Some would say that to fight for a landscape is to show how much you care for it. So it was in 1932, when the Kinder Scout Trespass took place, with some 400 workers from nearby Manchester descending on Derbyshire to protest being ‘locked out’ of Derbyshire’s highest peak by the Duke of Devonshire.
It is a landscape worth fighting for and one that is steeped in history. Houses in the area are often sought after and many wealthy landowners built great homes to take advantage of the spectacular scenery. One such example is Upper House, for sale with Fine and Country for £3.25 million.
Upper House can trace its lineage back to the 14th century and comes with fun room names such as the medieval great hall and ‘The Gun Room’. One of its most prominent owners was Sir James Watts, who was the mayor of Manchester and the father in law of Agatha Christie.
A variety of distinguished guests have passed through its halls, including politicians, royalty and local nobility. The property was also home to the Kinder family for 400 years before Sir James took it on.
Despite these ancient origins, the property in its current state is achingly modern. With 12 bedrooms, and five bespoke kitchens, its current life is one of an events venue, hosting weddings, corporate retreats and anything in between.
Which means, of course, that it's a house with its own bar.
The only thing better than your own bar is your own bar with an original medieval stone flloor.
That said, it easily could — and should, in my opinion — be returned to use as a grand family home.
As the pictures will no doubt tell you, the property is in magnificent condition, with no expense spared on interiors that are a treasure to look at. Perhaps the only thing better than the interiors are the grounds and gardens.
Extending to 30 acres, the property comes with private woodland, lawns and paddocks. A landscape very much worth fighting for.
-
What the hedge can tell us about the countryside, with Richard NegusThe hedge is much more than just a barrier between one field and the next. Richard Negus joins the Country Life Podcast to discuss his work, his latest book and how he's being tapped up to switch cricket clubs.
-
Country Life August 20 2025Country Life August 20 2025 is the Scottish Issue, featuring glorious Glamis Castle, 47 pages of the best Scottish property for sale, John Buchan, and the Glasgow Boys
-
A 17th century farmhouse in Surrey with one of Britain's oldest squash courtsFords Farm is on the market for the first time in over half a century.
-
The 15 best-value commuter towns for people working in London, according to new research from one of Britain's top estate agentsSavills have released their list of the best-value commuter towns in Britain. But do the sums add up? Toby Keel takes a look.
-
What everyone is talking about this week: Where are the new Cotswolds?The appearance of American Vice President J. D. Vance in the Cotswolds is a sure sign that they're saturated, but where else can you escape to that has the same charm?
-
19 outstanding country homes, from £450,000 to £20 million, as seen in Country LifeA spectacular country house in Yorkshire and an enormously impressive Channel Islands retreat are among the stand-out homes on the market this week.
-
Three homes down by the Thames, perfect for those who love messing about on boatsThis summer’s scorching temperatures will no doubt have endorsed the perennial appeal of Thames-side houses with frontage and private access to the river. Penny Churchill and Toby Keel pick out some prime examples.
-
A pavilion, pool and pleasure gardens at this Devon country house 'with not another building in sight'Ebberly House is a majestic country house in Devon built by one of John Soane's pupils — and as it comes to the market, it's a place Penny Churchill knows well.
-
Take over the world or throw a great big party on this private fort for sale in PembrokeThorne Island, dubbed the British Alcatraz, has been a £2 million labour of love. Now it could be yours.
-
The perfect summer house? A country home, beach house and rural escape rolled into one in a prime spot in SussexIf there's a finer house than Grangewood House in which to enjoy the summer, we'd love to see it. Penny Churchill takes a look.
