Heights of Abraham re-opened for year by Victorian owner's descendant

A Derbyshire tourist attraction has been opened for the season by the great-great-great-granddaughter of its Victorian owner.

Joanna Brown is descended from Benjamin Bryan, who owned the Heights of Abraham back when donkeys used to take people to the estate's summit.

Ms Brown was invited to activate the cable cars which now take people to the top.

She also got to "meet" her ancestor, played by a living history actor.

Ms Brown first visited the attraction last year, when she visited Derbyshire in search of Mr Bryan's gravestone.

"Last September when I stepped off the cable car at the top I was shocked to see a sign advertising daily tours by Benjamin Bryan, the very relative I was seeking," she said.

"It was a wonderful feeling. I couldn't wait to meet him again today, and to meet the current owners of the Heights too."

Ms Brown travelled from Devon to Matlock Bath in order to re-start the cable cars for the season on Saturday.

She also met the Pugh family, who bought the estate 50 years ago and are the current custodians.

Rupert Pugh, the attraction's development director, said: "2024 is a really special year for all of us here at the Heights.

"We are celebrating both a golden and a ruby anniversary, as it's 50 years since my parents took over the stewardship of the estate and began their huge restoration project, and 40 years since they installed the cable car system, which transformed this estate into one of England's top tourist attractions."

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].