CALDWELL
"is another small hamlet, situated in this parish [Stapenhill]. In Domesday it is said "that the king gave the manor of Caldewelle to the monks ( I suppose, of Burton) in Benefice and not in Fee." At Caldwell is the seat of __ Mortimer, Esq."
In the Deanery of Repington.

CALKE
"or Calc. The number of houses in this parish is not many. The living is a donative curacy; the church is dedicated to St Giles ; and about the middle of the twelfth century, was given to the Priory of Repton.
A convent of regular canons of the order of St. Austin, was founded at Calke, sometime prior to the year 1161. "It was dedicated to St. Mary and St. Giles, and received endowments from various benefactors, but chiefly from Ranulph, second Earl of Chester, Matilda his widow, and their son Hugh. These endowments were a wood betwixt Sceggebroc and Aldrebroc, a piece of land in tillage betwixt Aldrebroc and Sudwude, a little mill at Repindon, six ox-gangs of land in Ticknall, the chapel of Smithby, one manse of land in Tamworth, the liberty of fishing with one boat at Chester, and one manse of land for the convenience of the fisherman, a portion of land extending from the well, as you descend from Repton, to the boundaries of the liberty of Milton, and the whole land of Eswin Esegar of Treneston. The monks were to enjoy these possessions free from all secular service, and custom whatever. Besides these grants, Hugh, the third earl of Chester, gave them their court in Repindon, and as much wood as they wanted, either for building or for fire. He also appointed, that they should enjoy the above mentioned possessions and privileges in a free and quiet manner*.
"This religious house was also endowed with the working of a quarry at Repindon near the river Trent, and with the advowson of the church of St. Wicstan at the same place, together with the appurtenances belonging to it. The countess of Chester made these grants on this condition, that the convent of Repton, when a convenient opportunity offered, should become the head, to which Calke should be only a member.
"The charter of Edward II. recites and confirms other privileges. It grants the canons at Calke possession of a plough-gate of land in Leke, and three acres of meadow land in the same village. It also releases them from an obligation of furnishing sixty men to labour one day every year, for the privilege of pasture at Stanton**.
"To all these endowments may be added the church at Leke. But afterwards they were transferred, and the canons removes to the priory of Repton. At the dissolution they were granted in the first year of Edward VI. to John Earl of Warwick."
"At Calke, is Calke Abbey, the seat of Henry Crewe, (Late Harpur) Bart. It is a spacious and handsome mansion, built round a quadrangular court : but the situation is bad ; as the rising grounds which almost surround it, exclude the view of the adjacent country.
The Harpurs† are a very ancient family ; and were, according to the first account we have of them, of Chesterton in Warwickshire ; where Hugh, son of Richard le Harpur resided as early as the reign of Henry the First ; and where his descendants continued to live during several succeeding generations. Different branches of the family, afterwards settled at Rushall, in Staffordshire, at Little Over, Swarkston, Twyford, and Calke in this county : but all the family becoming extinct, except the branch at Calke, the estates devolved of course to the surviving ones. The title was first bestowed in the second year od king Charles I. (1629) when Henry Harpur, Esq. was created a baronet by the monarch."
In the Deanery of Repington.

*Mon. Ang. vol. iii, page 97.
**Mon. Ang. vol. ii, page 282.
†That is the name of the present Baronet's Ancestors, though he has lately taken the name Crewe ; which was that of his grandmother, who was the daughter of Thomas Lord Crewe, of Steneby.

CALLOW
(Caulow) "The parish of Wirksworth contains, ... the hamlets of Caulow, Biggin, Halton, Hitheridge-Hay and Ashley-Hay, consisting altogether of about 80 houses."
In the Deanery of Ashbourne.

CALOW
Part of the parish of Chesterfield. See Chesterfield.

CALVER
A hamlet in the parish of Bakewell. "The hamlets of Rowland and Calver contain one hundred and ten houses."
In the Archdeaconry of Derby.

CARSINGTON
"Chersingtune, is a parish containing about 46 houses, whose inhabitants are chiefly supported by agriculture and the mines. The living is a rectory; the church is dedicated to St. Margaret; and the Dean of Lincoln is the patron."
In the Deanery of Ashbourne.

CASTLE GRESLEY
A hamlet under Gresley [see Gresley].
In the Deanery of Repington.

CASTLETON
"is situated in a valley, which, owing to the strong contrast it forms, with the bleak and elevated tracts that environs it, is the most striking in the High Peak, or perhaps in any other part of the county. The immediate approach to the town, by a road across the mountains from Chapel-in-the- Frith, is, "by a steep descent through the Winnats, or Windgates, from the stream of air that always sweeps through the chasm. This road is a mile in length, and carried on in a winding direction, in order to render the natural declivity of the ground passable by carriages. Happy was the imagination that first suggested its name —the gates or portals of the winds ; since, wild as these sons of the tempest are, the massive rocks which nature here presents, seem to promise a barrier sufficiently strong to oppose their maddest fury. Precipices one thousand feet in height, dark, rugged and perpendicular, heave their unwielding form on each side of the road, (which makes several inflections in its descent) and frequently presenting themselves in front, threaten opposition to all farther progress. At one of these sudden turns to the left, a most beautiful view of Castleton vale is unexpectedly thrown upon the eye; refreshing it with a rich picture of beauty, fertility, and variety, after the tedious uniformity of rude and hideous scenery to which it has been so long confined." The breadth of the vale, is in many parts two miles, its length between five and six, and its depth, below the level of the surrounding country nearly 1000 feet. Several rivulets flow through it, and to the north and south form lesser dales, opening in different directions. —The villages of Hope, Castleton, and Brough, are situated in its bosom; and the former, with its spire and church, forms a very agreeable feature in the scenery, when viewed from this part of the descent.
As the road winds along the declivity, a view is presented of Castleton, which appears clustered near the bottom of the steep eminence at whose feet, the famous cavern discloses itself, and whose summit is occupied by the ruins of the ancient Castle that gave name to the place. Near the entrance of the village, a bridge has been thrown across the stream which issues from the cavern. The number of houses in Castleton and its liberty is about 200 and are built, chiefly, of stone. The support of the inhabitants is derived from the mining business, and from the expenditure of those who are induced to visit the remarkable places in the neighbourhood. The town was once fortified, as a ditch and a vallum, which formerly extended in a semi-circular course round it, from the mountain on which the castle stands, may yet be traced in particular directions. The living is a vicarage, and the church is dedicated to St. Edmund; the Bishop of Chester is impropriator and patron.
The remains of the castle are still visible: its situation is very elevated, and the almost perpendicular chasms, that nearly insulate the eminence it occupies, must, prior to the invention of gun-powder, have rendered it almost impregnable. The east and, south sides are bounded by a narrow ravine, called the Cave, which ranges between two vast limestone, rocks, and on the east is nearly 200 feet in depth. On the west it is skirted by the high precipice which hangs over the great cavern, and rises to the height of 260 feet. The north side is the most accessible; yet, even here, the path has, been carried in a winding direction, in order to make the ascent more practicable.
The Castle-yard is spacious, and would contain a small army : and the wall by which it was enclosed, still remains in several places, measuring twenty feet in height on the outside. On the north side were two small towers, now destoyed. The entrance was at the north-east corner, as appears by a part of the archway yet remaining. Near the north-west angle is the Keep, the walls of which, on the south and west are still pretty entire, and, at the north-west corner, are fifty-five feet high ; but the north and east sides are much shattered. On the outside it forms a square of thirty-eight feet two inches ; but on the inside, it is not equal, being from north to south, twenty-one feet four inches ; from east to west, nineteen feet three inches. This difference arises from the various thicknesses of the walls, which are composed of broken masses of limestone, and mortar of such excellent temper, that it binds the whole together like a rock : the facings of both outside and inside, are of hewn grit-stone. In the wall within is a little herring-bone ornament.
This building, in its present state, has neither roof nor second floor : but anciently consisted of two rooms —one on the ground floor, and one above ; ovwr which the roof was raised with a gable-end to the north and south, but not of equal height with the outer walls. The ground floor was about fourteen feet high, the upper room about sixteen : the entrance to the former, appears to have been through a doorway on the south side of the upper room, by a flight of steps, now wholly destroyed, but said to have existed within the memory of some of the oldest inhabitants of the place. The present entrance is through an opening made in the wall. At the south-east corner, is a narrow winding stair-case, communicating with the roof, but in a ruinous condition.
This Castle is a place of considerable antiquity; and is supposed, by Mr. King, to have been a fortress and place of royal residence, in the Saxon times; but other antiquarians are of opinion, that it is of Norman origin, and erected by William Peverel, natural son of the Conqueror —to him it is also ascribed by the traditions of the neighbourhood ; and its ancient appellation, of Peverel's Place in the Peke, countenances this opinion. Whatever is the truth, it is certain that Peverel possessed it, at the time of the Domesday Survey, by the name of Castelli in Pechesers, (Castle in the Peak), with the honor and forest of Peke, and thirteen other Lordships in this county. About this time, a tournament is said to have been held here, occasioned, according to Mr. Pilkington, by the following circumstance: —
&Quot: William, a valiant knght, and sister's son to Pain Peverel, Lord of Whittington, in the county of Salop, had two daughters, one of whom, Mellet, was no less distinguished by a martial spirit than her father. This appeared from the declaration she made respecting the choice of a husband. She firmly resolved to marry none but a knight of great prowess ; and her father, to confirm her purpose, and to proccure and encourage a number of visitors, invited all noble young men, who were inclined to enter the lists, to meet at Peverel's Place in the Peke, and there decide their pretensions by the use of arms ; declaring, at the same time, that, whoever vanquished his competitors, should receive his daughter, with his castle at Whittington, as a reward for his skill and valour. Guarine de Meez, a branch of the house of Lorraine, and an ancestor of Lord Fitz-Warrine, hearing this report, repaired to the place above mentioned : and there engaged with a son of the kig of Scotland, and also with a Baron de Burgoyne, and vanquishing them both, obtained the prize for which he fought."
But the Castle in the Peak, did not remain many years after this, in the possession of the Peverels: for William Peverel, grandson of the first possessor of this name, having poisoned, Ranulph, Earl of Chester, was obliged to secure his safety by flight; and his castles and other possessions) were left at the king's disposal. This monarch, (Henry the Second) granted them to his son John, Earl of Montaigne, who afterwards succeeded to the crown. In the sixth year of the reign of king John, Hugh de Neville was made Governor of the Peak Castle; but within ten years afterwards, it is said to have been possessed by the rebellious Barons, from whom it was taken for the king by William Ferrers, the seventh Earl of Derby; who, in recompence for this service was appointed its governor. In the fourth of Edward the Second, John, Earl of Warren, obtained a grant of the Castle and honor of Peke, in Derbyshire, with the whole forest of High Peke, in as ample a manner as it was anciently enjoyed by the Peverels. In the forty-ninth year of Edward the Third, the Castle was granted to John of Gaunt, and from that time, it has descended in the same manner as the Duchy of Lancaster. The present Constable of the Castle is the Duke of Devonshire.
It has been observed by Mr. Bray, that this fortress was not well calculated for defence, except against sudden assault, as it was neither large nor furnished with a well. The remark concering the supply of water, is correct —there is no reservoir within the walls ; but it has been supposed that the spring, which is situated in the upper part of the Cave Valley, and at no great distance from the Keep, might formerly, by some contrivance, have supplied the garrison with this necessary article. At present, its waters sink between the clefts of the limesone, and fall in continued drops from the roof of the great cavern at a place called Roger Rain's House.
About half way up the Cave Valley, is a stratum of Basalt, which appears at the surface ; and in one part, assumes the form of an hexagonal column, and is similar in texture and hardness, to those of Staffa, in the Hebrides, and of the Giant's Causeway, in Ireland. —Some crystallized quartz is incorporated in it, approaching in appearance to chalcedony. —This column is a part of a vast basaltic mass of great thickness and considerable dip, which ranges north and south for fifty or sixty yards and is covered with a thick substance resembling scoria, or half-baked clay. In its immediate neighbourhood is a stratum of toadstone, some of which is decomposed, and appears like indurated clay, full of holes, and variagated with green spots, and calcareous spar : other specimens are extremely hard with zeolite, and jasper occasionally occuring in them.
PEAK CAVERN, which is also sometimes called the Devil's Cave, is one whose magnificent, sublime and extraordinary operations of nature, which at all times excite the admiration and wonders of the beholders. ... This cave has, at all times, been regarded as one of the principal wonders of Derbyshire, and celebrated by several poets. And the description of the Mantuan Bard, when introducing his hero into a similar excavation, may with propriety be applied to it, —
     " Spelunca alta fuit, vastoque immamis hiatu."
       Virg. Æn.
This cave has, at all times, been regarded as one of the principal wonders of Derbyshire, and celebrated by several poets.
[There is then a lengthy description, which is not included here but is available on Castleton, Peak Cavern, 1811 - 1926]
MAM TOR, or the Shivering Mountain, is another of the [seven] wonders of the Peak, is situated about two miles to the west of Castleton. The name of Mam Tor, is said to be an ancient British appellation; but its modern title, the Shivering Mountain, seems to. have been given it, because of the crumbling of the shale, which decomposing under the action of the atmosphere, the fragments are perpetually gliding down its face into the valley below. The vulgar error, that the mountain has suffered no diminution in bulk, though the shale and grit have been shivering from its face for ages, is confuted by the appearance of the valley beneath, which is overwhelmed with its ruins to the extent of half a mile. At some distance to the north-west, is another break in the mountain, called Little Mam Tor, from which the shale and grit frequently shiver, but not in so great a degree as at the former : for after long frosts, heavy gales of wind, rain, &c. such large quantities decompose and fall from the Mam Tor, that the rushing noise it makes in its descent, is sometimes so loud, as to be heard at Castleton.
On the summit of Mam Tor are the remains of an ancient Roman encampment. The camp was surrounded by a double trench, which is still in good preservation, except on the side facing Castleton, where it has been destroyed by the frequent, shivering of the earth. It extended from north-east to south-west, along the ridge of the eminence, and occupied somewhat more than fourteen acres of ground, the circumference being above 1000 yards. The principal,entrance was from the west. At the north-east corner is a perennial spring; and near the south-west side are two barrows, one of which was opened a few years ago, and a bras celt, and some fragments of an unbaked urn, discovered in it. Mam Tor rises to the height of 1300 feet above the level of the valley, and on every side is very steep
At the foot of Mam Tor, on the south, is a very ancient mine, called the Odin, supposed to have been worked by the Saxons, who gave it the name of one of the Scandinavian deities. It still furnishes employment for many men, women and children ... It belongs to many proprietors and sometimes has made great returns. The quality of the ore differs in different parts of the mine: but yielding about three ounces of silver to the ton weight of lead. The elastic bitumen ... is obtained from this mine; also blende, barytes, manganese, fluor spar, sulphuret of iron, and various substances. At the two other mines, called Tree Cliff and Water-Hull that singularly beautiful substance, the Blue John is found. These subterranean excavations will well repay the trouble of exploring them, and furnish some exraordinary instances of naures scenery.
The only remaining object worthy of inspection in the neighbourhood of Castleton, is the Speedwell Level or Navigation Mine, which is situated at the foot of the Winnats, in the mountain range called the Long Cliff. - This level was originally driven in search of lead ore by company of speculators from Staffordshire, who commenced their undertaking about five and thirty years ago, but with little success, after expending £14,000 and eleven years ceaseless and unavailing labor, were obliged to relinquish it."
[Description not included here, but it is available on Castleton, The Winnats and Speedwell Cavern]
In the Archdeaconry of Derby.
There is a picture of Castleton

CATTON
"in this parish [Croxhall], is now but a very small hamlet: but at the time Domesday was composed, Chetun belonged to Henry de Ferrers, and was valued at the very considerable sum of 60 shillings."
In the Deanery of Repington.

CHADDESDEN
"called in Domesday Cedesdene, is a small Chapelry, of about the distance of two miles from Derby. The church is dedicated St. Mary; and is said to have been built before the time of Edward the Third^[1]: For in twenty-ninth year of his reign, a grant was made of one messuage and thirteen acres of land, to three chaplains in the church of Chaddesden; and in the fourth year of Richard the Second, were given by different persons, for the singers at the Altar of the blessed Mary in the chapel of Chaddesden two messuages, one toft, and sixty acre's of land, held of the Duke of Lancaster.
At Chaddesden is the seat of Sir Robert Mead Wilmot, a descendant of the same family as the Baronet of the same name, mentioned before. The mansion is pleasantly situated, and has a handsome appearance."
In the Deanery of Derby

CHAPEL-IN-THE-FRITH, or CHAPEL-EN-LE­FRITH
"is a small, but neat town, pleasantly situated on the declivity of a convex hill, rising in a valley, surrounded by lofty mountains. It is free borough, and a market-town; and its market, which has been on the decline, is now represented as being more fully attended. The church was erected, at the commencement of the fourteenth century, by virtue of a commission ad quod damnum, upon the king's soil, by the inhabitants there dwelling in the time of king Henry the Third ; and consecrated by Alexander de Savensby, Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry. The chancel is said to have been built by one of the Bodens, a wealthy family, who lived at Boden-Hall, in this parish, now in ruins : the other part of the church and tower, were afterwards erected by the parishioners. The east-end was lengthened some years ago, at the expence of Mrs. Bower, whose daughter bequeathed, her harpsichord to the church, with a salary of about twenty pounds yearly, for a person to play, and find coals to air it. The living is a donative curacy, and the church is dedicated to St. Thomas Becket.
The High Peak Courts, for the recovery of debts and damages under five pounds, are regularly held at Chapel every three weeks. The Market-house, which is a tolerably good building, was erected in the year 1700, by John Shalcross, of Shalcross, Esq. The inhabitants, who amount to nearly 500 families, are chiefly supported by the manufacture of cotton.
In this parish is Bradshaw-Hall; which was once the seat and residence of Lord President Bradshaw, Chief Justice of Chester, who made so conspicuous a figure in the Civil Wars, and who was one of the judges at the trial of Charles the First, at which he presided. He was born in the year 1586, at Wibbersley-Hall, in Cheshire, and died before the Restoration, and was buried with great pomp at Westminster Abbey ; but, to the disgrace of humanity, at that time, his body was dragged from the grave, and putrid as it was, exposed upon a gibbet, with those of Cromwell and lreton. His female descendants are still in possession of the estate, near Chapel-in-the-Frith; and several other branches of the same family, live in the greatest respectability in the county^[2]."
In the Archdeaconry of Derby

"The Ebbing and Flowing Well, last of the [seven] Wonders of the Peak, is about a mile and a half from Chapel-en-le-Frith, on the road to Tideswell."
[There then follows a description of the Well, not included here]

CHARLESWORTH
"is another village, of considerable extent in Glossop, with a chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. The houses are built on the acclivity of Charlesworth-Nick, a name given to a range of the highest hills in this part of Derbyshire. Both the size and population of this place have been much increased of late years, owing to the establishment of cotton manufactories in the neighbourhood. At the distance of one or two miles southward, are the collieries, which furnish the surrounding villages with fuel.

At Gamesbey, a small hamlet north of Charlesworth, are some vestiges of an ancient station, called Melandra Castle, which from its appearance, and an inscription found there, is supposed to have been Roman. The late Rev. Mr. Watson, of Stockport, has given the following description of it:—
" It is situated, like many Roman stations, on moderately elevated ground, within the confluence of two rivers, and was well supplied with good water. Very fortunately, the plough has not defaced it, so that the form cannot be mistaken: the ramparts, which have considerable quantities of hewn stones in them, seem to be about three yards broad. On two of the sides were ditches, of which part remains; the rest is filled up: on the other sides, there are such declivities, that there was no occasion for this kind of defence. On the north-east side, between the station and the water, great numbers of stones lie promiscuously, both above and under ground : there is also a subterraneous stream of water here, and a large bank of earth, which runs from the station to the river. It seems very plain, that on this and the north-west side have been many buildings; and these are the only places where they could safely stand, because of the declivity between them and the two rivers. The extent of this station is about, 122 yards by 112. The four gates or openings, into it, are very visible; as is also the foundation of a building withing [sic] the area, about twenty-five yards square, which in all probability, was the Prætorium."
In the Archdeaconry of Derby.

CHATSWORTH
"the celebrated and magnificent seat of the Duke of Devonshire, stands on a gentle acclivity, near the bottom of a high hill, finely covered with wood, in a narrow and deep valley, bounded by bleak and elevated tracts of land. "The broad valley through which the road from Matlock to Chatsworth runs," says a Tourist, "affords some good flat landscapes, regarded, perhaps, with greater pleasure, from the contracts produced by the naked hills that hedge them on every side : this circumstance gives additional interest also to the approach to the Duke's seat through the park ; on entering which, a long reach of the Derwent, (whose banks art has both extended and adorned) a cascade made by the whole river throwing itself down a descent of ten or twelve feet, and a partial view of the house, seated at the foot of a hill, (a grand mass of wood) surrounded by mountains deformed with crags, are all unfolded to the eye at once."
Strangers who visit Chatsworth-House, generally leave their equipage, &c. at the Inn at Edensor,^[3] and then walk through the park, over which is the approach to the mansion by an elegant stone bridge of three arches, erected by Paine, and ornamented with figures sculptured by Cibber. The road then leads to the northern entrance of this stately edifice, when the visitor is conducted through the porter's lodge to view the interior parts of it.
The estate of Chatsworth was purchased in the reign of Elizabeth^[1] of the ancient family of Leeche by Sir William Cavendish, husband to Elizabeth, Countess of Shrewsbury, whose sister married a Francis Leeche of this place. Through the persuasion of the Countess, Sir William began to erect a noble mansion-house here, which, after his death, in the year 1557, was carried on and completed under her direction. This building was taken down about the close of the seventeenth century, when William, the first Duke of Devonshire^[4], began on the site of the more ancient fabric, the present extensive residence, which was finished in the year 1702.
The house, which is built in the Ionic order, with a flat roof, surrounded by a neat balustrade, may be considered a noble specimen, of that highly decorated style of building, imported from Italy, about 130 years ago, and so much in vogue in this country for about half a century - magnificent but heavy : expensive but devoid of taste. Its form is nearly a square of about 190 feet.
[There follows a lengthy description of Chatsworth House and grounds, as well as the history of the Dukes of Devonshire, but this is not included here]
His Grace, the present noble Duke, is the fifth in descent from this illustrious ancestor [William, 1st Duke of Devonshire^[4]]; and to the honor of the fifth Duke of Devonshire^[5] and his immediate predecessors, be it said, - neither he, nor any of them, have deserted those principles which have secured to his memory, the reverence and esteem of his countrymen."
In the Archdeaconry of Derby.

Chatsworth, 1880 - lovely print from a book, with associated text.
View a Magic Lantern Slide of Chatsworth House (this will open in a new window or tab)

CHELLASTON
"by the Norman surveyors written Celerestune and Cellesdene, is a small farming village, containing about 50 houses.
The living is a donative curacy; and the church which formerly belonged to the priory of Dale, is dedicated to St. Peter. In the church is a raised tomb, with this inscription:-
Barredon quandam Cappelanus, A. D. M, D, XXIIIJ. cujus aio propitietur Deus. Amen."
In the Deanery of Castillar.

CHELMORTON
"is a village situated at the foot of a high eminence, and containing about forty houses. The inhabitants are employed, chiefly, in the lead mines and the pursuit of agriculture. The manufacture
In the reign of Edward I (1282) the revenue of the chapel of Chelmorton, was estimated at sixty marks ; two parts of which, the Prior of Lenton in Nottinghamshire received, and the remainder belonged to the chapter at Litchfield; and the Archbishop of Canterbury ordered, that the prior and chapter should provide ornaments and books in the same proportion. The chapter was also obliged to furnish a priest, and allow five marks for his support, which were to be taken from the tithes, before they were carried out of the liberty.
On the summit of the hill above the village, are two considerable barrows, within a short distance of each other. The circumference of the largest, is nearly eighty yards, - that of the smallest about seventy : on the top of both is a circular cavity or basin. Another barrow, described by Mr. Pilkington, as situated about a quarter of a mile to the north-east of Chelmorton, was examined in the year 1782. It measured at the base about seventy-five yards in circumference, and in height, seven feet. A knowledge of its inward construction was obtained by some labouring men, who were searching for stone to build a walled fence in the neighbouring field. After removing a thin covering of moss and soil from the lower extremity of the mount, they discovered a kind of breast-work, or regular wall of single stones, formed without mortar. Not apprehensive of meeting with any thing more extraordinary beyond this wall, they proceeded in their work, but were soon surprised by the sight of several human bodies. They found that the wall was at the end of a cell or coffin, in which the bodies had been deposited. The breadth of the cell within; was two feet, but its depth was not fully ascertained - it was supposed to be a yard. The sides consisted of stones eight inches thick, and about two feet wide, and forming a kind of partition: the stones used for the covering, were from one to two inches thick, but, not large.
Though some of the stones, and a small quantity of the soil had fallen into the vault, yet several of the human bodies or skeletons, might be clearly distinguished, lying at full length with their heads towards the centre of the barrow. The bones had never been disturbed, and were apparently united together at the different joints ; but on the slightest motion they were found to be entirely loose and unconnected : upon examination, they were discovered to be remarkably strong and, sound - the ribs in particular, were so little decayed, that they would easily bend without breaking. Those who saw the bones, thought that they were uncommonly large; and it was imagined the persons to whom they belonged, must have been when alive, at least, seven feet high: the teeth also, were sound and perfect. From the number of bones and skulls, and the dimensions of the vault, it was supposed, that it contained four or five human bodies: and though only one vault was opened and examined, it was thought that others were carried through out the whole circumference of the mount, which, according to the calculation made, might contain twenty.
There is at Chelmorton, a stream, attended with some singular circumstances. The water which rises out of the ground at the head of the village, appears at first in a very considerable current, but, as it proceeds, gradually diminishes, till at length, it intirely disappears. Formerly it ran the whole length of the street; but since the very severe frost, in 1740, it flows only about half the distance from its source, it did before. This phænomenon is thus accounted for;- The soil is a light calcareous earth, through which moisture will easily pass; and, as this country abounds with chasms and fissures, it is not improbable, that the course of the stream may lie over one of these openings, which will readily receive the water, after it has passed through the soil, with which it is covered.
Between Chelmorton and Buxton, within about a mile of the latter, near a hill called Staden-low, are the remains of some ancient earth-works ..."
[Description of this not included]
In the Archdeaconry of Derby.

CHESTERFIELD
"is thought to be a place of some antiquity, though not one of the most ancient towns in the county. The late Dr. Pegge, supposes it to have originated in a Roman station, on the road, from Derby to York, which he thinks was fixed on an eminence called Tapton or Topton, at the point named Windmill-Hill, but distinguished in several old writings by the appellation of Castle-Hill.- "As to the site of Chesterfield," he says, "it lies so under the Castle-Hill, at Tapton or Topton, that when it became a place of note, it would rationally be called, The field of the Chester, or Castle."
At the time of the Norman survey, Cestrefeld was of so little importance, that it is only noticed as a bailiwic, belonging to the manor of Newbold. Soon after this, however, it began to increase in size and importance: in the eleventh century there was a church at Chesterfelt ; for William Rufus gave it at that time, to the Cathedral at Lincoln. In the reign of king John^[1], the manor was presented by the sovereign to his favorite William Briwere, or Bruere, through whose influence with that monarch, the town was incorporated: by the same grant, the same liberties were procured for Chesterfield, as were enjoyed by Nottingham; and an annual fair to continue eight days, and two weekly markets, on Tuesday and Saturday, obtained. From the de Brueres, the manor, went by the marriage of an heiress, to the family of Wake; and afterwards became the property of Edmund Plantagenet, Earl of Kent, who married Margaret Wake; and was inherited by his descendants for several generations. In the twenty-sixth year of Edward the Third, it was held by John, second son of Edmund Woodstock, and grandson of Edward I^[1].; and in the year 1386, by Sir Thomas Holland. In 1443, Chesterfield belonged to William Neville : and in the reign of Queen Elizabeth^[1], to George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury. It afterwards became the property of the Cavendishes, by purchase; from whom it descended to the late Duke of Portland; but has since passed in exchange to the Duke of Devonshire. The Stanhopes derive their title of Earl of Chesterfield from this town. "Philip, lord Stanhope of Shelford, in Nottinghamshire, was created earl of Chesterfield in the fourth year of king Charles I. The title has been continued in the same family ever since to the present day."
The charter was originally granted by King John,^[1] has been confirmed and enlarged in several succeeding reigns. The government of the town; till the reign of queen Elizabeth, was exercised by an alderman and twelve brethren ; but the charter of incorporation granted by that sovereign, vests it in a Mayor, six Aldermen, six Brethren, and twelve capital Burgesses, who are assisted by a Town-Clerk.
The present church is supposed to have been erected about the beginning of the thirteenth century. In one of the windows, are the arms of Edmund Plantagenet and Margaret Wake, impaled together. It is built in the form of a cross, and is a spacious and handsome building: it is particularly remarkable for the appearance of its spire, which rises to the height of 230 feet and is so singularly twisted that it seems to lean in whatever direction it may be approached. Among several other antiquated monuments, there are, in the chancel, two large altar-tombs belonging to the Foljambs whose ancient seat was at Walton, in this parish. In the transept is an inscription recording a charitable legacy of £1300, for putting out boys to trade, or sea-service : including a clause, limiting the benefit of the charity to those who reside in the borough, and do not receive alms.
From another inscription it appears, that there was formerly a Guild at Chesterfield, dedicated to St. Mary and the Holy Cross, founded by Richard the Second, who maintained two or three priests in this church :—several other guilds are mentioned in ancient writings belonging to the Corporation, endowed with considerable revenues: is supposed to have received the name of Chapel School, by which it is generally distinguished. This school was founded in the reign of Elizabeth^[1], and was formerly the largest in the North of England. The present school-house was erected in the year 1710.
An ancient hospital for Lepers, was founded in this town, before the tenth of Richard the First, and dedicated to St. Leonard. John Earl of Kent, held it in capite in the twenty-sixth of Edward III. : but in the ninth year of king Richard II. it was seized by Joan, Princess of Wales; it flourished, however, until the time of Henry the Eighth.
Chesterfield is not a place of great trade, nor is there considerable manufacture carried on in it. By an enumeration made in 1788, it was found, by Mr Pilkington, that Chesterfield contained 801 houses and 3,626 inhabitants. Since that time both the size and population have increased, as appears under the returns made under the late act, by which the number of houses, was ascertained to amount to 920, and of inhabitants 4,267. The support of the latter is principally derived from the iron-works in the town and neighbourhood, and the manufacture of stockings. Some additional employment arises from the three potteries for the manufacture of coarse earthenware; also from a carpet manufactory; and from the making of shoes, a large quantity of which are sent annually to the metropolis.
In the market-place, is a neat Town-Hall, built a few years ago, under the direction of Mr. Carr, of York; the ground floor of which is converted into a gaol for debtors, and a residence for a gaoler : and on the second floor, is a large room for holding the sessions, and transacting the town's business. Several Almshouses have been endowed in different parts of the town. At the Castle-Inn, an elegant Assembly-room has been recently built, for the amusement of the more respectable inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood.
In the reign of Henry the Third, the church at Chesterfield, was made use of as a place of refuge by Robert Ferrers, the last Earl of Derby. After the discomfiture of the rebellious Barons at Evesham, in the year 1265, this Earl bound himself by an oath, to a forfeiture of his estate and honors, if ever he joined their party again; but after some proceedings in the Parliament, held at Northampton, which were particularly obnoxious to the Barons, he, in the spring of the ensuing: year, again assembled his followers, in his castle at Duffield, being joined by several disaffected nobles; advanced and took post at Chesterfield. Here he was surprised by the forces of Henry, the eldest son of the king of Almaine, and, after a severe conflict, was defeated, and all his forces routed: the Earl was one of those who escaped : he at first was concealed in the church under some bags of wool; but by the treachery of a woman the place of his retreat was discovered, and he conveyed in irons to Windsor: but after a confinement of three years; he was set at liberty, on certain conditions, which he proved unable to perform, and was, at length, deprived of his estate and earldom. From the register of the church it appears, that the Earl of Newcastle, was at Chesterfield with his forces in May 1643, and again in December following. It is not improbable, that at one of these times he engaged the forces of Parliament : it is certain, that during the civil wars, he obtained a victory over them at this place.
The Unitarians, Independents, Quakers and the Methodists have their respective places of worship at Chesterfield.
The parish of Chesterfield contains the following chapelries and hamlets:—Brimington (Brimintune), Temple Normanton, Newbold, Dunstone, Walton (Waletune), Tupton, Calow and Hasland, containing altogether about 500 houses.
There is a chalybeate spring at Chesterfield, but it is weak; however, when drank in sufficient quantity, it is purgative, and has been found useful in disorders, arising from weakness and relaxation."
The Gentleman's Magazine Library

CHILCOTE
"In Domesday called Cildecote, and then belonging to Clifton in Staffordshire, is one of the most southern parishes in the county of Derby. It is small, and contains but a few houses. A large and ancient Hall, which was one of the seats of Godfrey Bagnall Clarke, Esq. who represented the county of Derby, in the early parliaments of the present reign, and who died about the year 1744, is situated in this parish. having been uninhabited for many years, it is now in a very ruinous state."
In the Deanery of Repington.

CHURCH BROUGHTON
"Broctune, is a pretty considerable parish, containing upwards of 50 houses'. The living is a vicarage, and the church is dedicated to St. Michael. According to Ecton, it formerly belonged to the Priory at Tutbury. Dugdale say that Robert de Ferrers, second Earl of Derby, gave the village of Brocton to this religious house."
In the Deanery of Castillar.

CHURCH GRESLEY
A hamlet in parish of Gresley [see Gresley].
In the Deanery of Repington.

CLAY LANE
See North Wingfield.

CLAY CROSS
See North Wingfield.

CLIFTON
See Ashbourne.

CLOWN
"contains about eighty-five houses : the living is a rectory, and the church is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, and the king is the patron. In Domesday it is written Clune. In the reign of Richard the Second, Ro. Folville, held some land in this parish."
In the Deanery of Chesterfield.

COAL ASTON
A hamlet in the parish of Dronfield. See Dronfield.

CODNOR
A small hamlet in the Deanery of Derby and parish of Heanor.
(See Heanor)

COTMENHAY
Hamlet in the parish of Ilkeston (in the Deanery of Derby).

COTON
[Cotton-in-the-Elms] "The Hamlet of Coton, which was anciently called Coton Cotes, and belonged to the Abbey of Burton, is situated in the parish of Lullington. It is a pretty considerable in size, but is a place of no manufacture."
In the Deanery of Repington.

COWDALE
"The villages of Flagg, Blackwall, Cowdale and Staden, contain altogether about fifty houses, and two hundred and forty inhabitants."
In the Archdeaconry of Derby.

COWLEY
A hamlet in the parish of Dronfield and Deanery of Chesterfield. See Dronfield.

CRESSWELL
Hamlet in the parish of Elmton (in the Deanery of Chesterfield). The whole parish 'contains about 60 houses'.

CRICH
"In the time of the Norman survey, Leuric and Levenot held a lead-mine at Crice. In the reign of Stephen^[1], Robert Ferrers, Earl of Derby, gave the church of Crich to the Abbey at Derley ; and it is supposed, that it was about this time, that a church was first erected there. In the forty-second year of the reign of Edward the Third^[1], a chantry was founded in the church. The living is a vicarage, and is dedicated to St. Mary.
The town of Crich has the appearance of antiquity; and is supposed to have been known to the Romans. Some years ago, a collection of ancient coins, was found in the neighbourhood ; and by the subscription, it appeared, that some of them were coined in the reigns of Domitian, Adrian, and Dioclesian.
The inhabitants are supported, chiefly, by working lead-mines, burning limestone and the manufacture of stockings.
A little to the North of the town is Crich-cliff, one of the highest hills in the Low Peak : on its summit, is a Tower of Observation, which was erected some years ago; it is seen from several points of the surrounding country, and from the top, the eye is gratified with a very extensive prospect, commanding a view of parts of the counties of Leicester, Stafford and Salop.
The town and liberty of Crich, consists of about ninety houses; and the parish contains the hamlets of, Codington, Fritchley, Wheatcroft, Edge-Moor, Wessington, and Tansley."
In the Deanery of Derby.

This Crich Stand replaced the one mentioned by Davies

CROMFORD
"in Domesday called Crunford is another hamlet in Wirksworth parish. It lies low, surrounded by the beauties of nature, and enlivened by the busy hum of human labour.
The Manor of Cromford was purchased of Peter Nightingale, Esq. by Sir Richard Arkwright, in the year 1789. Soon afterwards, the population of the place began to increase, owing to the extensive cotton mills erected here by the last-mentioned gentleman, the first of which had been built about twelve years before. At present about 1200 hands are employed at these two mills; "whose operations," to use the words of Mr. Warner, " are so elegantly described by Dr. Darwin, in a work which discovers the art, hitherto unknown, of cloathing in poetical language, and decorating with beautiful imagery, the unpoetical operations of mechanical processes, and the dry detail of manufactures:"—
The building where this process is carried on, has one hundred and twenty windows in front, and is full of improved machinery for making cotton into thread, all of which is moved by two master-wheels. Adjoining this is a paper manufactory, employing about forty people, in making the brown, blue and writing paper. Old ropes cut into small pieces, untwisted, and ground, form the material of which the first article is made; coarse cotton and white rags are used for the second and third. Here it is manufactured, pressed, separated, sized, dried, and packed; and the process is so rapidly performed, that two men each make ten reams a day.
According to the returns made in the year 1801, the number of inhabitants at Cromford was 1115, and that of houses 208, but the increase in both has been considerable since that period. The village has a good Inn, and a few respectable shops, built around an open space, where a market is held every Saturday.
At a little distance from the village is the Chapel; a small, but very neat structure of reddish hewn stone, began by Sir R. Arkwright, and completed since his decease by his son Richard Arkwright, Esq. It was opened for divine service, on the fourth of June 1797, and consecrated, on the twentieth of September the same year. It contains a handsome marble font, an organ, and two small galleries, at the West end, for the use of the children, that attend the Sunday Schools. On the left of the road leading up Cromford towards Wirksworth stands an Alms-house, or as it is generally called, a Bead-house, which was founded in the year 1651, for six poor widows, by Dame Mary Talbot, widow of Sir William Armyne, Bart. and daughter and co-heir of Henry Talbot, Esq. fourth son of George, Earl of Shrewsbury.
At Scarthin-Nick, a perforated rock near Cromford, about 200 Roman copper coins were found about ten years ago. They were chiefly of the lower empire : and several of them were in good preservation and are now in the possession of Charles Hurt, Esq. junior, of Alderwasley."
In the Deanery of Ashbourne.
Cromford, Derbyshire: A collection of trades directory transcripts

CROXHALL
"in Domesday, Crocheshalle, is a small village on the borders of Leicestershire. The living is a vicarage, and the is church dedicated to St. John the Baptist. The value in the king's books is five pounds. It formerly belonged to the Priory of Repton, and the king is the patron. Mr. Camden records, that is the his time a part of the family of the Curzons dwelt at Croxton ; and Mr Pilkington says that "Richard Curson, or Curzon, (second son of Giraline de Curson, or Curzon, who came over with William the Conqueror) held a considerable estate in the county of Derby in the reign of Henry I^[1]. It is probable that Croxall was part of this estate : for Thomas Curzon died possessed of the manor, in 33d of Henry VIII^[9]. This branch of the family terminated in an heir female." ...
In the Deanery of Repington.

CUBLEY
"In Domesday it is said "there is now at Cobelie a priest and a church, and one mill of twelve pence, and eight acres of meadow." The living is a rectory, and the church is dedicated to St. Andrew : The Earl of Chesterfield is the patron. The number of houses in the liberty of Cubley is thought to be about eighty."
In the Deanery of Castillar.

CURBAR
See Baslow

DALBURY
"called by the Norman surveyors Dellingeberie, and Delbebi, is not a very extensive parish. The living is a rectory, and the church is dedicated to All-saints. It formerly belonged to the priory at Trentham). __ Cotton, Esq. is the patron."
In the Deanery of Castillar.

DALE ABBEY
"was a religious house of the Premonstratensian Order and dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
[The site of Dale Abbey was supposed to have been occupied by a hermit and was then known as Depedale.]
... At the dissolution the whole yearly revenue of this religious house was £144 12s. 0d.; and Gervase Kingstone was the reputed patron. It was founded in the year 1204; and surrendered the eighth October 1539, by John Staunton, the last abbot, and sixteen monks. - The site of it was granted in the thirty-fifth year of Henry VIII. to Francis Poole, Esq.
In the year 1550 the abbey clock sold for six shillings ; the iron, glass, paving stones, and grave stones were sold for £18, and there were six bells 47 cwt.
The whole number of the abbots of Dale was eighteen, and the period of their government was three hundred and twelve years, six weeks and one day.
The church belonging to this Abbey was, according to tradition, a very grand structure:- It contained several large windows on the North and South sides, and one at the East end of the chancel. But hardly any part of it is left standing, except the arch of the East window, which is partly covered with ivy, and forms a pleasing object. The chapel, built by the godmother of Serlo de Grendon, still remains standing at a little distance from the abbey ruins, and divine service is yet regularly performed in it.
The abbey buildings seem to have been of considerable extent, as various parts which yet remain have been converted into dwelling-houses and barns. Some of the windows of these houses contain painted glass with inscriptions."
In the Deanery of Derby.

DARLEY
"One of the most southern parishes in this division [Archdeaconry of Derby], is DARLEY, in Domesday called Dereleie. The living is a rectory under the Dean of Lincoln and the church dedicated to St. Helen. The whole parish contained about 400 houses when the last ascertainment was made; but their number has increased very much of late years because of the erection of a cotton mill belonging to the Messrs. Dakeynes.
The village of Darley is small and pleasantly situated on the banks of the Derwent, in the beautiful dale leading from Matlock to Bakewell, furnishing a most enchanting ride. The church is ancient, and in the church-yard stands one of the oldest and largest yew-trees in the kingdom. No traveller can pass without noticing its appearance, which gives solemnity to the lonely cemetry which it overshadows. This venerable tree, is now robbed of a great part of its pristine honors, but still exhibits a specimen of unusual vegetation, measuring in girth 33 feet. It is supposed that it has been decaying for more than 300 years, and in its prime to have covered a space of 100 feet in diameter. The church contains several ancient monuments: against a window on the South side, is a recumbent statue of a Knight Templar, with his feet crossed, a sword by his side, and his hands crossed on his breast: tradition says his name was John of Darley, and that he lived at a place in the neighbourhood called Darley-Hall. Beneath this is an alabaster slab, with an inscription in old English, now defaced. There are also some old monuments to the memory of the Rowsley family. There is likewise in the church a stone fountain, inscribed with letters, and coats of arms, which is supposed to be very ancient. An antiquated stone coffin is seen in the church-yard, probably belonging to some great family in the neighbourhood.
SNITTERTON-HALL, formerly the property of the Sacheverels, is a curious old mansion, standing near the summit of a hill to the West of the village, on the western bank of the Derwent. The front has two projecting wings, with pointed gables, embattled sides, and large bowed windows. The entrance instead of being in the centre, as customary, is one side; the whole structure is of stone, enclosed within high walls."
In the Archdeaconry of Derby.

Darley Dale: St. Helen's Church
Snitterton Hall

DERLEY or DARLEY
(Darley Abbey) "is a populous hamlet, situated on the West side of the Derwent, about one mile from Derby. Its population has increased considerably, within late years owing to the erection of cotton and paper mills, belonging to the Messrs. Evans.
In our account of the Monastery of St. Helen [not included], we observed that the Dean of Derby gave to the Master and Canons of that House, his possessions at Darley, for the erection of a church and habitation for themselves. This grant was afterwards renewed and confirmed, by the charters of the burgesses of Derby, and of king Henry II^[1]. But these endowments constituted but a very small part of the wealth of this religious House ; for many valuable gifts were afterwards bestowed by other persons. In particular, it became possessed of the churches of St. Michael, St. Werburgh, and the school in Derby ; also the churches of Crich, Uttoxeter, Pentridge, Ashover, Wingfield, Bolsover and Scarcliffe, together with the emoluments and privileges, of which they were respectively possessed.
Derley Abbey was also endowed with many tracts of land of great extent in various parts of the county. Several entire manors were granted to it. Of this number were Rippley, Pentridge, Ulkerthorp, Crich, Lea, Dethic, Ibol, Tanesley, Wistanton, Oggedeston (Hognaston), Succhethorn, Aldwek and Sewelledale.
... The possessions and privileges were continually increasing, till the period of the Dissolution ; when its various endowments were valued at £258 9s. 6d. or the clear value of £258 13s. 5d. It was given up to the king [Henry VIII] on 22 October 1539 by the abbot and thirteen monks. The site of the abbey was granted to Sir William West, by Henry VIII. in the thirty-second year of his reign. In 1540 the church and tombs were sold for £20 : the cloisters for £10 ; and the chapter house for twenty shillings. Forty-five pounds one shilling and ten pence were received for six bells; and the plate weighed one hundred and thirty ounces. Some of the property belonging to the abbey of Darley, was given, by Queen Mary, to the bailiffs and burgesses of Derby; particularly the advowson of the churches of St. Peter, and St. Michael ; the school and several messuages and parcels of land in the town and neighbourhood. What became of the other endowments has not been ascertained.
Soon after the sale above noticed, the principal buildings were destroyed ; but a few walls, some out-houses, and the building called the chapel, now converted into dwelling houses, may still be seen, and serve to point out the situation of the abbey.
Near Darley (in the beautiful dale skirting the Derwent) is Darley Hall, the seat of—Holden Esq. The views from it on the North and South are very pleasing ; but those of the East and West are confined by the adjacent lands. A little to the north of Darley, near the banks of the Derwent, stands the mansion of —Evans Esq. proprietor of the adjacent mills."
In the Deanery of Derby

DENBY
"is a parish, containing a single hamlet of the same name: This village is large, containing about 160 dwellings. The living is a curacy; and the church is dedicated to St. Mary:- Its clear value is £9.
Denby appears to have been a place of some importance, about the commencement of the fourteenth century ; as, in the eighth year of Edward the Third, Lord Grey of Codnor obtained a charter for holding a market at Denby, with a fair, on the eve and nativity of the blessed Virgin. The inhabitants are, chiefly, supported by working in the collieries, and the manufacture of stockings.
Denby, disputes with Derby, the honor of giving birth to that great and celebrated Astronomer, John Flamstead; but as it cannot be ascertained to which it is due, and the probability being in favour of Derby, we have given a sketch of his life, in our account of that Town" [the information it is not included on these pages at present].
In the Deanery of Castillar.

DERWENT
"is a chapelry belonging to Hathersage; and the liberty contains about thirty houses."
In the Archdeaconry of Derby.

DETHICK
"a small chapelry in this parish [Ashover] was during a long period the seat of the Babington family. Anthony, who was a principal actor in the conspiracy formed against the life of Queen Elizabeth in 1586^[6], resided here.This young gentleman possessed a plentiful fortune, had discovered an excellent capacity and was accomplished in literature, beyond most of his years or station. Being zealously devoted to the catholic religion, he had secretly made a journey to Paris some time before; and had fallen Into intimacy with Thomas Morgan, a bigoted fugitive from England, and with the Bishop of Glasgow, the Queen of Scots' ambassador at the court of France. By continually extolling the amiable accomplishments of that Princess, they impelled the sanguine mind of young Babington to make some attempt in her service; and they employed every principle of ambition, gallantry, and religious zeal to give him a contempt of those dangers which attended any enterprize against the vigilant government of Elizabeth, They succeeded too well: he came to England, bent upon the assassination of Elizabeth, and the deliverance of the queen of Scots. In the prosecution of these views, he employed himself in increasing the number of his associates; and secretly drew into the conspiracy, many catholic gentlemen discontented with the government. But their desperate projects, did not long escape the vigilance of Elizabeth's council, particularly Walsingham, who procured the names of all the conspirators, and obtained intelligence of every motion they made ; at, last they became aware that their designs were discovered, and fled, covering themselves with different disguises, and lay concealed in woods or barns; but were soon discovered. and thrown into prison. In their examinations, they contradicted each other; and the leaders were obliged to make a full confession of the truth. Fourteen were condemned and executed in September 1586. John Ballard, a priest of the English Seminary at Rheims, the primary instigator of this rebellion in England, suffered first; and Babington undauntedly beheld his execution, while the rest; turning away their faces, fell upon their knees. He ingenuously, confessed his offence : and being taken down from the gallows, and about to be cut up, he cried aloud several times, parce me domine Jesu - have mercy upon me Lord Jesus.
One of the houses at Dethick, which bears the appearance of antiquity, is thought to be made up of part of the original seat of the Babington family. But from this, it is impossible to' ascertain the form or the size of the original building. Traces of walls, which are now levelled, and of windows and doors which have been blocked up, are visible in several places. Some old arches are still entire, and a little ornamental work, over what is now the principal entrance, remains."
In the Deanery of Chesterfield.
Dethick, Lea and Holloway - Kelly's 1891 Directory

DONISTHORP
"is situated partly in Derbyshire and partly in Leicestershire. The number of houses in the former is about 20: they belong to the different neighbouring parishes."
In the Deanery of Repington.

DORE
Chapelry in the parish of Dronfield (in the Deanery of Chesterfield). See Dronfield.

DOVERIDGE
"'Dovebridge, or, as it is in Domesday, Dubrige, had, at the time of the Norman survey, a church and a priest. Doveridge was held by Edwine, the last Earl of Mercia at the time of the Norman Conquest, but this prince being betrayed and slain, it was given to Henry Ferrers, under whom it was held by the Monks. Berta founded a priory at Tutbury, in Staffordshire, and endowed it with lands of considerable value at Doveridge. When this religious house was dissolved, in the time of Edward the Sixth, those lands were granted to Sir William Cavendish, Bart.
At Doveridge is the seat of Sir Henry Cavendish, a descendant of the last mentioned Baronet. The house, which is a modern and handsome building, was erected about the year 1770, and is pleasantly situated. It stands on an eminence, commanding a view of the town of Uttoxeter, the river Dove, the rich pastures which extend along its banks, and of a range of distant hills on the opposite side of the valley.
The family of Cavendish, settled at Doveridge, is supposed to have had its origin in William Cavendish, Esq. who was sheriff of Derbyshire. The title was first bestowed on Henry Cavendish, Esq. who was raised to the dignity of a Baronet, in the year 1755.
At Eaton Hall ... lived Sir Thomas Milward, Chief Justice of Chester, who entertained king Charles the First: The house is now in ruins. Over the door is placed the following inscription:-
V. T. placet Deo sic omnia fiunt, anno Domini, 1576, Junii 12.
The living of Doveridge is a vicarage; the church is dedicated to St. Cuthbert; and was given by Henry Earl Ferrers to the priory at Tutbury. The Duke of Devonshire is the patron."
In the Deanery of Castillar.

DRAKELOW
[or Drachelawe, given under Gresley, see Gresley].
In the Deanery of Repington.

Drakelowe Hall, 1880 (now demolished) - lovely print from a book, with associated text.

DRAYCOT
A hamlet in the parish of Sawley (there is more information under Sawley).
In the Deanery of Derby.

DRONFIELD
"Dranefeld is a small but neat town, pleasantly situated in a valley, and is the residence of many respectable inhabitants. The church, which is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, is a handsome building, 132 feet in length, having a tower at the West end, terminated by a spire: most of the windows are pointed. The rectory of Dronfield, before the reformation, was appropriated to Beauchief Abbey; and that fine and lofty building the chancel, which is equalled by very few, in our common parochial churches, was erected by the Abbot and convent of that house, long before the year 1535, when that religious foundation was dissolved; but, however, not till after the 13th of Richard the Second, or 1390, when this rectory was appropriated to the Abbey.
Henry Fenshaw, Esq. a native of the town, and Remembrancer of the Exchequer, founded a free-grammar-school here in the time of Queen Elizabeth^[7]. The number of houses in the parish is about 245, and of inhabitants 1,190.
In this parish, are the chapelries of Dore and Holmesfield and the hamlets of Hilltop, Stubley, Woodhouse, Cowley, Totley, Unstone, Cole-Aston and Little-Barlow."
In the Deanery of Chesterfield.
The Gentleman's Magazine Library

DUCKMANTON
[Sutton-cum-Duckmanton] See Sutton-in-the-Dale.

DUFFIELD
"in Domesday called Duuelle, where at that time, there were a priest and a church and two mills, is a very extensive parish; comprehending the chapelries of Heage, Belper, Holbrooke and Turnditch; and the hamlets of Makeney, Millford, Windley, Shottle and Postern.
In former times, Duffield was a place of great consequence; as it was the residence of the Ferrers, Earls of Derby. On elevated ground, at the north-west end of the village, stood their Castle: but a piece of ground, which now bears the name of Castle-Orchard, is the sole remaining help to point out its site. At the conclusion of the thirteenth century, or the beginning of the following, this fortress was destroyed. For Robert de Ferrers, the last Earl of Derby, joining the barons in a rebellion against Henry the Third; that monarch, in 1264, sent his son, afterwards Edward the First, "into the county of Derby, in order to ravage with fire and sword the lands of the Earl of that name, and take revenge of him for his disloyalty." At this time, I think it most likely that this Castle was demolished: and so complete was the ruin, that not a vestige can now be traced of its ancient grandeur; not a stone remains, to tell the inquisitive antiquarian, where once it stood. And though a haughty Ferrers might here have once plumed himself upon the extent of his power; and the splendour of his retinue, ... [verse - not included]
It appears from Domesday and some other records, that there was formerly in the neighbourhood of Duffield an extensive forest; and the appearance of charcoal-hearths, now visible after the ground is ploughed, confirms the tradition, that the surrounding hills were once entirely covered with wood. These forests appear to have belonged to the Earls of Derby; for in the twenty-sixth year of Henry III.^[1] William de Ferrers, gave the Monks of Tutbury, for the health of the soul of Agnes his wife, and those of his ancestors, tithe of all pannage, venison, honey, and rent arising out of the forest of Duffield. William Lord Hastings, who was beheaded by Richard the Third, was constable of Tutbury, chief forrester of Duffield, and surveyor of that honor, with a salary of twelve pounds a year, for life.
Duffield was once the property of the Earls of Lancaster; and the manor, the advowson of the church, the whole forest, with other lands in Derbyshire, were given as a dower to the daughter of Edmund, Earl of Lancaster, second son of Henry III. The tithe of Duffield, with the exception of a third part, was given by Henry de Ferrers, in the reign of William the Conqueror^[1], to the Priory at Tutbury.
The village of Duffield is partly situated in a fine semicircular plain, formed by the river Derwent flowing on the eastern side ; and generally attracts the notice of those who pass through it, as well from its rural appearance, as from its containing several good houses. The church, which is dedicated to St. Alkmund, and formerly belonged to the college of Newark in Leicestershire, is situated a little out of the village; and its venerable spire, which is seen towering above the surrounding trees, attracts and gratifies the eye, while it wanders over the beautiful scenery of the surrounding vale. Duffield is a place of no trade; its population being principally made up, of that class in society, which is termed, the middle; a class in which philosophers have, in all ages, directed us to look for a true picture of human life; and in which we often discover many true ornaments to learning, many warm and practical friends to virtue and religion.
Besides the established church, the Unitarians, the General Baptists, and the Methodists, have their respective places of worship here.
About a quarter of a mile to the South of Duffield, in an enclosure, not far from the road leading to Derby, there is a small chalybeate spring, of the same impregnation and quality as that at Quarndon, but not so strong."
In the Deanery of Derby
The Gentleman's Magazine Library

DUNSTONE
Part of the parish of Chesterfield. See Chesterfield.

Notes on the above:

^[1] William reigned 1066-1087; Henry I reigned 1100-1135; Stephen reigned 1135-1154; Henry II reigned 1154 - 1189; John reigned 1199-1216; Henry III reigned 1216 - 1272; Edward I reigned 1272-1307; Edward III reigned 1327-1377; Henry VIII reigned 1509-1547; Elizabeth reigned 1558-1603.

^[2] Though not mentioned by Davies, the Lysons record the townships of Bowden-Edge, Bradshaw-Edge and Coomb's Edge in the parish of Chapel.

^[3] This was the original village location - in 1839 Edensor was moved to its present location as the 6th Duke of Devonshire wished it to be out of sight of Chatsworth House.

^[4] William Cavendish, 4th Earl of Devonshire & 1st Duke of Devonshire (1640-1707) - see the account of The Revolution House, from the Gentleman's Magazine elsewhere on this site (the link takes you to the beginning of the account).

^[5] William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire (1748-1811), whose first wife was Lady Georgiana Spencer.

^[6] Queen Elizabeth was Elizabeth I. Anthony Babington lived 1561-86. Mary Queen of Scots was tried as an accomplice and condemned; she was beheaded at Fotheringay in Feb 1587.

^[7] The grammar school was founded in 1579.

An Ann Andrews book transcript