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Brassington
Brassington is comprised of traditional limestone dwellings that are huddled together on a steep south-facing hillside on the south eastern edge of the White Peak. The old town of Wirksworth lies three miles to the east and the market town of Ashbourne seven miles away to the south-west. Brassington looks different from every angle thanks to the ever changing landscape. From Wirksworth in the east the road passes through a lunar landscape beyond Carsington Pasture which is pitted with old mine workings, lead-mine spoil-heaps and deserted crumbling field-barns, with the occasional quarry adding to the impression of a heavily industrially exploited area. There are large quarries all around the Brassington area, with Hopton and Middleton to the east, Longcliffe to the north and the large Tilcon quarry at Ballidon to the west.
There is evidence of prehistoric settlement all around the area with finds from the Stone Age, Iron Age and the Roman era in the caves at Harborough Rocks half a mile to the north east of the village. The presence of water was a pre-requisite for settlement on these limestone uplands and Brassington provided that commodity in abundance with numerous springs emerging at the junction of limestone and shale.
Like most of the White Peak villages, Brassington's fortunes fluctuated along with the lead mining industry and in 1846 when lead mining was in full swing the population reached almost 800 and there were 14 public houses to cater for the unrelenting thirst of the miners and travellers. Today there are less than 500 inhabitants who are catered for by just two public houses; The Gate Inn and The Miner's Arms.
Brassington is a charming village with many stand out buildings such as the Tudor House which can be found opposite the school on Town Street. Tudor House was originally an inn built in 1615 before it became the local workhouse housing in the 19th century. The nearby Brassington Hall was built later in the 17th century.
The Gate Inn can be dated to 1616 thanks to a glorious date-stone and is built mainly of dolomite, possibly from nearby Harborough Rocks, whilst the Miner's Arms was built in 1734, and extended in 1882. The oldest building in Brassington is St.James Parish Church which stands dominating the village high on the south facing hillside above Church Street.
The High Peak Trail passes just north of Brassington running parallel with `The Street', the old Roman road from Derby to Buxton, and leads within a mile to the neolithic chambered tombs at Minninglow, close by Roystone Grange.
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