Dale Abbey: Ruin, Hermit's Cave, and the Whispering Woods of Depedale

By Janine Moore

25th October 2025

All photography by Janine Moore. Click on photos to enlarge.

Take a walk with me to wander the green lanes and mossy stones of Dale Abbey, Derbyshire — where a 13th-century Premonstratensian house once stood, a hermit carved a cave in the sandstone, and footpaths weave through evocative ruins, an ancient church, and haunted woodland.

The beautiful Dale Abbey Village is nestled in a Derbyshire valley and founded on faith, compassion, and community spirit. 

Photo taken at an elevated position showing the east window abbey arch to the lower right-hand side.

Some places make you want to slow down and take in the surroundings. Dale Abbey (once called Depedale or Deepdale) is one of those places: a village of soft hills, a single proud stone arch from a dissolved monastery, a quiet ancient church, and a hidden hermit’s cave tucked into a bowl of woodland. For writers, artists, and walkers, romantics and local-history lovers, Dale Abbey is a pocket of time — a place where the past keeps excellent company with the present. Below I’ve stitched together the stories, the history, and practical walking notes so you can plan a visit that’s equal parts curiosity and calm.

The remaining east window of the Premonstratensian Abbey

A short history of Depedale — the abbey that once stood here and changed the village name 

The religious heart of the place began as a hermitage, which drew spiritual attention during the 12th century; from that seed grew a formal monastic community. The house eventually became a Premonstratensian abbey (the “White Canons”) and was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Its probable consecration date is recorded around 1204; though there were three attempts between 1145 and the late 12th century to establish an abbey in the dale. 

In 1145, a party of Augustinian monks travelled from Calke Priory. Some twenty years later, Premonstratensian canons from Tupholme and, a few years afterwards, another group, this time from Welbeck Abbey. Most of the failed attempts were due to the surrounding land being unsuitable for their intended use. The thick woodlands and marshy grassland were not good for arable farming. Eventually, by the year 1199, the abbey became more established and was able to gain more land, properties, and tithes. 

During the 12th century, Tupholme Abbey sent canons to help establish and support the new settlement of what we now call Dale Abbey (Depedale). 

This all enabled the abbey to sustain itself for the following three hundred and forty years. It became self-sufficient and eventually owned roughly twenty-four thousand acres of land. A lot of it would have been leased out to local farmers or used for their own purposes, grazing or producing food for the residents of the abbey. 

Even at the best of times, this sizeable abbey only housed twenty-four canons, including the Abbot, and would have dropped to as few as sixteen sometimes. 

The community remained here until the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII in 1538, when the abbey was suppressed and largely dismantled. Today, very little of the original complex survives above ground — the most striking remnant is the tall stone arch of the east window that frames the landscape like a Gothic picture-frame. This has been a favourite spot for many of my photographs in all seasons and all weather conditions. This place has such a calm feeling about it that I can’t explain. 

Even after dissolution, the stones of Dale Abbey found new lives in nearby houses, farm walls, and manor houses: it’s a common local tale that many village buildings carry the abbey’s carved stones and masons’ marks. Historic England recognises the ruins as a scheduled monument — a reminder that, even as nature quietly reclaims the site, the abbey’s significance is formally protected. 

The Hermit’s cave external and internal photos.

The hermit’s cave — a carved refuge and a little chapel

One of the most evocative features nearby is the Hermitage (often called the Hermit’s Cave) in the pocket of woodland north of the ruins. The story passed down in guidebooks and local tradition tells of a man, a baker in the 12th century, who claimed to have had a vision of the Virgin Mary and withdrew to live a life of prayer there. It is said that the baker came from the parish of St Mary's in Derby. He had always cared for the poor and was a devout member of the church; he was compared to the Biblical Roman, Cornelius. During a midday nap, he had a vision of The Blessed Virgin Mary, who is said to have given him a message from God that he had pleased him with such work and devotion. 

Internal photo of the Hermit’s cave showing the carved cross on the left-hand side of the dwelling

The message guided him to a place called Depedale, and that he should continue to serve God there, in the most bare basic conditions. The baker left all of his possessions in Derby and set out to find Depedale, which he had not heard of before. The story says that when he reached the village of Stanley, he had overheard a conversation between a mother and daughter speaking about taking cattle to Depedale. He asked further about it and accompanied the daughter and cattle to Depedale. Dates are uncertain, but most accounts estimate this was around the year 1130. 

He carved out a shelter in the sandstone, hewn with small window-holes and a simple arched doorway. Here he lived and worshipped, dressed in meagre rags. 

One day, the Lord of the Manor of Ockbrook and Alvaston happened to discover the baker, known as Cornelious, living in the hermit cave in Depedale, while hunting with his dogs and friends across his land.  William FitzRalph took pity on the baker, seeing him living like this, so permitted him to live on his land and granted him the tithe of the mill at Borrowash. His daughter, Maude, and her husband, Geoffrey, continued the legacy of protection and gifts. 

The sacred well

An important part of life is always having a good, clean source of drinking water, and such was the case for Cornelious living in those most basic conditions; a spring to collect water was paramount to survival.  

And so, perfectly placed, in the dale was a spring which sustained him. In later times, people made the pilgrimage to visit this sacred well, fed from the spring.  A sacred well indeed. 

The well is said to be on private land, in a garden in Dale Abbey village.

Protected Scheduled Ancient Monument 

The cave and its carved cross are now protected as a scheduled ancient monument and remain a small, secretive pilgrimage for those who like history with an element of solitude. 

Walking up the steep, leafy steps into the hollowed rock feels like stepping into a medieval reliquary — the stone is cool and the light through the “windows” falls at an angle that belongs to other centuries. A peaceful location where I often pause for a while to enjoy listening to the beautiful bird song, occasionally I have heard the distant sound of a woodpecker, and there is a gentle rustle of wind blowing through the branches of the surrounding beech trees. In the springtime, the hermitage woods light up with a delicate blue hue of bluebells and a carpet of white flowered wild garlic, and the gentle aroma of garlic fills the air. 

When stepping inside the hermit cave, the woodland light filters through the windows and gently illuminates the carved cross on the hermit cave wall and the tiny carved out altar on the opposite sandstone wall. I suggest spending time just enjoying the moment and taking in the calm atmosphere here. It feels still, and there’s a cool temperature, most likely due to the nature of the sandstone cave. 

Be careful when walking the steps here, especially so after heavy rain or indeed a winter frost. One set of steps that goes to the top of the wood is particularly steep, so be cautious when visiting.

Walking through the Hermitage Woods in Spring, awash with fragrant wild garlic and bluebells. 

All Saints: the ancient church and living village worship

Dale Abbey’s parish church (All Saints) has a long history of serving the local community and stands near the abbey ruins. While the abbey’s monastic buildings were largely dismantled after dissolution, the church remained a focal point for villagers — a living thread running from medieval devotion to modern parish life. Strolling from the churchyard towards the abbey ruins, you’ll feel how stitched-together the place is: fragments of the grand and the domestic sit cheek by jowl. 

All Saints’ Church in winter

All Saints Church at Dale Abbey has been described as one of England’s most Idiosyncratic churches. I feel this is a very welcoming church where the past meets modern day. There is still a Sunday service here to serve the village community. 

The All Saints church is attached to Vergers Farmhouse, which is both a Tudor, grade 1 listed building, and together they are a stunning sight and very photogenic. 

The house was once the infirmary of Dale Abbey, with the chapel attached to it. When the sick entered the chapel, they would have used the outside stairs and on to the upper gallery. The church or chapel, as it once was, is only 25 ft by 26 ft, a tiny, cosy place of worship and functional but also filled with history and heritage, one of England’s smallest and oldest parish churches. 

Interior photos of the inspiring and historic All Saints’ Church at Dale Abbey. 

Inside the church, there are 13th-century wall paintings, 17th-century box pews, and a pulpit of 1634. The nave masonry is Norman and has later additions. 

Post dissolution, the infirmary became the Blue Bell Inn, but in later years it became a farmhouse and is now a private home. 

Vergers Farm and All Saints’ Church 

Ghosts, legends, and woodland whispers

If you believe in ghost stories, Dale Abbey won’t disappoint. Local legend suggests the presence of a melancholy monk or spirit haunting Hermit’s Wood — witness accounts of a shadowy figure seen at dusk, a lingering sorrow that hangs among the trees. The main legend is of a young monk who, reportedly, sadly hung himself in the hermitage woods close to the hermit cave. 

There have been many recorded versions of these tales, and the Hermitage’s atmosphere invites them: the mix of ruined stone, ancient pathways, and the hush of beech and ash makes the imagination fertile. Treat these tales as you may — folklore that colours the landscape rather than literal fact, or a haunting — but do go with a readiness to feel small in a place that remembers. 

The Mines, Sand Pits and Tram line of Dale Abbey

Hidden among the quiet woodlands and rolling fields of Dale Abbey in Derbyshire lies a lesser-known chapter of the area’s history — one shaped not by monks and hermits, but by miners and labourers. While the ruined arch of Dale Abbey is a familiar sight to walkers and history lovers, the surrounding landscape also tells a story of industry and enterprise. The remains of old sand pits, small-scale mines and even the traces of a narrow-gauge tramway hint at a time when this peaceful valley was alive with the sound of shovels, wagons, and the rumble of machinery.

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, Dale Abbey and the neighbouring village of Kirk Hallam were part of Derbyshire’s modest but industrious mining scene. Beneath the rural scenery lay rich seams of coal, clay and fine building sand. Small, locally run mines were dotted around the area, often family-operated or employing only a handful of men. These small collieries never rivalled the great pits of Ilkeston or Shipley, but they provided steady work for local people and fuel for nearby farms and cottages.

The sand pits, however, became one of Dale Abbey’s most distinctive industries. The valley’s soft, clean sandstone — part of the Sherwood Sandstone Group — was ideal for glass-making and construction. Companies quarried it for decades, carving out deep pits that are still visible today as woodland hollows and unusual earthworks. The sand was prized for its purity, and some of it was even transported further afield by wagon and, later, by rail connections through the Erewash Valley.

To move the heavy sand and stone, a narrow-gauge tram line was laid, snaking through the woods towards the main transport routes. These small-gauge railways, sometimes only two feet wide, were a common sight in rural industries of the time. At Dale Abbey, the tram line allowed workers to haul sand from the pits down to loading areas more efficiently than horse-drawn carts could manage alone. Small wagons were pushed or pulled along the tracks, at first by hand or horse, and later possibly by small internal combustion engines as technology advanced. Although little of the tram line remains today, its route can still be traced by careful eyes following the embankments, cuttings, and tell-tale ridges in the woodland floor.

The sand pits gradually fell silent by the mid-20th century as large-scale industrial extraction moved elsewhere and the land was reclaimed by nature. Trees and undergrowth have softened the scars of digging, and the paths once trodden by miners and quarry men are now walked by ramblers and nature enthusiasts. Yet, in some corners of the woods, the old industrial heritage still whispers through the landscape — a rusty rail fragment here, an overgrown track bed there, silent reminders of a once-busy working life beneath the Abbey’s shadow.

Today, the legacy of Dale Abbey’s sand pits and tram line adds another fascinating layer to the area’s already rich tapestry of history. From medieval monks to Victorian miners, each generation left its mark, shaping the valley we see now — a place where industry, history, and nature have all played their part in telling the story of this quietly remarkable Derbyshire village.

Little Hay Grange Archaeological Project

Little Hay Grange & the Romano-British building near Dale Abbey

Little Hay Grange (sometimes written Littlehay) is the farm/field just east of Dale Abbey where a local archaeological project in the 1990s uncovered the remains of an Iron Age and Romano-British settlement, including the footings of an aisled building often described in the literature as a Roman barn or villa-type structure. Excavations recorded pottery, a brooch, an Iron Age silver coin and structural features such as stone footings for timber walls and inserted internal rooms, showing occupation and reuse from the Iron Age into the Roman period. 

The digs were carried out between the mid-1990s (reports commonly cite 1994–1997) by local teams and archaeological specialists; the site was later back-filled and returned to farmland, so there is now little to see on the ground, though a local information board on the nearby public footpath records the project and its findings. Much of the detailed reporting appears in regional archaeological journals and county reports rather than as a visible visitor attraction. 

Why it matters (brief): the Little Hay Grange finds help fill out the picture of rural life around Roman Derbyshire — showing that the area around Dale Abbey was occupied before the medieval abbey and that people were farming, building aisled agricultural structures and living here well before the later medieval landscape was imposed. If you want to see anything in person, follow public footpaths around Ockbrook/Dale Abbey where the interpretation board is sited, but bear in mind the actual excavation trenches have been filled in and remain on private land.

Walking around Dale Abbey — routes, tips, and what to expect

Dale Abbey is modest in scale but richly connected by footpaths. It makes a fine short morning or afternoon walk, or the perfect focus for a longer circular hike that takes in Locko Park, the Erewash Valley, and neighbouring villages.

Practical pointers:

Typical routes & length: Popular loops vary from short 2–4 mile circuits up to 7-mile figure-of-eight walks linking Ockbrook and Dale Abbey or extending to Locko Park. Many route guides and apps list circular trails that pass by the abbey ruins, All Saints' Church, and Hermit’s Wood. 

Where to start / parking: There is limited parking near the village; many walkers park in a lay-by or on roadside spaces close to the start of footpaths (some described routes begin from a larger lay-by a short walk out of the village). Several walk descriptions also suggest starting from nearby Ockbrook or Ilkeston if you’re arriving by bus or prefer a longer route. Bring change and expect no guaranteed car park facilities. 

The Hermitage access: A clear footpath leads from the village, or as we tend to do is walk from Potato Pit Lane, DE7 4PJ.  (Potato Pit Lane is so named because there was a small cavern with a door where potatoes were stored for locals to use).

My favourite short circular walk

Marysia Zipser, Founder of Art Culture Tourism - International and ACT Ambassador, took this walk together on our visit. 

From the roadside gate at the lay-by of Potato Pit Lane, proceed towards the Hermitage woods along the lower path, keeping the woodland to your left. Go through the next gateway, where you will find an information point.  

You will see the steps leading up to the hermit’s cave almost immediately.  Take care on your way up due to weather conditions and the possibility of slippery steps after rain or frost.  Enjoy your time taking in the atmosphere, listen to birdsong here and notice the little details of the past.  You'll find another information point here too. 

Take the steps down and return to the lower pathway. You'll notice that the path leads upwards along a sandstone path. 

Continue up and follow it down again to the right, to meet the path leading past Vergers Farmhouse and beside All Saints Church. 

Enjoy the journey and see the beautifully preserved church and churchyard.  Again, I ask for respect throughout. The church is a charming place and is still used by the local community.  Vergers Farm is a privately owned home. 

After leaving the driveway, either turn left and explore the village and visit the local Carpenters Arms or take a longer route.  There is another fascinating information point at the bottom of the village too, showing points of interest throughout the area. 

The shorter route passes by the Abbey ruins archway, the photogenic and inspiring east window. You will notice the signposted public footpath and a little gate after leaving the drive and to your right. 

Take a few peaceful moments as you reach the ruins.  A serene spot indeed, I find it lovely to be in the moment here, just listening to nature's own music, the rustle of wind, bees buzzing by and if you’re using your imagination, you may feel the quietly spiritual heart of Dale Abbey. 

A beautiful old tree near the first stile to your right, before walking across the wildflower meadow keeping on the public footpath heading right till you find the second stile. 

Moving onwards, there are three stiles to climb over. One at the end of the field to your right, followed by the second slightly higher stile after following the public footpath to the right again a short way through a wildflower meadow. A beautiful sight in summer.  

After this second stile,  watch out for a field prone to deep mud in bad weather conditions. Please keep to the path and away from the horses. Adhere to the signage.  Climb the third stile and you find yourself back in the first meadow field where we began. 

I hope my guidance helps explore the area for a short distance. There are a few useful walking apps that can be used to take you further afield. 

Advice, reminders and tips...

Walking up into Hermit’s Wood, steep steps climb to the cave entrance or when walking down the very steep steps from the top woodland path. The cave itself is located on protected ground; please stay on the paths and avoid disturbing the carved features (it’s a scheduled monument). 

The coordinates for the hermit’s cave are; 52.942188-1.346494

Underfoot & footwear: Paths can be muddy and steep in places, especially after rain. Sturdy boots are recommended; dogs should be kept under control where paths cross grazing fields.

Facilities: There is a local village pub called The Carpenters Arms and there is a lovely and very popular farmhouse cafe called The Cow Shed which I highly recommend that I have visited with my family for coffee and breakfast.

I also visited The Cow Shed previously with Marysia Zipser; we enjoyed coffee and delicious pancakes at a picnic table outside. Be aware that although the cafe has plentiful indoor seating, it does get very busy at times due to the quality of the food and its popularity. 

The Cow Shed details:

No Man's Lane, Dale Abbey, Ilkeston, DE7 4PH 

Free limited parking is available nearby. 

Why does the place feel so intimate and romantic?

Dale Abbey has none of the grand, manicured showmanship of a major National Trust property — and that’s its charm. The arch of the east window stands alone now, framing fields and sky; to stand within it is to feel part of a ruinous poem. The hermit’s cave is human-scale and intimate; the churchyard is quietly used by the living. The mood here is one of layered time: you can almost hear the rhythm of medieval prayer, the whisper of monks' cloaks, and then the steadier, ordinary present—the bray of a tractor, a dog’s bark, someone pruning a hedgerow. That juxtaposition makes it perfect for slow writing, sketching, photography, or walking where silence is part of the map. 

A few respectful dos and don’ts

Do keep to the marked footpaths and gates — many fields are working farmland.

Do treat the Hermitage and abbey ruins with care: they’re protected historical sites. Don’t climb on fragile masonry.

Do wear boots and bring a paper map or an offline route on Komoot/AllTrails; phone signals can be patchy. Don’t light fires or leave litter — small sites like this are cherished by local communities and wildlife.

It is a very green and peaceful place, with gentle meadows, rolling up to the hills that surround it. The Heanor poet, Richard Howitt captured it perfectly: 

“O Deepdale! Lovely is thy land, with pasturing herd and flock; 

And lovely is thine hermitage 

Cut in the solid rock. 

A cheerful of healthful life-

A spot of nature's love;

With greenest grass up to the door, 

And crowned with trees above.”

~ Richard Howitt (1799 - 1869) 

Final thought — how to visit with the heart open

If you go, take time. Bring a notebook, or sketchbook, sit by the tall arch as a breezy frame for the fields, and listen. The Hermitage will reward a slow ascent; the churchyard will accept a quiet thank-you. Walk without the need to tick a list. Dale Abbey is best when you let its small stones and deep woods rearrange your pace: a place to soften the edges of a busy day and to remember that some ruins are not just ends but doorways — places where stories live on, and where visitors become part of the continuing, gentle history.

Janine Moore

Janine Moore is a Nottinghamshire-based writer and blogger with a passion for uncovering the stories hidden within England’s landscapes, heritage sites, and walking experiences. Drawing on years of exploring historic estates, charming towns, and countryside trails, she loves to share her experience of travel, history, and hearty food in a way that’s both informative and inviting.

Living in the heart of Nottinghamshire, Janine is perfectly placed to explore some of England’s most captivating regions. From the romantic ruins and rugged beauty of the Peak District—one of her favourite places to roam—to the legendary Sherwood Forest and the elegant halls of historical properties, she approaches every journey with a storyteller’s curiosity and a photographer’s eye.

Janine also writes for the www.baldhiker.com  website on countryside walks, food and heritage subjects.  Please read Janine's last article on Byron's favourite walkng spots 26/10/24 https://www.artculturetourism.co.uk/post/walking-in-byron-s-favourite-countryside-spots

This article is published by Marysia Zipser, Founder of Art Culture Tourism & ACT Ambassador, Nottingham, UK.  https://www.artculturetourism.co.uk/blog

Please feel free to write any remarks to Janine in the Comments box below and to share this article via email and social links as you wish.  Thank you.

Useful Links:

https://www.artculturetourism.co.uk/

https://sdrchurches.org.uk/

https://www.visit-erewash.co.uk/heritage/dale-abbey/

https://www.ilkestonhistory.org.uk/2023/12/16/dale-abbey/

https://www.visitderbyshire.co.uk/

https://visitpeakdistrict.com/