Location

Highlow is surrounded by the following local areas:^[2]

• Hathersage and Offerton to the north
• Bretton, Eyam and Grindleford to the south
• Leam and Upper Padley to the east
• Abney and Abney Grange villages to the west.

The parish is roughly bounded by land features such as Bretton Clough to the west, the Derwent and Dunge Brook to the north, Highlow Brook to the east, and Bole Hill to the south. This area lies in the far north of the Derbyshire Dales district and north region of Derbyshire county.

Highlow is completely within the Peak District National Park.^[4]

Environment

Landscape and geology

Primarily farming and pasture land throughout the parish outside the sparsely populated areas, there are some small forestry plots throughout, mainly around the Highlow Brook valley. Abney and Bretton Clough is an SSSI which also covers this area.^[5] Limestone, gritstone and lead feature in the geology of the wider area, which lies on millstone grit from the carboniferous era, rising through mudstones, shales, sandstones and grits which have formed soils that are mainly coarse loams with peaty gleysols near springs on the sandstone/shale layers.^[5]

Footbridge at Stoke Ford

Toponymy

Highlow was not recorded in the Domesday survey as a standalone settlement. It was first reported in public records from the 12th century as Heihlau, meaning high hill, presumably named after the notable land feature High Low hill in the centre of the parish.^[6]

Local area

There are tumuli and cairns in the north western area of the parish, which are ancient burial tombsites dating to the Bronze Age.^[7] Although not recorded during the time of the Domesday records in 1066, Highlow as a notable settlement was established enough to be on Christopher Saxton's 1579 Derbyshire map, approximately where Highlow Hall was located, although it appears to have become depopulated over time.^[8] An ancient route ran from Highlow known as the ‘corpse path’, possibly because of its use to transport coffins to the churchyard at Hathersage church.^[9] Halifax Gate was another old route which went over the Derwent, and southbound went onto the West Riding of Yorkshire.^[9]

Lead was mined in times past at locations throughout the parish and beyond.^[10][11] There is evidence that a lead mill by the locality of Leadmill at the start of the 17th century was earlier the site of a corn mill. The lead mill was subsequently in use up to the 18th century as a stone mason's mill before being converted to a private residence.^[12] A millpond located there has been latterly used as a fish farm.^[13] The only public house, The Plough Inn in Leadmill, was built in the 16th century.^[14] Leadmill Bridge over the River Derwent dates from the late 18th century where it replaced a ford,^[15] and was widened in 1928.^[16]

Highlow Hall

Highlow Hall comprised a small manor house and various auxiliary agricultural buildings dating to the late 16th century with middle 17th century alterations.^[17] By the time of Edward II the Highlow manor belonged to the Archer family, which later became extinct. Robert le Eyre was hereditary warden of the Royal Forest of the Peak administered from Peveril Castle in Castleton, during Edward III's reign, Robert’s grandson, William le Eyre de Hope was forest warden. By the beginning of the 15th century Highlow Hall became the seat of a branch of the Eyre family,^[18] them having arrived in the country during the Norman Conquest, and by the time of Edward I had settled at the village of Hope.

Robert Eyre rebuilt the hall during the 17th century, and later became High Sheriff of Derbyshire. In the early part of the 18th century, John Eyre resurrected the ancient surname of Archer, but following his death in 1842 the hall and adjoining farm were sold to the Duke of Devonshire, owner of Chatsworth House, with tenant farmers taking up residence at the hall. Following the death of the 10th Duke of Devonshire the hall, as well as a number of other farms in the Chatsworth Estate were sold in order to satisfy death duties. The then resident tenants, the Wain family, bought Highlow Hall and remain present owners.^[19] The outbuildings and barns have been converted to cottages which are in separate ownership.^[20]

Population

There are 585 residents recorded within Highlow (along with Abney and Abney Grange, Offerton and the former Outseats^[21] parishes) for the 2011 census.^[1]

Local bodies

Because of its small population, Highlow is managed at the first level of public administration via combined parish meetings with Abney and Abney Grange alongside Offerton, there is no parish council.^[22]

At district level, the wider area is overseen by Derbyshire Dales district council, and because of its inclusion within a national park, the Peak District Park Authority. Derbyshire County Council provides the highest level strategic services locally.

Tourism

There are sites offering overnight accommodation, catering particularly to Peak District visitors in Leadmill. Several landmarks and locations appealing to tourists are scattered throughout the wider area. The long distance Peak District walking route Derwent Valley Heritage Way follows the north east parish boundary.^[23]

Listed buildings

There are nine listed structures within the parish, all at Grade II designation and mainly agricultural related, except for Highlow Hall and its archway entrance, both dating from the 16th century and at the higher designation of Grade II*.^[3]

Local monuments

The wider region is known for a wide range of prehistoric artefacts and Roman locations spread throughout.

The only scheduled monument recorded in Highlow is a cairnfield located around 600 metres (1⁄4 mi) west of Highlow Hall.^[7][24]

A tumulus is further to the west by the parish boundary.

Abney and Bretton Clough SSSI

This extends from Highlow Wood in the south of the parish, encircling north of Bole Hill, before encompassing the south western legs of the parish and the valley of the Bretton Brook, and continuing into the Abney Grange area. Bretton Clough is characterised by deep basin peats occurring within pockets of the landslip formations of its valley slopes.^[5]