Derbyshire village with homes built into cliffs that’s loved by rock royalty

For those not in the know, the hidden charms of Stoney Middleton can be easily overlooked as they drive through the deep limestone gorge on the road out towards Manchester.

But the quaint community is well worth a visit and reveals some incredible secrets, including a maze of winding lanes dotted with stone cottages and a rare octagonal-shaped church.

For those looking for a bite to eat, the award-winning Toll Bar chip shop is an absolute must – and counts Oasis frontman Liam Gallager and Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker among its many customers.

For those who like something a little spicier, the Curry Cottage at Lovers Leap is a unique building nestling under the sides of the towering gorge.

And the Cupola, which has also garnered recognition including being named the Best New Tourism Business of the Year 2025, provides a stylish location with a great ambiance and vibe, serving high quality food, beers and wine.

The village has a long history and it is thought likely to be a Roman settlement.

A semi-circular earth platform known as Castle Hill overlooks the village, which was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086.

The Romans established lead mining and lead smelting in Middleton Dale. Other important industrial activities were introduced at a later date such as limestone quarrying, mineral extraction and heavy duty boot manufacturing.

During WWII Stoney Middleton’s quarries were bombed by the Luftwaffe in an attempt to disrupt production of tarmac. There was a prisoner of war camp in the village

In modern times, the steep limestone cliffs have proved popular with climbers and the local quarry provided the perfect location for a dramatic Hollywood stunt, when a train was driven over the cliff edge as part of Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible series.