Welcome to Youlgrave
Village News
For all the news from the village see the Bugle, Youlgrave’s monthly community magazine. Read the latest issue here Nov 24. To access past and special issues, as well as other local news features, go to the News page.
Youlgrave Sports Pavilion replacement
The parish council have commissioned a Residents and Users survey to help get views on what you want to see and use our new pavilion for. It has engaged a fundraising consultant and an architect to draw up proposals and asked for your views by 17th October. Thank you for your responses. There will be an opportunity to speak to the consultants at a drop in session at the Pavilion between 11am-1pm on Saturday 19th October. Tea and coffee will be available.
The Project now has its own page for more information and outline plans in the Sports section of this website
2024/25 – Diary Dates:
- Youlgrave Welldressing, 22nd-28th June, for more information on our famous welldressings see Youlgrave Welldressers
- Pommie Pilgrimage – ongoing walks and fundraising for new loos, community access and facilities at our historic Church, see All Saints Parish Church
- Youlgrave Band enjoy listening to our popular silver band at its concerts throughout 2024, see Youlgrave Silver Band
- Youlgrave Show, Saturday 14th September, Youlgrave Village Hall – the colourful horticultural show is back! See Youlgrave Show
- Pommie Panter Fell Race, for the results of this year’s popular and literally breathtaking annual fell run in May go to the website of Youlgrave Harriers
- Youlgrave Panto, to be held Jan/Feb 2025, see Youlgrave Panto for more details and news of the successful 2024 Show.
For other regular events, including Church services, Youlgrave W.I. talks, Youlgrave Cinema screenings, plus craft fairs and events put on at Youlgrave Village Hall, check out the latest issue of the Bugle.
For first-time visitors, welcome to Youlgrave!
Youlgrave Questions and Answers by Bill Shimwell: Newly extended and edited booklet featuring a biography of the author by his sons, new colour photographs and additional questions and answers and editorial notes. An interesting and entertaining read and an invaluable source of fascinating and quirky information about Youlgrave. On sale from Youlgrave Post Office or via yhgenquiries2@gmail.com
Peak District pub history book by Youlgrave author
Youlgrave author Andrew McCloy has written a book celebrating the heritage of local pubs. Peak District Pubs – a pint-sized social history traces the evolution of ‘the local’ from humble alehouse to modern roadhouse and along the way takes in everything from haunted pubs and theme pubs through to new community-owned pubs and micropubs.
The book costs £11.99 and is available from Youlgrave Post Office or via https://gritst
Youlgrave is a village in Derbyshire, England, located in the south of the Peak District a few miles from Bakewell. It sits on the hillside just above the River Bradford, near its confluence with the River Lathkill. Youlgrave is one of the largest villages within the Peak District National Park and is a thriving community that takes pride in its resourcefulness and rural character.
Due to its scenic Peak District location, Youlgrave has become a popular tourist destination. Visitors to the area are able to enjoy a range of activities including walking and cycling with tremendous sightseeing opportunities in the beautiful surrounding countryside. There are many trails to follow that suit all abilities, from novice through to the more experienced. Visitors staying in the area have a good choice of accommodation options and there are several places serving food and drink for the long-term holidaymaker or casual day visitor to enjoy. For those not wishing to use their own motor transport to explore the area there are local bus routes and a private hire tour service.
What’s in a name?
Welcome to Pommie (or Pommy…)
The origin of Youlgrave’s curious nickname has nothing to do with lead mining or welldressing but is in fact musical. The village has its own band – originally brass and now silver – established over a century ago when the local Co-operative store (then based in the present-day youth hostel building) purchased the first instruments. One account has it that since few members knew any music early parades involved not so much a medley of tunes but rather a “pom, pom, pom” sort of sound. Another, rather more fanciful explanation involves a pig resting on a wall and serenading the band with a “tiddly pom, pom, pom” – hence the village nickname!
Youlgrave or Youlgreave?
Youlgrave was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Giolgrave and research by the late Bill Shimwell has shown that it has been spelt in over 60 different ways. In the Middle Ages it was variously written as Jalgrave, Iolgrave, Yelgreve and even Hyolegrave. Although the name is sometimes translated as grove of Iola (or Geola) the clearest connection is with lead mining, which has been carried out in the limestone hills of the Peak District since Roman times. A grove or groove is an old term for a mine or open workings (miners were often known as groovers); and it is likely that the village name derives from ‘yellow grove’, the yellow probably referring to a colour found in the local rock (possibly baryte or barium sulphate).
However, even today the spelling of the village’s name is a matter of contention and confusion. On Ordnance Survey maps and most road signs you will see it spelt Youlgreave, but many villagers drop the ‘e’ and use the more traditional Youlgrave. Indeed, the sign at the Village Hall does away with the ‘e’, as does Youlgrave Waterworks and the village garage. The road signs at either end of the village go with Youlgrave (the Parish Council spelling) while the sign at the A6 turning says Youlgreave (County Council spelling). Then there’s the road sign at Newhaven, off the A515 south west of the village, that actually says Youlegreave. Confused?
Here follows a list of spellings of the name of ‘the most miss-spelt village’ as compiled by local historian and former teacher at Youlgrave school, Mr J W Shimwell. (The most common are highlighted in bold with the earliest known date in brackets after the name).
- Giolgrave
- Yolgrave
- Jalgrave
- Hyolgrave
- Hyolegrave
- Yolgreff
- Yoleg
- Yolegreve
- Yolegrave
- Youlgraue
- Welegreve
- Yoelgreve
- Oelgreve
- Yelegreve
- Yeolegreve
- Yolgreave
- Yolgreve
- Yollegreve
- Jol’ve
- Zolgrelf
- Yollgreve
- Yoligrewe
- Yollegrewe
- Youlgreve
- Zolgreff
- Youlgrave (1492)
- Yolgreyva
- Yolgreyve
- Yeolgreave
- Youlgreave (1595)
- Yellegrave
- Yollogreve
- Yollograve
- Yeollgreave
- Youldgreave
- Yograve
- Isgrave
- Yalgrove
- Yolegreue
- Jolegreue
- lolegrave
- Jholegreve
- Yelegrave
- Yellegrave
- Iolgrave
- Yholgreve
- Yelgreve
- Zolgreve
