Ralph Bernard Robinson refers to the above legend in the following
passage in his little book on Longdendale.
"Opposite, on the other side of the river, is Melandra Castle as the
the villagers call it. Some fields here are called in old deeds 'THE
CASTLE CARRS.' Hard by is an ancient homestead going to ruin called
'THE CARR HOUSE.' This old house has an historical celebrity. A party
of Royalists, on their march to Yorkshire before the Battle of Marston
Moor, stayed here one night. The name of the Captain, John Oldfield,
of Spalding, that of King Charles, and the date (1644), long remained
inscribed in Latin, with a diamond ring, on a window-pane of the old
dwelling."
In some way or other, the pane of glass referred to by Robinson became
the property of the late A. K. Sidebottom, Esq., J.P., and after his
death was purchased at a public auction by my friend, Mr. Robert
Hamnett, of Glossop. To the kindness of the last-named gentleman, I am
indebted for the loan of the glass, and for various particulars
concerning it. When it came into Mr. Hamnett's possession, it was in
two pieces, which, however, have now been cemented together. The pane
is the ordinary size of small diamond panes frequently found in
cottages of old date, and still largely used in the windows of our
churches. The inscription is quite clear, but the glass is badly
scratched, as though some sturdy member of the Cromwell faction had
done his best to obliterate the Royalist writing without going to the
expense of breaking the window.