Newhaven
Newhaven is a charming small rural village in the county of Derbyshire. It is situated in the East Midlands region of the country and lies inside the Peak District National Park. This is a popular place for visitors to the National Park to use as a base and the village is surrounded by some stunning and rugged scenery.
Although a relatively small place Newhaven has long been of some importance in the local area. For example, the village is situated close to many major roads in the area and in England as a whole and stands on the High Peak Trail and, as such, it is likely that it was a well used coaching stage in earlier centuries. The village was also well known for the cattle droving trail that passed close through it and Newhaven became a cattle fair centre for many years.
In the 18th century the Duke of Devonshire built the Devonshire Arms inn in the area to provide services to travellers passing through. This inn is now known as the Newhaven Inn. One of the most notable guests here was King George IV who liked the inn so much that it was given a free license for perpetuity. The inn was specifically built to cater for a number of travellers simultaneously with the aim of giving them all the comforts that they could need. There was, for example, stabling facilities for up to 100 horses. Other original coaching inns in the area include Ivy House Farm and Bank House Farm. These buildings were erected in the 19th century.
From an industrial perspective Newhaven really became associated with the brick manufacturing industry in the late 19th century when the Friden Brickworks factory was opened. This factory is now owned by DSF Refractory and still works in the brick trades. The village itself lies close to rich clay and silica sand deposits which are traditionally used in this industry making it an ideal location for this kind of work. Its location by major roads also helped build its reputation as a leading manufacturer and provider of bricks in the country.
Visitors to Newhaven are given a wealth of choice when it comes to walking, hiking, nature spotting and other outdoor pursuits in the Peak District National Park. The village is the location of a well known local caravan park (the Newhaven Caravan Park) which is a popular accommodation option for many of the village’s visitors.