The Gables
Damside Lane , Peak Forest, SK17 8EH, United Kingdom

T: Simon on 07977 274169
Email: info@thegablespeakforest.co.uk
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Sleeping up to 17, The gables has been finished to an exceptionally high standard whilst maintaining period charm and a real ‘family home feel’.



Situated in the charming village of Peak Forest, just outside the spa town of Buxton and within close proximity to Chatsworth, Castleton, Bakewell & Ladybower, This luxury accommodation is ideally located for visitors to enjoy everything the Peak District has to offer.


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With excellent walking and outdoor pursuits close by, including cycling, climbing & the recently re-opened Monsal Trail, The Gables has the rugged Peaks to the north and the gentle rolling hills of the Derbyshire Dales, including Millers Dale, to the south.  Mam Tor, Castleton, Chatsworth and the famous Ladybower Reservoirs can be driven to within minutes. Eldon Hole, one of the wonders of the Peaks - is twenty minutes walk from the house which is, itself, located on the Pennine bridleway.
 
thegables-exterior01.jpgThe Gables was built around 1850 and has been extended and renovated to an exceptionally high standard. The house and Peak Forest is steeped in history. In Roman times this area was part of Campagna and remained called this until the Norman Invasion. The Royal Forest of the Peak was used for hunting wolves and deer. Lead was also mined here. This lead was prized because it had relatively little silver in it. It was exported to many parts of the Roman Empire.
 
The Royal Forest was almost two hundred square miles and was a prized possession of the Anglo-Saxons monarchs until their defeat by the Normans. Although it was set aside as a royal forest, it was not heavily wooded and it comprised of bog, heath, meadow and mountain.

In the early 16th century it became an enclosed park only 4 square miles in area and a house was built there for the Ranger, called "The Chamber of the Forest". This became the centre for a rapid expansion of population and the village was called Peak Forest.

Before that date there were small settlements. The earliest recorded one being called "Old Dam" in 1405. Later "New Dam" and "Dam Dale" arose. By the Elizabethan era, the Eldon Hole was a main tourist attraction.

It is unclear how the Cavendish family (Dukes of Devonshire) acquired the land. They could have bought it by buying land they had previously leased, or by acquiring ex-monastic lands after the 1530 dissolution by Henry VIII. However, local legend has it that they simply appropriated it!

In 1657, 8 years after the death of Charles I, Christina, Countess of Devonshire, built a chapel in the village for the use of foresters and villagers. She was an ardent royalist, and her favourite son, Charles, died in the civil war supporting Charles I's cause in 1643. From this time forward new names began to appear on the electoral rolls of Peak Forest, such as Vernon's, Fletcher's, Clayton's, Hadfield's and Hartles.
 
Deforestration of the area was complete by the close of the civil war in 1674

The village remains a small hamlet, divided by the A623 that runs from Barmoor Clough, over Tideswell Moor and on to Stoney Middleton and Baslow.

Well Dressings still take place in the first week in July, and the two wells are blessed by local clergy and decorated by villagers and the children from the village school. Some years a flower festival is held in the church or alternatively Art and Craft displays. There are thriving arts and crafts groups meeting weekly in the village Reading Room, as well as 4 times weekly preschool groups. The Hunt meets in the village and various hill walking competitions base their comfort breaks in the village.

The village has a combined food and general store and one pub, called "The Devonshire Arms". The pub is a popular tourist luncheon stop for visitors from local cities and for walkers and visitors of the Peak District. The Pennine Bridle Path crosses the A623 and appropriate height traffic light control buttons have been provided for ease of horse riders. The village school is a church school and has scored excellent in both church and government assessments. The Peak Forest Furniture making craftsmen are based here.


Copyright © The Gables 2012. Peak District Cottages by Peak District Online