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Grindleford



OS Grid ref:- SK249788

GrindlefordGrindleford is a small limestone village, situated in the Derwent Valley, around 6 miles north of Bakewell. It is set in a superb position, lying in a natural amphitheatre amidst wooded hills. The name derives from “ ford where grindstones crossed the river'.

Padley Hall, or Padley Manor as it is sometimes known, (pictured left) was once a large double courtyard house. Once home to the Eyre family it passed to the Fitzherberts in the mid sixteenth century when Sir Thomas Fitzherbert married Anne Eyre. The hall is mostly now in ruins, although part of it, what was probably the central gatehouse range, still survives.

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the Fitzherbert family, the then owners and staunch Roman Catholics, were under suspicion of harbouring priests. In 1588, while Sir Thomas Fitzherbert was being held in the Tower of London, two Catholic priests, namely Nicholas Garlick and Robert Ludlum, were discovered hiding in the hall, they were found guilty of high treason and later hung, drawn and quartered on St. Mary's Bridge in Derby. Garlick and Ludlam became known as the 'Padley Martyrs'.In 1933 the surviving part of Padley Hall was converted to a Roman Catholic chapel in honour of the martyrs. The chapel is situated a short distance west of the station. A Roman Catholic pilgrimage takes place every year in July.

Stoke Hall dates from 1757, the estate was sold to Bess of Hardwick in 1581, and was once home to Robert Arkwright, son of Richard Arkwright. In the late eighteenth century it became the seat of the Earls of Bradford.

Grindleford lies along a route that was once known as a 'saltway'. The centre of Grindleford is dissected by the river Derwent, which is crossed by an old a 3 arched bridge. Toll Bar Cottage, which is situated on the north side of the bridge, served as a Toll House on the Saltway in the seventeenth century. The Jubilee Gardens by the bridge were constructed in 1977 to mark the Queen’s jubilee.

A path leading from opposite the toll house leads to St Helen's church, a small towerless building which was constructed in 1910. Grindleford Railway Station now houses a popular cafe.

Nearby places of interest

The Longshaw Estate, situated on the moors above Hathersage, was once the Duke of Rutland's shooting estate and has been owned by the National Trust since 1931. The estate offers scenic Peak District, views, ancient woodland, parkland and heather moorland.

Stanage Edge is the largest of the gritstone edges in the Peak District National Park and was formed during the last Ice Age, some 10,000 years ago. Once a private grouse moor, it is now a highly popuar location with climbers and walkers.

The Upper Derwent Valley contains some of the most stunning scenery in the Peak District National Park

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