Ashford in the Water

 The Sheepwash Bridge, which dates from the 17th century, is a packhorse bridge with an attached stone sheepwash: lambs were placed in the pen on one side of the river and the ewes swam across the river to get to them, while being pushed underwater by the shepherds to clean the fleece before shearing. Large trout inhabit the waters of the Wye around the bridge. It is a Scheduled Monument as well as a listed building. During the well dressing week, there is a demonstration of the sheep dipping.  

 The six village wells are dressed annually and are erected the day before Trinity Sunday.  They remain in place for the following week.

A Flower Festival is held in the church at the same time, to celebrate the Trinity to which the church is dedicated.

It is thought that well dressing originated in pagan times as a form of thanking the water gods for clean water.  Sacrifices took both human and animal form, but gradually the cruelty and wastefulness of this method of giving thanks gave way to primitive man hanging garlands of flowers over the wells.  This then developed into creating pictures in clay on boards that were, and still are, displayed at the wells.

 This beautiful 17th century coaching inn is situated in the picture postcard village of Ashford in the Water in the heart of the Peak District. 

Newly refurbished The Ashford Arms brings character and charm back into this beautiful Grade II Listed Building.

 Riverside House was taken over & fully refurbished by restaurateurs Alistair Myers & Tom Lawson in the middle of lockdown 2020. The duo, who own the nationally recognised three AA Rosette restaurant, Rafters in Sheffield, have always had a on focus quality, sustainability & locality which breathes through everything they do. Having both worked in Derbyshire they always wanted to expand their portfolio to the area and are proud to present Rafters at Riverside House.