Peak District Towns & Villages
Rainow
The small but pretty village of Rainow lies on the eastern side of the Peak District border between Cheshire and Derbyshire, in the valley of the River Dean. It is surrounded by stunning countryside, with rolling hills to the east and the expansive Cheshire Plain to the west. On a clear day there are views to the distant Welsh hills. Rainow’s name derives from the Old English Hraefn Hoe, meaning Ravens’ Hill. The first records of the village date back to the late 13th Century, and in early Medieval times the area was part of the royal hunting forest of Macclesfield. Rainow was an important staging post on one of...
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Rowsley
Rowsley Rowsley The lovely village of Rowsley lies on the very edge of the Peak District National Park in Derbyshire, close to the Chatsworth House estate. It’s a peaceful, pretty place, surrounded by beautiful rolling countryside. Rowsley is positioned at the point where the River Wye meets the River Derwent and there are many fabulous riverside walks starting from and passing through the village, including the long-distance footpath the Derwent Valley Heritage Way. The rivers attract anglers from all over the world, being home to wild rainbow trout, brown trout and grayling; the magazine ‘The Field’ once declared: ‘If you haven’t fished the Derbyshire Wye, you haven’t fished.’ ...
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Sheldon
The small village of Sheldon in the Derbyshire Peak District, perched high above the River Wye, is an absolute gem. Surrounded by stunning White Peak limestone countryside, it is a cluster of characterful stone cottages on a hill, mostly built along one single lane. The village is an ancient one, recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, and became an important centre for lead mining in the 18th and 19th Centuries, at which time its population boomed. Magpie Mine, located just outside the village, is the most complete example of an 18th Century lead mine remaining in the Peak District, probably in the UK. Dating from the 1730s, it is...
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Stanton in Peak
Stanton in Peak The beautiful village of Stanton in Peak is a little gem: pretty stone cottages clustered on a hillside, overlooking the most spectacular countryside. Peak District Village - Stanton In Peak The village has a great deal of history. It was granted a Royal Charter in 968 under the name Stantune, meaning Stony Farm, and is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as part of the barony of Henry de Ferrers. By the 1750s the village was jointly owned by the Duke of Rutland and the Thornhill family. The descendants of the Thornhill family still live in the (private) stately home of Stanton Park in the village...
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Stoney Middleton
Stoney Middleton Stoney Middleton is an interesting and pretty village in the Derbyshire Peak District, much of which might be missed by those who drive swiftly through it on the A623. Those who take the time to detour away from the main road with its dark, overhanging cliffs, however, will be rewarded with a wealth of beautiful buildings, little lanes lined with stone cottages, a very unusual octagonal church, and even a little brook running through the streets. Stoney Middleton History of Stoney Middleton Stoney Middleton has a long history, and it is thought likely to be a Roman settlement. The origins of the name date back to Saxo-Norman times, meaning ‘stony...
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Tideswell
Tideswell Tideswell is a large village in the heart of the White Peak. It has a great selection of independent shops, pubs and cafes, and is surrounded by some of the most beautiful limestone uplands in the area. Its magnificent church is known as the Cathedral of the Peak, and rightly so. History Tideswell is a village with a rich history. It dates back to pre-Roman times and was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, when it was part of the parish of Hope. It owed its early wealth in the Middle Ages to lead mining and wool production, and its prosperity is evident from the size and...
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Peak District Towns & Villages by County
Click on the interactive map to view Peak District Towns and Villages by County
