Anglo Saxon Stones

One of things that are not promoted that much in Bakewell are the wonderful collection of ancient stones and carvings that can be seen in Bakewell Parish church.
Here's a little bit about them.
Bakewell was the ancient capital of the royal Peacland estate in the early Middle Ages and a church was probably built here soon after Christianity came to the Anglo Saxons of Mercia in the middle of the 7th century. It was rebuilt in about 1135 and parts of that Norman church can still be seen. Much of the church was rebuilt in the middle of the 19th century after the tower and spire had to be demolished in 1825 because they were built on poor foundations. During the rebuilding a large number of carved Anglo Saxon stones came to light and they are displayed in the porch and at the back of the north aisle. They form the best collection in the country of such early sculptured stonework

The two crosses in the churchyard date from the Viking Age. Bakewell was where, in 920, the Vikings and other northern rulers accepted King Alfred's son, Edward the Elder, as overlord. From the images carved on them, the crosses are thought to date from that period.