Parwich

The pronunciation of the name varies, with some people saying ‘Par-rich’ while others say ‘Par-wich’. Most locals seem to favour the latter, but whichever way you say it, Parwich must rank as one of the most attractive villages in the southern part of the Peak District, and as it isn’t on the main route to anywhere it remains relatively undiscovered.

Conspicuous amongst the stone built houses is Parwich Hall, constructed of brick and finished in 1747. The wonderful gardens at the Hall were created at the turn of the 20th century and it remains today a family home, though over the years it has changed hands on several occasions. Parwich Hall is a grade II* listed building and is occasionally open to the public. The Parish Church of St Peter is Victorian and was built between 1873 and 1874, though there are some Norman details.

Close to Parwich is Roystone Grange, an important archaeological site where, to the north of the present farmhouse, the remains of a Roman farmhouse have been excavated. To the south are an old engine house and the remains of the old medieval monastic grange. Both Roystone Grange and Parwich lie on the interesting and informative Roystone Grange Archaeological Trail, which starts at Minninglow car park. Some six miles long, the circular trail follows, in part, the old railway line that was built to connect the Cromford and the Peak Forest Canals in the 1820s before taking in some of the Tissington Trail.