Leek

Leek is a market town in the county of Staffordshire, on the River Churnet on the Pennines and is surrounded by some of the finest hill, moor and dale scenery to be found in this part of the country. Much of the town stands at or over 600 ft. and falls within the Peak District National Park. Perfectly described as the "Queen of the Moorlands", Leek retains its market town character as well as many buildings from the Victorian era and earlier. The architectural practice of the Sugdens is behind many of the beautifully designed buildings here; in 1849 William Sugden came to Leek to work on the design of the stations for the Churnet Valley Railway. The Nicholson Institute is considered to be one of Sugden’s masterpieces, built in the Queen Anne style in 1882.

Sugden today attracts visitors for a variety of reasons, from it pretty setting, to its historic buildings, lovely outdoor spaces including nearby Rudyard Lake with the Rudyard Lake Steam Railway and some come, simply for the sunset. Leek's ‘Double Sunset’ on Midsummer Day was first recognised by a Dr. Plot; it occurs when the sun appears to set behind Bosley Cloud then reappears in the hollow of the hill's vertical northern side, before setting again. It occurs three or four days before the summer solstice and is best viewed from the grounds of the parish church.

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