still standing at the East end of the church, occupied by Jenny Shard now 70 years old. Her father had died some 20 years before at the age of 92. He had assured her that Little John had died in that cottage before being buried in the Churchyard.
Jenny well remembered when Little John's grave was opened by Captain James Shuttleworth, and the great thigh-bone brought from it into the cottage and measured on her father's tailoring board.
The above was extracted from 'Let These Stones Live' by Martin F.H. Hulbert, with the kind permission of St. Michael and All Angels church, Hathersage.