Tissington Hall & Estate Village
Just four miles north of Ashbourne on the A515, Tissington is the kind of English village that makes visitors wonder if it was built as a film set — except it's entirely real, entirely lived-in and almost entirely overlooked by tourists rushing north to Bakewell. The Fitzherbert family have owned the hall and estate since 1609, and the result is a village frozen in the best possible way.
The Village & Hall
The hall itself is a handsome Jacobean manor house that opens for guided tours on selected dates between April and September — the state rooms contain original furniture and family portraits accumulated over four centuries of unbroken occupation, which gives the place an authenticity that no restored heritage property can replicate.
The village pond, Norman church, estate cottages and ancient lime trees are arranged around a broad green in a composition so picturesque it appears in almost every 'best villages in England' list yet somehow never feels crowded.
The Tissington Trail
The Tissington Trail, a 13-mile traffic-free cycling and walking route along a former railway line, begins at the village and runs north to Parsley Hay where it connects with the High Peak Trail. It's flat, well-surfaced and one of the best family cycling routes in the Peak District.
Bikes can be hired from Parsley Hay Cycle Hire at the northern end, or you can walk the first three miles south from Tissington toward Ashbourne through open limestone plateau with wide views across the Dove valley.
Well Dressing
Tissington is credited with originating the ancient Peak District tradition of well dressing — the decoration of natural springs with elaborate pictures made from flower petals, seeds and natural materials pressed into clay. The village dresses five wells each Ascension Day (late May), drawing visitors from across the country for a spectacle that is genuinely unlike anything else in England.
Even outside the well-dressing season, the five historic wells are worth finding as you walk the village lanes — each has a stone surround and a small interpretive plaque explaining its history.
More of Ashbourne
Discover where to stay, what to do and the best deals for your trip.
Explore Ashbourne →
