The Maynard hotel near Grindleford holds reminders of a different era of international cricket touring. Formerly the Maynard Arms, it hosted visiting teams during the middle of the twentieth century when they played Derbyshire and Yorkshire.
A small display behind the reception and bar includes autographs, bats and photographs. The collection connects an ordinary stop on a modern walking route with the travelling lives of players, including memories associated with Australian cricket and Don Bradman.
The Guardian’s feature contrasts those stays with today’s chain hotels and airport schedules. Its setting in the Peak District adds a local dimension to sporting history: the objects remain in a working hotel, where visitors encounter them alongside the landscape and everyday hospitality.
