Beeley

Beeley village is situated at the southern end of Chatsworth Park in Derbyshire and the Peak District National Park. It nestles between the moors and the River Derwent in a lovely setting and surrounded by glorious countryside. There is no village post office but Beeley still retains a popular public house and restaurant called the Devonshire Arms. A village shop and tea room can be found at the Old Smithy which has been recently restored. Beeley Old Hall dates from the 17th century and is situated at the north eastern edge of the village. Charles Dickens stayed at the hall in the 1860's as a guest of Augustus Mayhew, whose wife painted a portrait of Dickens sitting alongside 3 ladies in the walled garden.

The church of St Anne's was heavily restored in the 19th century but retains a Norman doorway, a 14th century tower and contains memorials to the Cavendish family. Chapel street houses the Wesleyan Chapel originally constructed in 1806 and rebuilt with adjoining schoolroom in 1891. The basement provided stabling for the preacher’s horse and housed a fire engine during the war. It is now a residential unit. At the foot of Chapel Hill stands a group of 3 buildings known as the Paxton cottages, actually designed by G H Stokes, Paxton's son in law and built to rehouse people from Edensor village when it was redeveloped in the mid 19th century. The Duke's Barn, built in 1791, once housed the cart horses which provided transport for the Chatsworth estate. Given to the Royal School for the deaf by the eleventh duke in 1986, it is now run as an outdoor pursuit centre for all children.

There is a Bronze Age barrow up on Beeley Moor, which rises 1200 feet above the village, called Hob Hurts's House. One can climb the steep slopes to the thickly clad Lindup Woods.

Beeley is still very much an estate village, housing people who work on the Chatsworth estate. It is in a quiet, idyllic setting and has been designated a conservation area.