| Elton | |
Elton village |
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Elton
Elton shown within Derbyshire |
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| OS grid reference | SK221609 |
|---|---|
| District | Derbyshire Dales |
| Shire county | Derbyshire |
| Region | East Midlands |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | MATLOCK |
| Postcode district | DE4 |
| Dialling code | 01629 |
| Police | Derbyshire |
| Fire | Derbyshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament | West Derbyshire |
| List of places: UK • England • Derbyshire | |
Elton is an a village in Derbyshire, England and in the Peak District. There are no shops situated in the village (nearest is in Winster, 1.2 miles (1.9 km)) but Elton has a small post office, cafe, church, school and a sports field. Its nearest towns are Bakewell and Matlock. Elton was mentioned in the Domesday book in 1086 when it was owned by Henry de Ferrers[1].
Elton is situated on a hillside overlooking a rock formation known as Robin Hood's Stride. It lies on the division between gritstone and limestone countryside and there are examples of buildings and walls constructed with both types of stone in the village. It is a popular destination for cyclists and tourists looking for a quiet and relaxing time in the countryside away from the hustle and bustle of the cities.
It has numerous music festivals throughout the summer term and a beer festival during August, which are held on the 'Jubilee Field' (known to villagers as 'The Thistle'). Since its elevation is almost 1000 feet above sea level, it isn't sheltered from the wind as well as communities of lower elevation are, and it therefore has a reputation for being cold. The area used to be known for lead mining. An Iron Age fort, Castle Ring, is near the village.
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Elton boasts a playing field, which doubles up as a soccer field for the soccer season, and a cricket field for the cricket season. Elton Cricket Club (ECC) has a strict policy that only villagers may join the team. In more recent times Elton's team have enjoyed success having finished twice runners up in the Longstone League and Orme Shield thanks to the performances of Andrew Cooper and Alan Dakin (76 years old). Elton Football Club (EFC) was re-vamped in 2004, but struggled until Billy Lester took over as player/manager in 2006. In Lester's reign the club has risen from division 8 to division 4 of the Chesterfield Sunday League, winning the division 7 title in 2008 and the Hutson Cup in 2007 with a 5-0 win over Palterton at Chesterfield FC's Saltergate stadium. The 2008/09 season has seen Elton's 2 year unbeaten home record taken and a Derbyshire Junior Cup semi-final appearance, which saw a 4-1 defeat to Harpur Hill.
There is a bus service that serves Elton which is operated by Hulleys of Baslow, route no. 172. This service links Elton and surrounding villages to both Bakewell and Matlock. The timetable has recently been improved and there are about 9 through journeys a day from Bakewell to Matlock and vice versa, and also 2 short runs from Matlock to Elton and back, and 1 from Bakewell to Elton and back.
There is no longer a Sunday service to Elton. The nearest Sunday services are at Darley Dale or Youlgrave (two buses to and from Bakewell, one of these to/from Sheffield). Until the recent timetable change, Elton was served on Bank Holiday Mondays although this has been abandoned, despite being very popular with both the usual local residents and large number of walkers to the area.
The Limestone Way, a long-distance bridleway which lies just to the east of the village, and the many footpaths leading to and from Elton make it a popular place for hikers. Elton also attracts a large number of cyclists to the village particularly at the weekends. The Café acts as a meeting and rest place for many of the walkers and cyclists which frequently return again. The Duke of York Public House is also open on Sunday afternoons, drawing in visitors and locals. The unchanged interior, that of a 1940's style Pub makes the "Duke" as it known locally a tourist attraction in its own right. Ironically the village is most popular with visitors on Sundays yet there is no bus service provided on this day of the week.
Elton C of E Primary School was built in the Victorian times. It is known for its surprisingly small number of students, usually not exceeding 40 for the whole school. Over recent years the interior has been refurbished with modern equipment and furniture. At the end of primary school life, most students will move to Highfields School in Matlock, or sometimes Lady Manners School in Bakewell.
The school is currently undergoing extension into the old School House, next door which will allow extra equipment to be bought including a second kitchen to enable children to learn more about food and cooking and encourage healthy eating.