A Manchester Bed and Breakfast Ideal for the Peak District

The Cornerstones Guest House is a well placed Bed and Breakfast in Manchester to explore the heart of the Peak District with it’s beautiful towns and villages. Just an hour from the Cornerstones along the scenic A623 close to the town Bakewell is the unusually village of ‘Edensor‘ pronounced ‘Enzer’

Part of the Chatsworth estate; at first glance it is mistaken for a typical picture post card English village; the truth is¬† was one of the country’s first designer villages.

Edensor’s life began as a cluster of cottages set aside for the workers of the Chatsworth estate, however in the 1760′s Lanelot ‘Capability’ Brown was commissioned by the owner of Chatsworth Hall to design a park and a number of out buildings and cottages where tossed and the river was rerouted to create the required view. 80 years past when the then Duke of Devonshire engage Joseph Paxton to create the village that stands today; most of the architecture was drawn up by John Robertson of Derby and between them both they knock everything to the ground except ‘Park Cottage’ know as Naboth’s Vinyard in recognition of the owners stubbornness to move when the park was being developed .

The rebuilt village came with a twist of which the Dowager Duchess of Dvonshire was heard to say.

His concept was a work of fantasy, extravagant, not always practical and contributing to a feeling of Victorian eccentricity.

The twist was that they where built in the style of Tudor, Italianate, Norman and Swiss architecture of the day with no two chimneys the same. In the centre is St Peters Church built on the site of a 14^th century chapel incorporating Norman relics and carvings. In the centre of the church lies Joseph Paxton in a tomb said to be bigger that any of the Dukes of Devonshire’s.

Wander round the village to see these beautiful cottages and envy the people who live in them and don’t tell me it won’t cross your mind in wonder, as to how you are able to live in one of them. However there are some drawbacks if you want to paint your cottage you have to consider the fact that all the buildings are individually Listed Buildings in a Conservation Village, within a grade 1 Listed Parkland, in an Inheritance Tax Management Plan, in the National Park in UK, Europe.

Stop off at the post office for a cup of tea, home made lunches or freshly-baked scones and I have heard there’s also picnic baskets available to enjoy in Chatsworth Park.

If you fancy something more substantial the small, market town of Bakewell is just down the road on the banks of the river Wye where you can enjoy the famous Bakewell Tart with custard of course.

Providing bed and breakfast on the south side of Manchester; the Cornerstones Guest House it in a great position for day’s out in the beautiful Peak District.