Said to be world’s oldest factory in continuous operation, Smedley’s began by spinning cotton thread and in 1825 graduated to producing complex garments. Nowadays the company focuses on making the highest quality cotton, cashmere and merino wool knitwear.
A 60-acre country park with the Great Masson and Rutland Caverns, adventure playgrounds, woodland trails, heritage walks and exhibitions, reached by cable car over a deep limestone gorge. There are panoramic views to be had from Tinker’s Shaft, the Victoria Prospect Tower and the Vista Restaurant. On the lower slopes there’s a café and a tavern.
Set amidst breath-taking countryside the Derwent Valley Mills world heritage site offers fascinating insights into industrial and social life during the 18th and 19th centuries. Snaking 15 miles down the river valley from Matlock Bath to Derby, the site contains a fascinating series of historic mill complexes, including some of the world’s first ‘modern’ factories.
Gulliver’s Kingdom is a theme park set in a scenic cliff-top location overlooking the river gorge in Matlock Bath, Derbyshire’s very own little Switzerland. It offers rides, attractions and shopping opportunities for Lilliputians aged 3 to 13 and their grown-ups, with plenty of refreshment pit-stops. It can be reached by car or a spectacular chairlift ride.
Home of the National Tramway Museum, the village offers a great day out for the whole family. You can be transported back in time on lovingly preserved vintage trams, soak up the atmosphere in a period street with a visit to the shops and take refreshments from the tearooms and the Red Lion pub.
Here you can experience the fascinating history of the Derbyshire mining industry, and of the many local families who made their living from this gruelling work. The Museum has something for everyone to enjoy and learn from. A shop, tours of the Temple Mine and immersive learning activities are also provided for your enjoyment.
The garden covers approximately 3½ acres and is situated within a woodland area, with access paths allowing visitors to admire 500+ varieties of rhododendrons, azaleas and other plants. It’s open from March to July, while the spectacular blooms are at their best. There are plenty of sites for children to play and a very popular teashop with indoor and outdoor seating.
Walk out of the front door of Cotton House in any direction and you’ll soon be immersed in the gently rolling local countryside typical of the parish of Dethick, Lea and Holloway. Once you’ve arrived at the house, you needn’t use your car because the local countryside is criss-crossed with public footpaths and bridleways, each more picturesque than the last.
Listed in order of distance from the house, the following can all be easily reached on foot:
Cotton House is one of a row of four townhouses completed in 2021 on a previously vacant part of John Smedley’s Lea Mills site, where the company has been in continuous production for well over 200 years.
The houses are a modern interpretation of traditional three-storey mill-workers’ housing and English Heritage approved the architects’ plans after insisting on the use of high-quality local building materials and making recommendations on the styling of the windows.
Richard and Juliet are a brother and sister team who grew up locally and still have strong connections with the area.
At Cotton House, the many delights of the Peak District are on your doorstep and it’s also the perfect base for exploring the Derwent Valley Mills world heritage site, which extends from Cromford and Lea Bridge south to Derby. There are treasures to the east too, like the National Trust’s Elizabethan masterpiece Hardwick Hall.
