Hell Row Quote by D.H. Lawrence
““THE BOTTOMS" succeeded to "Hell Row". Hell Row was a block of thatched, bulging cottages that stood by the brookside on Greenhill Lane. There lived the colliers who worked in the little gin-pits two fields away. The brook ran under the alder trees, scarcely soiled by these small mines, whose coal was drawn to the surface by donkeys that plodded wearily in a circle round a gin. And all over the countryside were these same pits, some of which had been worked in the time of Charles II, the few colliers and the donkeys burrowing down like ants into the earth, making queer mounds and little black places among the corn-fields and the meadows. And the cottages of these coal-miners, in blocks and pairs here and there, together with odd farms and homes of the stockingers, straying over the parish, formed the village of Bestwood.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The White Peacock by D.H. Lawrence, 1911
A vivid description of a mining village, highlighting the harsh environment and the community’s connection to the land.
In simple terms: A mining village is depicted with its cottages and pits.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the impact of environment on community life.
Themes
history
place
labor
environment
Mood
somber
observational
Type
descriptive
historical
When to use this quote
- heritage tourism
- environmental education
- community storytelling
Key Concepts
industrial heritage
rural life
social geography
Questions to Reflect On
- What does this setting reveal about the people who live there?
- How does the landscape shape their identity?
