Mappleton

Even the road signs are not sure whether there are two p’s in Mappleton, though the village can trace its history to Domesday. St Mary’s church has an unusual mini-dome instead of a spire - coincidence or not, the architect was a pupil of Sir Christopher Wren, builder of St Paul’s Cathedral. The technicalities of Mappleton’s New Year’s Day charity bridge jump literally makes the blood run cold. It incorporates a half-mile paddle down the River Dove, a 30ft leap into the water, a swim and finally a foot race to the village pub - which within living memory spent 40 years as a temperance hotel!