Edale

infobox UK place
country = England
official_name= Edale
latitude= 53.366
longitude= -1.816
population = 316 (2001)cite web | url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=793399&c=Edale&d=16&e=15&g=434882&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&enc=1&dsFamilyId=779 | title=Neighbourhood Statistics, Parish Headcounts: Edale CP|accessmonthday=Jan 31 |accessyear=2007 |publisher=Source: National Statistics website: www.statistics.gov.ukCrown copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO]
shire_district= High Peak
shire_county= Derbyshire
region= East Midlands
constituency_westminster= High Peak
post_town= HOPE VALLEY
postcode_district = S33
postcode_area= S
dial_code= 01433
os_grid_reference= SK122856

Edale (IPAEng|ˈiːdeɪl) is a small Derbyshire village and Civil parish in the Peak District, in the Midlands of England. The Parish of Edale, area 2,844.8ha,cite web |url=http://www.magic.gov.uk/website/magic/viewer.htm?startTopic=magadminareas&latlongref=53.366667,-1.816667 |title=MAGIC - Multi Agency Geographic Information for the Countryside |accessmonthday=Jan 31 |accessyear=2007 |publisher=Defra] is in the Borough of High Peak.

Edale is best known to serious walkers as the start (or southern end) of the Pennine Way, and to less-ambitious walkers as a good starting point for beautiful evening or day Peak District walks, reachable by public transport from Sheffield or Manchester, and with two pubs which both supply real ale and food.

History

As spelt, the name is first recorded in 1732. Earlier recorded versions of the name are Aidele (1086), Heydale (1251), Eydale (1275), Eydal (1285) and Edall (1550).cite book | author=The Edale Society | title=The Book of Edale | publisher=Halsgrove | year=2003 | id=ISBN 1-84114-245-X | pages=p 9]

Historically, Edale was the name of the valley of the River Noe. From the Norman Conquest it was within the royal Forest of High Peak and at its centre is the Edale Cross, which marked the boundary of the three wards at the Forest, Campana, Hopedale and Longdendale. Settlement in the valley consists of several "booths", originally established in the 13th century as 'vaccaries' (cattle farms) along the valley of the River Noe, which have since developed into the hamlets of "Upper Booth" (once "Crowdenley Booth" and "Over Booth"), "Barber Booth" (once "Whitmorely Booth"), "Grindsbrook Booth", "Ollerbrook Booth" and "Nether Booth" (also known as "Lady Booth" and, formerly, "Lower Booth").cite book | author=The Edale Society | title=The Book of Edale | publisher=Halsgrove | year=2003 | id=ISBN 1-84114-245-X | pages=pp 27-33]

When the Sheffield to Manchester (Hope Valley) line opened, the railway station to the south of Grindsbrook Booth was named "Edale", and the name came to be used for the settlements in the parish, rather than the valley as a whole. The valley is usually now referred to as the "Vale of Edale" or, much less frequently, as the "Noe Valley".Fact|date=February 2007

There is a youth hostel about a mile from the village centre, several B&Bs, and both pubs also provide accommodation. The pubs also provide food, and there are two cafés. In 2006 a new information and visitor centre was opened at [http://www.fieldhead-campsite.co.uk Fieldhead] . It was developed by the [http://www.moorsforthefuture.org.uk/mftf/main/Home.htm Moors for the Future Partnership] and is owned and operated by the [http://www.peakdistrict.org Peak District National Park Authority] .

Cotton mill

Edale is the site of an historic cotton mill built in 1795 on the site of a corn mill and tannery by Nicholas Cresswell in partnership with James Harrison, Robert Blackwell and Joseph Fletcher. Workers were brought in from the towns and accommodated in cottages and in a nearby house called Skinners Hall. Many of the women workers walked each day from Castleton over the thousand-foot Hollins Cross pass. The mill continued spinning cotton until around 1940 but then fell into disuse. It was restored in the early 1970s by the Landmark Trust who sold off six of the apartments to fund the restoration. The Landmark Trust retain one apartment as holiday accommodation.

Countryside

As well as being the start of the Pennine Way (the official start is the Old Nag's Head, a former smithy dating back to 1577), the village is surrounded by walking country which is excellent in its own right. The village is surrounded by hills: the plateau of Kinder Scout to the north, where the highest point in the parish is found, the Great Ridge (running west to east between Rushup Edge over Mam Tor to Lose Hill) to the south and east, Win Hill to the east (outside the parish), and Dalehead (Brown Knoll, Horsehill Tor and Colborne) to the west. Almost the entire parish is over 200m above sea level; only along the River Noe east from Carr House does the elevation drop below this level.

The train service is reasonably frequent for such a rural area, and there is a limited bus service. The short but narrow, twisting and dead-end road to the village centre is not suitable for visitors' cars, and parking in the village centre is almost impossible. However, there is a large pay-and-display car park near the village hall, and parking for rail users at the railway station. Additional parking near the station is provided at busy times by the Parish Council.

Navbox
name = Neighbouring Parishes
title = Neighbouring Parishes
navbar = plain
state = expanded
list1 = Hope Woodlands • Hope • Castleton • Peak Forest • Chapel-en-le-Frith • Chinley, Buxworth and Brownside • Hayfield

References

External links

* [http://www.edalevillagehall.org.uk Edale Village Hall and Playing Field]
* [http://www.take2theweb.com/pub/derbyshire/edale/a.html Edale C. E. Primary School]
* [http://www.peakcentre.org.uk/ The Peak Centre at Champion House]
* [http://www.moorsforthefuture.org.uk/ The Moorland Centre]
* [http://www.yha.org.uk/hostel/hostelpages/185.html Edale Youth Hostel]
* [http://www.edalemountainrescue.co.uk/content.php Edale Mountain Rescue Team]
* [http://www.derbyshire-peakdistrict.co.uk/edale.htm Not for Profit Website]
* [http://www.buyimage.co.uk/edale/edale-valley.html Commercial website with pictures around Edale]
* [http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~dusk/1841_edale_census/1841_edale_census.html 1841 Census]
* [http://www.walkingontheweb.co.uk/Defined%20Routes/Edale%20Skyline.htm The Edale Skyline Walk]