If you enjoy visiting charming, quaint, old villages full of character, Tideswell in the Peak District should be added to your list. By Peak District standards, it’s a large village. It’s the second largest in the national park after Bakewell. But if you live in a town or city, it will seem tiny. The history of the village goes back to Roman times.
The size of the church, known as the Cathedral of the Peak, gives you an indication of how prosperous Tideswell was in the middle ages. The area became wealthy firstly due to lead mining, which dates back to Roman times and wool production, then in the 19th century for textiles, with both cotton and silk being milled or woven. There is still some industry in the village, with a small industrial estate at the end of the village.
We’ll get to the church later, because as spectacular as it is, there is more to Tideswell than the church.
Let’s start with the name. The accepted source of the name is that the village is named after a Saxon chief, Tidi. But there is an alternative suggestion that the name came from the well, a tiding well. Either way, Tideswell it is, unless you are local and call it Tidza.
The thing that most draws your eye as you drive or walk through the village is the church of St John the Baptist, and it’s very clear to see why the Grade I listed building is called the Cathedral of the Peak. It isn’t the original church built on the site. There was a small Norman church on the site which was replaced by the current church built entirely in the 14th century. It took 80 years to complete, having been delayed by the black death. The church was restored in the 1800s. It was a very sympathetic renovation and the medieval character of the church was retained.
There are some unusual things to see in the church. If you have a good eye, you may spot the green man. There is a very unusual altar tomb in the middle of the chancel. It has a sculpted cadaver under the altar. The wooden screen separating the nave from the chancel is the original one. The Gabriel bell now lies on the floor of a chapel, but that too is original.
The font is medieval. The wood carvings in the choir are stunning. There are beautiful brasses, two organs, a medieval font, impressive monuments and the tall, unstained windows make the church unusually light. Rumour has it that there is a secret tunnel somewhere in the church. No amount of searching on our part could find so much as a hint of one.
But there’s more to Tideswell than the medieval church. If you wander around, you may come across Markeygate House, believed to be the oldest house in the village and dating back to 1432. It’s a Grade II listed building, therefore of special interest. As you can imagine, it has been remodelled several times, although the listing will prevent further remodeling.
Fountain square in the centre of the village has, of course, a fountain. But it’s a very modest one. What it does have as well, is a more modern church than the grand one further up the road, but it does have an interesting twist. Until relatively recently, the village had five churches. In 1972, two of the churches, the Wesleyan and the Primitive Methodist churches combined to form the Methodist church at Fountain square. The congregations of the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church dwindled, so in 2010, two churches united became three.
Tideswell Dale nature reserve sits just outside the village. It’s part of the Wye Valley area of special scientific interest. The sheltered limestone gorge is home to many species of wild flowers and butterflies.
In the summer, Tideswell celebrates their Wakes. Floats, food, bands, carnival and a weekend of celebrations. The tradition of the Wakes dates back 750 years. It coincides with the village well dressing and the festival of St John the Baptist. The village puts a lot of effort in and floats from the surrounding villages and local businesses take part. The Wakes lasts all weekend, with different traditional activities. There are bands playing and a range of food kiosks to suit most tastes.
The village participates in the ancient art of well dressing. This is a practice only found in the Peak District, although some surrounding areas have adopted it too. Well dressing involves creating a large picture from flowers, leaves and natural materials inserted into a clay panel. Four Wells are dressed in Tideswell, the well dressing usually happens around the time of the Wakes.
Tideswell has another claim to fame. Food. The village has managed to retain a lot of food shops, although COVID and lockdown have reduced the number. Unlike most other villages, there is no need to travel to get something tasty for your dinner. You can buy most of what you need in the local shops. There are a number of pubs and cafes in the village. We called in at The Horse and Jockey, not the oldest pub in the village at only 200 years old, but it has a lot of traditional charm. There are rooms to rent which are dog friendly, two dining areas, a log burner (which was very welcome when we called in) and a range of very well kept real ales.
If you would like to stay in the area for a few days, there is a range of types of accommodation. There are a couple of traditional bed and breakfast options, rooms in some of the pubs, and holiday cottages to hire. The surrounding area is beautiful, with plenty of walking in stunning countryside. But if the great British weather puts you off the walk, you don’t have to go far to sit beside the fire in a pub.
