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Beeley
Beeley can be found nestled in the wooded hills that rise on the east bank of the River Derwent about a mile and a half due south of Chatsworth House, the home of the Duke & Duchess of Devonshire - and about a mile along the B6012 from its junction with the A6 at the former rail-head village of Rowsley. The village stands to the east of this road, whilst to the west Lindup Wood rises above the Derwent Valley and where there are some magnificent views northward to Chatsworth Park.
With Chatsworth being located rather closely Beeley benefits from it's magnificent open parkland and it's surrounding landscape. Beeley has enjoyed the benefits of two centuries as an estate village under the control of successive Dukes of Devonshire, and though this is no longer the case with many of the properties having been sold off in recent times, the evidence of Ducal influence can still be plainly seen throughout the village today.
The nearby Beeley Brook collects drainage water from the moors above, and is fortified by a stream which drains Fallinge Edge and cascades over several small waterfalls on its way down the hillside. This adds immense charm and character to the region and its sweet natural music to the tranquil and peaceful atmosphere as it runs delightfully through the village to empty into the nearby River Derwent.
Modern Beeley has a small population much like it did centuries ago, and there has been barely any changes apart from the addition of the houses at the bottom of Chesterfield Road, which sweeps up past the Devonshire Arms - a 17th century hostelry, recently refurbished and with a magnificent restaurant -these are the only residents to encounter any through traffic. At the junction directly opposite the pub stand three cottages built in a triangular pattern with very unusual Dutch-gabled roofs, the style is reminiscent of Paxton who designed the nearby estate - village of Edensor.
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