Inside the quirky British village where Liam Gallagher and Tom Cruise have been spotted

Stoney Middleton, one of the most dramatic villages in the Peak District, nestled amid jutting limestone cliffs, has previously been immortalised on film. In 2021, Tom Cruise filmed epic scenes for the movie Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.

The action star filmed along the cliffs and quarries of this Derbyshire dale, even visiting the village's quirky food hotspots with his cast and crew. Not only did Tom Cruise pay a visit, but the village has also welcomed Oasis star Liam Gallagher on his holidays.

Liam popped into one of Stoney Middleton's famous food hotspots — the village chippy, housed in a Grade-II listed former toll house.

READ MORE: One of UK's 'prettiest towns' where 'everyone should go once in their life'

READ MORE: Pretty Irish city that is 'better than Dublin' but has hardly any tourists

Situated in the Middleton Dale valley around 13 miles from Buxton, Stoney Middleton is a village that was almost carved out from the dramatic scenery surrounding it. Limestone quarrying was extensive here for centuries.

It was at the village's Dalton Quarry where Tom Cruise flew over in a helicopter, executing a dramatic stunt that saw a train carriage driven off the cliffs for the blockbuster film, reports the Manchester Evening News.

But this wasn't the first drama to unfold on these cliffs. One of the most famous stories of this Peak District village is that which gives the name to the imposing rock faces as you drive in - the Lovers Leap cliffs.

According to local folklore, back in 1762 the "most beautiful girl in Stoney Middleton", Hannah Baddeley, was brutally spurned by her beau William Barnsley. She scaled the cliffs, declared her love for William and leapt.

However, her woollen petticoats were said to have ballooned out to serve as a parachute - carrying her safely down to the ground and foiling her bid to end it all. The incident is said to have freed her of her longing for the fellow, and she survived another two years until December 1764.

The incident inspired the name of the cliffs and the pub hewn into the side of them which was previously known as The Lovers Leap, marked with a plaque on the building. But more recently it has been acquired to become the Curry Cottage restaurant which boasts a peculiar geological secret....

The restaurant where you can dine in a cave

Indeed, at the Curry Cottage you can actually eat inside a cave. Owners of the Indianrestaurant gave a stylish contemporary transformation to the former pub (which had more recently been a greasy spoon style café) to become the Curry Cottage seven years ago.

And they've now highlighted the restaurant's hidden treasure: a private dining room that's actually hewn into a cave inside the property.

Manager Nadeem Khan has fitted atmospheric lighting over the cave wall and says the cave room is one of the most sought-after spots for diners having a special night out there. But diners should be aware that when it rains, water continues to drip down the cave walls.

Nadeem said: "Depending on where you sit and the weather you might get a little bit of spray, but it all adds to the atmosphere. Everyone loves to come and look at the cave. There's not many restaurants that have a room like this inside."

The Curry Cottage is open six days a week from 5pm Tuesday to Sunday.

When Tom Cruise came to town

Hollywood legend and action hero Tom Cruise left locals gobsmacked when he arrived to shoot dramatic sequences for the Mission Impossible 7 film in Stoney Middleton. A production team commandeered an enormous site at the Dalton Quarry in April 2021 to construct a mock railway that witnessed a train carriage hurtle off the cliff edge.

Tom was seen filming from a helicopter above the precipice for what appear destined to be spectacular sequences in the newest chapter of the blockbuster franchise. And it seems Tom savoured numerous local delicacies during his stay in Stoney Middleton.

According to Nadeem from the Curry Cottage, the star ordered a selection of curries for himself and his team whilst in the village - and he mentioned he'd also heard Tom had grabbed takeaways from the area's renowned fish and chip shop as well.

The Grade-II listed chippy

Stoney Middleton can claim one of Britain's extremely rare Grade II listed fish and chip establishments. Toll Bar Fish and Chips sits on the village's main thoroughfare and has been dishing out battered delicacies since 1926.

The chippy operates from within the village's historic Toll House - originally constructed to levy charges on travellers using this principal route during the 1800s. Its eight-sided structure was designed to mirror the distinctive form of the local church.

However, by 1926 Herbert Ford had bought the premises to establish the village chippy, before Eleanor Hall took control in 1940, managing the business for approximately 30 years until her retirement. The establishment has continued as a fish and chip shop ever since, now operated by Dr Peter Grafton and his wife Kirsten from 2018.

They offer classic fish, chips, sausages, pudding and pies, alongside "Yorkshire fishcakes" which combine layers of potato and fish, plus daily rotating specials featuring halloumi fries, black pudding and haggis.

The premises enjoys an ideal location next to Grove Garden, where a crystal-clear babbling brook flows directly beneath the Toll Bar, providing the perfect spot to enjoy your freshly prepared chips on bright days.

Several commemorative plaques adorn the entrance, displaying past awards the establishment has earned, including recognition from the Telegraph "Best Eating Guide" featuring the testimonial: "This tiny stone cottage always has queues out of the door as it sells the best fish and chips, not cooked in dripping. The drive to get here is lovely too."

The Toll Bar Fish and Chip shop operates Wednesday through Saturday exclusively, from 11.30am until 8pm.

Pubs and walks

The village's appeal as a stopping point through the centuries saw numerous pubs emerge over the last 200 years. However, just one survives today — The Moon Inn — which relocated from its original site when it operated as The Old Moon Inn.

It features contemporary décor and serves a complete selection of traditional fare. The establishment sits at the foot of High Street which climbs steeply towards the village summit, earning it recognition as the "steepest high street in the country".

On the opposite side, walkers form a steady stream ascending the hillside via a footpath that continues across to Eyam. This ranks among Derbyshire's most renowned settlements, notorious for its heartbreaking history as the "Plague Village" where 206 inhabitants died from bubonic plague in 1665.

Memorials throughout the community honour the deceased, alongside a heritage centre documenting this devastating chapter in local history.

For thrill-seekers, the rocky faces in this region provide excellent opportunities for climbing. The limestone outcrop represents one of the Peak District's most significant geological sites and has attracted climbers for generations.

How to get there

Stoney Middleton lies on the A623 linking Buxton and Chatsworth in Derbyshire, approximately 35 miles from Manchester city centre. The closest railway stations are located at Hathersage or Grindleford, offering frequent services to and from Manchester Piccadilly with a journey time of approximately 45 minutes.

Bus services such as the 257 provide connections between Hathersage, Grindleford and Stoney Middleton.