Chelmorton has it's roots back to the Bronze age and is the highest village in Derbyshire and possibly the highest parish in the whole of England, with the 11th century parish church of St. John the Baptist standing at 1,209 ft above sea-level, opposite the church stands the Church Inn, a delightful hostelry dating originally from the 1700's and formerly known as the Blacksmiths Arms. The old Smithy of 1746 stood at the rear of the pub and village lore has it that the blacksmith, also the landlord, was his own best customer in those days.

Factoids

• Is the highest village in England

• Dates back to the Bronze age

Opposite is the ancient trackway, now a footpath, which climbs up the hillside and joins the Limestone Way beyond Five Wells Farm on route to Taddington.

A local duck having a quick drink from the local trough, the stream which is known by the delightful if improbable name of Illy Willy Water is supplied by a spring rising on the hill shown above left, this stream provides a constant source of pure water, scarce in these limestone uplands.

This stream dictated the shape of the village, as it ran for around a quarter of a mile before disappearing underground, Chelmorton was built on it's banks, the original village street being exactly the same length as the stream. Nowadays the water is piped underground.