Tideswell is 6 miles west of Buxton and was the second largest town in the Peak District. Its historic importance can be seen in the Church of St John the Baptist, which is an imposing grand building from the 15th century and is commonly referred to as the "Cathedral of the Peak."
There is some debate about how the town was named Tideswell. Some think it was named after a Saxon chieftain named Tidi, while another theory is that there is a 'tiding well' in the village. Locally the town is sometimes referred to as "Tidza."
The main industry around Tideswell was a lead mine and the local men had a reputation for their strength.
As you can see from the photographs, Tideswell remains unspoilt, with traditional cottages and shops. There are some good cafes / pubs and it is well worth a leisurely visit or even better as a base to explore the Peak District.
Tideswell has a traditional festival in June near the summer solstice caleed the Tideswell Wakes, where there are a week of events culminating in a parade. One of the regular features at the Wakes is the re-enactment of a local story where a cow with a trapped head was freed by a local farmer by sawing its head off.
