Beeley village is situated at the southern end of Chatsworth Park in Derbyshire and the Peak Disrict National Park. It nestles between the moors and the River Derwent in a lovely setting. It is mainly built of gritstone.
There is no village post office or any shops but it still retains a popular public house called the Devonshire Arms. Beeley Old Hall dates from the 17th century and is situated at the north eastern edge of the village.
The church of St Anne’s was heavily restored in the 19th century but retains a Norman doorway, a 14th century tower and contains memorials to the Cavendish family. The Parish register dates back to 1538. At wedding services, tradition and superstition demands that the bride and groom must not approach by the west gate and must pay coinage to leave by the narrow east gate, the wider one being used for funerals. In 1785 one lady died on her way to be married.
The Duke’s Barn, built in 1791, once housed the cart horses which provided transport for the Chatsworth estate. It is now a school for the deaf.
There is a bronze age barrow up on Beeley Moor, which rises 1200 feet above the village, called Hob Hurst’s House. One can climb the steep slopes to the thickly clad Lindup Woods. Beeley is still very much an estate village, housing people who work on the Chatsworth estate. It is in a quiet, idyllic setting and has been designated a conservation area.