Yorkshire nostalgia: '˜Sunken' Derwent village re-emerges from waters during drought
The village first disappeared beneath the waters in 1945 when the dam was created.
Ladybower Reservoir is a large ‘Y’ shaped reservoir, the lowest of the three in the Upper Derwent Valley. It was built between 1935 - 1943 and then took a further two years to fill it. The villages of Derwent and Ashopton had to be flooded to create this reservoir and the inhabitants were relocated to Yorkshire Bridge estate, just downstream of Ladybower Dam. It was opened in 24 September 1945 by King George VI. The dam was used by RAF 617 Dambuster Squadron to practise on before their infamous mission.