Smalley – Church Art, Country Houses and Historic Routes

Smalley combines impressive architecture with traces of a long history of the landscape and transport routes.

Church Art with Special Details

The Church of St John the Baptist has vividly coloured stained-glass windows dating from 1863 in every window of the chancel. The other furnishings also tell different chapters of the local history. The church bell dates from 1796 and was made by London bell founder Old John Warner. The bell tower contains a peal of five bells with a total weight of 117 cwts. The porch also contains a 7th-century Saxon cross, which forms part of the parish church.

The church is therefore a worthwhile focus for your travel plans if you are interested in sacred art, historic craftsmanship and older evidence of the local history. St John the Baptist welcomes everyone to its services.

Country Houses Between Tudor Forms and Classical Design

Smalley Hall and its conservatory date back to an 18th-century house. Later additions and alterations followed in the late 19th century and around 1902. Particularly notable is the high-quality 1902 interior in the style of the 18th century. This includes an open staircase with turned balusters. Those who appreciate historic interior design will find an intriguing contrast here between the older house and the later design additions.

Morley Manor represents a different architectural language. The Grade II* listed house was built in 1900 by George Bodley in the Neo-Tudor style. The interior includes Tudor-style panelling, a staircase and fireplaces. The gatehouse was also built around 1900 by George Bodley in the Neo-Tudor style. Its two fully formed, gabled dormers have two-light recessed windows and chamfered mullions.

The historic design also includes the garden staircase south of Morley Manor. It was built around 1900 by G Bodley and consists of eight steps made from dressed sandstone. Tudor-style balustrades stand on both sides. The staircase formed part of a formal garden laid out together with the house.

Kidsley Park and Historic Routes

If you would like to combine culture with exercise, Kidsley Park offers a distinctive starting point. The park was mentioned in 1235 as a medieval deer park owned by the Abbot of Chester. A bridleway through Kidsley Park continues as a footpath via Bank's Barn to the A608. The present-day bridleway and footpaths preserve the course of a historic long-distance route.

This combination of parkland and history is well suited to a travel itinerary in which not every day has to look the same. You can focus your stay on historic buildings or treat the routes as a theme in their own right. The later parkland around Smalley Hall and Stainsby House was already in existence in 1791.

Remembering Smalley Mill

The history of the watermill is also part of Smalley's character. Smalley Mill was advertised in 1790 as a water-powered corn mill with three pairs of stones. The stone mill complex was demolished in 1965, but the site of the millpond is still recognisable. For historically minded visitors, this place shows how the use of the landscape has changed over time.

Which Starting Point Suits Your Trip?

When looking for a holiday rental or holiday cottage in Smalley, you can therefore consider which focus you would like to choose. If you are mainly interested in church art and architecture, St John the Baptist, Smalley Hall and Morley Manor take centre stage. For a trip involving longer walks and historic route alignments, Kidsley Park becomes more prominent. The different themes allow you to combine culture, landscape and local history without your days having to follow a single pattern.

For further destinations in the surrounding area, you can also include Earl Sterndale, Ashbourne, Barlborough, Kirk Ireton, Breadsall, Hathersage, Risley and Froggatt in your further planning.

For the wider travel overview: Derbyshire.