Staying in a one of the cottages in Ashford, a town which is located on the banks of the river is a great choice your Peak District holiday.It is located north of Bakewell and is a very unique part of Derbyshire as well as the Peak District so there is plenty to do in easy reach of the village.
Peak District tourism attracts millions of visitors to the area each year and Ashford should definitely be on your Peak District Accommodation shortlist.
There are many places that are worthy of a visit here such as the Holy Trinity Church which like many others in the region is centuries old. There are some spectacular places to visit while you are on holiday, such as The Holy Trinity Church. Some sections of the Holy Trinity Church date back to the 13th century. The church had to be rebuilt in the late 1800’s, but a few items of the past still survive.
The north arcade still stands, which originates from the 14th century. The west tower, south door, and lower section of the church still have the Norman tympanum which shows the tree of life with a hog and wolf face to face.
The church also has a number of artefacts that date from the 1600’s which include a chalice, a Jacobean pulpit, as well as a Perp style font.
An ancient custom from the 1700’s was to hang funeral garland made of white paper that had been cut into rosettes and attached to a wooden frame, then carried in front of the coffin in the funeral procession, then hung up on the roof of the church, which four of them are still hanging there today.
The village once was an industry for candle making; however, there is only one house in the place of the old factory, located on Greaves Lane.
One of the most picturesque things you will find here is the Sheep Wash Bride. Historically this was used as a packhorse bridge, and later on it became popular with sheep herders who were able to wash their flocks here before shearing.
Ashford has long been known for all of the black marble that is produces. Once the marble is polished to a shine, it is used in mosaics, jewellery, table tops, and clocks. You can find black marble tables in the Ashford Church and throughout the U.S., as this type of marble has become very popular.
One of the most fascinating features in Ashford is the revived custom of well dressing, which takes place on Trinity Sunday, this very special event has 6 wells that are dressed with layering leaves and many other natural objects in a bed of clay to form a picture. There are approximately 12,000 or so spectators that visit the church during Well Dressing Week.
Notable properties in the area include Ashford Hall which overlooks a beautiful lake that is part of the River Wye. Built in 1785 by Joseph Pickford, Ashford Hall has a lot of history and today it is privately owned and belongs to the Olivier family.
Just a short distance down the road from Ashford is a Georgian T shaped house known as Thornbridge Hall, it was privately owned until the middle of the 20th century where it changed hands and became a teacher’s training college, then after a period of time then it became an educational center, it is now once again privately owned and used as and antique shop.
If your not staying at holiday at one of the holiday cottages in Ashford definitely make sure it is on your list of places to visit especially if you are taking a holiday during Well Dressing week.
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