The sky was blue and the sun was shining, but we wrapped up warm against the biting cold wind. Our Sunday drive led us to the little village of Osmaston, just outside Ashbourne in Derbyshire. What a pretty little village, quaint thatched roof houses, a pond and church.
Osmaston in Derbyshire, is known as an estate village. Most of the buildings seen today were built around 1850 when the village was redeveloped to serve Osmaston Manor. Osmaston Manor was being constructed at that time, as a home for the wealthy industrialist Francis Wright, whose family owned the Butterley Ironworks near Ripley.
A memorial to Francis Wright stands in the market place at Ashbourne. A settlement has been in the area for about 1000 years.
Osmaston takes the appearance of a picturesque model village, with its brick built thatched cottages, village hall, primary school, duckpond, church, and of course pub.
Osmaston Hall was once a splendid mock tudor manor house in a superb setting amongst trees and lakes. It was demolished in 1964 when the owner at the time, Sir John Walker, moved to Okeover near Mappleton and took the Okeover family name. All that remains is the tower and a saw mill with its original water wheel. The park, formerly the manor grounds is open to the public and has an abundance of wildlife.
St Martins Parish Church was built in 1845 to replace the an earlier building and has many tributes to its benefactors, the Wright family. The register of the church dates back to 1606 and the more modern building was designed by H.I.Stevens.
Refreshments can be obtained from the Shoulder of Mutton pub and there are many good walks to be had in the region.
The annual show of the Ashbourne Shire Horse Society is held in the park in August.
Directions for Osmaston
Approximately 1 mile south of Ashbourne on the A52 heading for Derby, take a right, signposted ,turn. Street parking but visitors can use the village hall car park on your right as you enter the village.
