The village is on the B5056 and the parish has an area of. Youlgrave is at an altitude of located on the southwestern edge of a Carboniferous plateau. It stands on the hillside above the confluence of Lathkill Dale and Bradford Dale. To the east, the geology is shale-like rather than limestone. The area is home to many mineral veins such as fluorspar, galena and calamine. Three long-distance paths, the Alternative Pennine Way, the Limestone Way and the White Peak Way, pass through the village, swelling the numbers of walkers.
History
Youlgreave was mentioned in the Domesday Book as belonging to Henry de Ferrers and being worth sixteen shillings. All Saints' Church, Youlgreave has a 12th-century font. There are also a number of historic buildings in the village, such as Old Hall Farm, Thimble Hall and The Old Hall. Most of the village's households get their water from Youlgreave Water Works Limited, one of very few private water companies in Britain. It came about when Youlgreave Friendly Society for Women helped to set up a fund to pipe water from Mawstone springs into the village. In the 1930s, as new houses were built and older ones were modernised with bathrooms and toilets, water often became short. In 1932 the main underground pipe cracked after an explosion in Mawstone lead mine. Springs at Harthill were connected to the system in 1949 and other major improvements followed. Most homes in the village could be supplied with local water until there were just too many new houses to cope with. Extra supplies are purchased from larger water companies nowadays. In 1932 five of six miners working on a ventilation fan at Mawstone Mine were killed after an explosion filled the gallery with carbon monoxide. The sixth miner was able to reach the surface and raise the alarm. A rescue party of two workers and the mine manager descended into the mine, but were themselves killed by the fumes. Although Mawstone Mine was eventually closed, a water supply for the village is still obtained from this site.
Names
The following is a list of spellings of the name of 'the most mis-spelt village' as compiled by local historian and former teacher at Youlgreave school, Mr J W Shimwell: 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, Yolgreyva, Yolgreyve, Yeolgreave, Youlgreave, Yellegrave, Yollogreve, Yollograve, Yeollgreave, Youldgreave, Yograve, Isgrave, Yalgrove, Yolegreue, Jolegreue, lolegrave, Jholegreve, Yelegrave, Yellegrave, Iolgrave, Yholgreve, Yelgreve, Zolgreve,
It is only recently that the Highways Department has used 'Youlgrave', and the Ordnance Survey still use 'Youlgreave', so the argument continues.
Tourism
Because of its scenic location in the Peak District, Youlgreave is a popular destination for hikers. The Limestone Way passes through Bradford Dale, immediately south of the village. Langley Park School for Boys owns a building in the village, which is used for school trips, students taking part in various local sporting activities and a visit to nearby Alton Towers. A Guinness World Records Certificate names Thimble Hall in Youlgreave as 'the world's smallest detached house' at × and high. The property made national headlines in 1999 when sold at auction for £39,500. Each room is less than 8 feet square and there was a fixed ladder to the bedroom, a stone fireplace, exposed beams and exposed floorboards in the bedroom. It was home to a family of eight around a hundred years ago. It was last occupied as a dwelling in the early 1930s and is currently being converted into a craft gallery. It is a Grade II listed building. The Youlgreave Festival, founded in 2001, is becoming an increasingly popular event, offering local artists and musicians a chance to showcase their talents.
