Youlgreave

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Description of Youlgreave & All Saints Church

The extensive village of Youlgreave is situated in limestone country, three miles south-west of Bakewell and stands high above the River Lathkill and the picturesque Lathkill and Bradford Dales. In the Past, Youlgreave, also spelt Youlgrave, was a village of lead miners and farmers, many of them combining the two jobs in order to make a living. When the lead mines began to die out the men found work at the nearby gritstone quarries. Some Youlgreave men are still extracting minerals such as byrites, calcite and fluorspar from Long Rake, west of the village. Today, Youlgreave has an influx of newcomers who have moved into the village on their retirement or as second-home buyers.

The parish of Youlgreave once contained the townships of Birchover, Gratton, Stanton, Winster, Elton and Middleton. The magnificent parish church of All Saints with its 14th century tower can be seen from miles around and contains some fine monuments. These include the exquisitely worked miniature table tomb of Thomas Cockayne who died in 1488. One of the most interesting features of the church is the ancient sandstone font, having on its side, sculptured from the same block, a small stoop, held in the mouth of a dragon. The font is said to have once belonged to the church at Elton and having been discarded by the people of that church, was discovered in the churchyard and taken to Youlgreave and placed in that church in 1838. Later, when the parishioners of Elton tried to regain possession of the font they had thrown out, they failed, but were presented with a facsimile.

The parish registers date from 1558 and are now deposited at the County Record Office at Matlock. These registers contain many interesting items of information about the village along with the entries of baptism, marriage and burial. There is also a long run of Churchwardens' accounts, besides many other parochial documents.

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