Discover places of interest...

There are plenty of stunning places to see in the surrounding area around The Jug & Glass in the beautiful Derbyshire village of Lea. There are many great walks that take you places such as the 13th century Dethick Church, which rises amongst surrounding woodland.

   Dethick Manor was the ancient home of Antony Babington, who in the 16th century led the plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth 1st and put the Catholic Mary Queen of Scots on the English throne. Babington died a gruesome death at the hands of Elizabeth's executioners at the Tower of London in 1578.

   There are supposedly tunnels linking Dethick to the evocative and hauntingly beautiful ruins of Wingfield Manor, several miles away in South Wingfield.

   The vast and immensely impressive ruins were built in the 1440s for the wealthy Ralph, Lord Cromwell, Treasurer of England. Later the home of Bess of Hardwick's husband, the Earl of Shrewsbury, who imprisoned Mary Queen of Scots here in 1569, 1584 and 1585.

   Almost within touching distance of Dethick, running up through lush meadows, is the hamlet of Riber. The tiny settlement of some sixty inhabitants nestles amongst a collection of lime, fir and copper beech trees which surround the ancient walls of the mainly seventeenth century Riber Hall. Riber's most famous site is the stark and skeletal Riber Castle, which can be seen for miles around, that stands proudly overlooking the town of Matlock.

   Lea also nestles on the edge of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage site, which boasts the world's first water-powered cotton-spinning factories, built by Sir Richard Arkwright and Jedediah Strutt.

   Smedley's Mill is the closest and the site at Lea Bridge has been in continuous textile production for over 200 years. It now forms the manufacturing headquarters of John Smedley, continuing a tradition of production of the globe's finest knitwear. Visit the factory shop which offers a range of luxury knitwear you can access Smedley's online.

World Heritage Sites are places of 'outstanding universal value to humanity' and the area on our doorstep is an area of several miles along the Derwent river from Masson Mill to the Derby Museum and Art Gallery. Places of interest along the way include Willersley Castle, Cromford Mill, Cromford Canal, High Peak Junction, Leawood Pumphouse, John Smedley's Mill, Belper River Gardens, Strutt's North Mill at Belper, Darley Abbey, and Derby's Silk Mill.

   For more information visit Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage site

   The spectacularly scenic Matlock Bath is worth visiting because of its uniqueness. It has many attractions, including The Peak District Mining Museum and Heights of Abraham, a country park and caverns set in 60 acres of woodland and reached by cable car over deep limestone gorge.

   But Derbyshire is a county packed with diversity and recognisable historically important iconic tourist attractions.

Chatsworth House
The magnificent home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire is a jewel in the Derbyshire crown. The 'Palace of the Peak' is a family home which was built to be shared with visitors and contains one of Europe's finest private art collections, representing 4000 years of European culture and craftsmanship, from ancient Greece to modern work by British artists.

   It is set in magnificent grounds and the 105-acre garden is a magical landscape, beautiful in all seasons, and it can be visited separately from the house. It has evolved over more than 450 years, and continues to change today.

   Younger visitors and families particularly enjoy the farmyard with its wide variety of animals and their young, and the spectacular woodland adventure playground.

   Chatsworth, has a well-established reputation for fine food and hospitality....a place used by members of the current royal family. And there's a huge choice – from home-cooked food in the Carriage House restaurant, to an ice cream from the park shop on a hot summer's day. The four gift shops sell beautiful and exclusive gifts, and highlight different aspects of the estate. The Chatsworth farm shop and restaurant in Pilsley offer delicious locally sourced and home-baked produce.

   Visit the Chatsworth web site for more details or telephone 01246 565300. Chatsworth House, Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1PP, is on the B6012 which runs through the grounds from Beeley to Edensor and onto Baslow.

Lea
Lea Gardens is a unique collection of highly acclaimed rhododendrons, azaleas kalmias and other plants collected from the far corners of the world.

   The Gardens, on Long Lane, Lea, close to The Jug & Glass Inn, are sited on the remains of a medieval millstone quarry and cover an area of approximately four acres on a wooded hillside. The excellent rock Garden contain a huge variety of alpines with acers, dwarf conifers, heathers and spring bulbs.

   Bird life has been encouraged in quiet woodland walks below the main gardens. This area, planted with ornamental trees and specie rhododendrons, contains many assorted bird-boxes donated by friends of Lea Gardens. The colours, scents and natural bird life can best be appreciated on a quiet weekday.

   Visit the Lea Gardens web site for more details or telephone 01629 534 380 or 534 260. Lea Gardens, Long Lane, Lea, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 5GH.

Haddon Hall
Haddon Hall is a fortified medieval manor house dating from the 12th Century, and is the home of Lord and Lady Edward Manners whose family have owned it since 1567.

   Described by Simon Jenkins in 1000 Best houses as "the most perfect house to survive from the middle ages", this remarkable old house is surrounded by terraced Elizabethan gardens and is set amongst the rolling countryside of the Peak District National Park.

   Haddon – featured in many films and TV programmes including, most recently Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightly, Matthew MacFadeyn, and Dame Judy Dench – has welcomed visitors for hundreds of years and its beauty and atmosphere never fails to enchant. The house is open to visitors from April to October, with a number of special events being staged throughout the season. School parties and groups are very welcome.

   Visit the Haddon Hall web site for more details or telephone 01629 812855. Haddon Hall, Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1LA, is just off the A6 between Rowsley and Bakewell.

Kedleston Hall
This magnificent Neo-classical Georgian house, set within over 800 acres of Italian classical landscape, lies just three miles from Derby city centre.

   The famous Scottish architect and designer, Robert Adam was responsible for the south facing front and much of the interior. Built 1758-1765 from Palladian designs by Mathew Brettingham, and reworks by James Paine, the property is now part of the National Trust, although the Scarsdale family (Curzons) still have residence there.

   The hall, garden, park and church are open to the public Saturday to Wednesday for the period April to October each year. The park only is open on Thursday and Fridays during the season.

   Visit the National Trust web site for more details or telephone 01332 842191. Kedleston Hall, Kedleston Road, Derby, Derbyshire, DE22 5JH.

Bolsover Castle
Set on a hilltop overlooking the Vale of Scarsdale, Bolsover Castle enjoys panoramic views over the beautiful Derbyshire countryside.

   It is a romantic residence built by Sir Charles Cavendish in 1612 and completed by his son William. Marvel at the outstanding craftsmanship everywhere – the rich panelling, elaborate fireplaces and painted ceilings.

   You can enjoy the glorious enclosed garden, step into the magnificent indoor riding school and be enlightened by the audio-tour and the interactive model of the castle. The Little Castle is not accessible to wheelchair users but the grounds are all accessible on level, impacted gravel paths. There are some steps but alternative routes are available. Tactile exhibits in the Discovery Centre and extensive use of sound for visually impaired visitors, and an audio tour with hearing loop are included in admission price for hearing impaired visitors.

   For more details visit the Peak District and Derbyshire web site or telephone 01246 822844. Bolsover Castle Castle Street, Bolsover, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S44 6PR.

We will update this information and add attractions to the list, but in the meantime if you want more details contact us by telephoning 01629 534232 or by sending an e-mail to enquiries@jugandglasslea.co.uk

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