Padley Hall (or Padley Manor) was a large double courtyard house where, in 1588, two Catholic priests (Nicholas Garlick and Robert Ludlum) were discovered and then, two weeks later, hanged, drawn and quartered in Derby. They became known as the 'Padley Martyrs'.
Padley Hall today is mostly in ruins, although part of it—probably originally the central gatehouse range—survives, and in 1933 was converted to a Roman Catholic chapel in honour of the martyrs. The chapel, a Grade I listed building, stands not far from the railway line.
The area is popular with walkers and climbers due to its proximity to a variety of landscapes, including open moorland, wooded river valleys (including Padley Gorge), several gritstone escarpments, and the broad Hope Valley. Visitors seeking refreshment are well catered for by a number of establishments, including the Sir William Hotel, the Maynard Hotel and Bar, the National Trust Longshaw Estate Visitor Centre, and Grindleford Station Cafe (in the old station house).
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