The Toll House

Our Story

Where It All Began

In 1840 William Morton of Froggatt a stonemason, and George Buxton a joiner of Stoney Middleton built the Toll House at a cost of £144 to charge for the use of the road. Its octagonal shape was designed to match the shape of the church.

It is the only Grade II listed fish and chip shop in the country. Opened in 1926 by Herbert Ford, before being purchased in 1944 by Elenor Hall, who ran it until 1970. Elenor replaced the original coal fired fryer to gas and moved the roadside door to its current  location situated on the side.

More recently Wayne and Rachel Jagger purchased the fish shop in 2010 from Barry Ridgeway, who famously cooked his celebrated fish and chips in ground nut oil. Wayne and Rachel continued in Barry’s footsteps by winning the prestigious Matlock Mercury ‘Best Fish and Chip Shop’ award in 2014.

Dr. Peter Grafton and his wife Kirsten Grafton recently purchased the business in 2018, Pete and Kirsten plan to continue the tradition of cooking some of the finest fish and chips in Derbyshire.

Previous Owners

Eleanor Hall

Ownership transferred to an individual from Sheffield

Terry Elliot

Neil Groves

Geoff Broker

Chris Eshelby

Barry Ridgeway

Wayne Jagger

Dr. Peter Grafton & Kirsten Grafton

In the Spotlight

Stoney Middleton

Stoney Middleton is a quaint English village set in the beautiful limestone country of the Peak District National Park. It has a long and colourful history and a very rich heritage.
Stoney Middleton

History of Stoney Middleton

Stoney Middleton was first settled by Ancient Britons around 4,000 BC who may have been drawn by the thermal waters which still flow through the village today.

The thermal springs provided water to the Roman bath house, where bathing in the mineral rich water was thought to have the power to heal.

The Romans established lead mining and lead smelting in Middleton Dale. Other important industrial activities were introduced at a later date such as limestone quarrying, mineral extraction and heavy duty boot manufacturing.

During WWII Stoney Middleton’s quarries were bombed by the Luftwaffe in an attempt to disrupt production of tarmac. There was a prisoner of war camp in the village (listen as an Italian PoW tells his story).

Stoney Middleton Heritage believe you would be hard pressed to find another village so steeped in history.

Stoney Middleton

Heritage

The village has some beautiful listed buildingssuch as St. Martin’s church, the Bathhouse and the locally famous octagonal Toll House, which is now an award winning fish and chip shop.

The village has legends and folklore aplenty including Black Harry the highwayman, a murder at the Old Moon Inn and a jilted lover who survived her cliff top leap.

In 1665 the villagers aided their quarantined neighbours in the plague village of Eyam by providing food and supplies.

The inventor of the steel toe cap boot lived in Stoney Middleton, the village was an important center for the manufacture of safety boots.

Each year the villagers perform the ancient tradition of well dressing as thanksgiving for their thermal springs.

Stoney Middleton Heritage has established signposted trails around the village so you can explore lots more of its heritage and history.

Stoney Middleton

Visit Stoney Middleton

You’ll find plenty to see and do in and around Stoney Middleton. Activities range from short heritage trails around the village, to more energetic pursuits like mountain biking.

Those looking for longer Peak District walksshould try a hike up Coombs Dale which is home to a wide range of rare plants and animals.

Visit the lagoons on Stoney Middleton moor where you can watch rare birds. It is one of the best places in the country to witness huge flocks of starlings performing their spectacular aerial acrobatics.

Middleton Dale is well known for its caving and rock climbing opportunities. The village is a center for outdoor pursuits training, so if you feel the urge to learn a new skill the village can cater for that too.

Stoney Middleton Heritage hopes that you will come and pay them a visit soon.