1835 Pigot and Co`s Commercial Directory for Derbyshire

CASTLETON, HOPE AND HATHERSAGE

            WITH THE VILLAGES OF BRADWELL, BROUGH AND NEIGHBOURHOODS

to list of names

CASTLETON is a parish and village, in the hundred of High Peak, 164 miles from London, 27 S.E. from Manchester, 10 N.E. from Buxton, and 7 E from Chapel-en-le-Frith. It is situate at the bottom of the steep eminence, at whose feet the `Peak Cavern` discloses itself, and the summit of which is occupied by an ancient castle that gives name to the place. This castle was erected by William Peveril, natural son of the Conqueror, and from its situation was called `the Castle of the Peak` or `Peak Castle`. The extent of the ruins evinces the former magnitude of the building; the walls of the castle yard in some places are twenty feet high and nine feet thick. The keep consists of two stories almost entire, and standing at the south western point of a precipitous rock, towering above the mouth of the great cavern, to the height of fifty feet: the ruins are only to be approached with difficulty from the north. The entrance of the cave, called the `Peak Cavern`, or `Devil`s Cave`, is 120 feet in width, 42 in height and above 90 in receding depth; from hence a gentle descent conducts to the interior of this tremendous hollow, which must be explored by torch light; the entire length of the excavation is 750 yards, and its depth from the surface of the mountain 207. The buildings of the village are chiefly of stone; and the support of the inhabitants is derived from the mining business, and from the remarkable places in the neighbourhood - as also from the sale of various ornamental articles formed from spar, which is here about obtained in great variety and beauty: the mine of flour spar, or `Blue John`, is the only one of the kind in England; and its produce is worked into chimney and other ornaments, slabs, table tops, etc.. Among the number of lead mines in this district, the most valuable and ancient is the `Odin`, which is supposed to have been opened in the time of the Danes. The King is lord of the manor; the Duke of Devonshire is grantee, by letters patent from the Crown, and holds a court-baron and court-leet at Easter and Michaelmas, and a court for the recovery of debts under £5.

The places of worship are the parish church, and a chapel for the methodists; the former is dedicated to St. Edmund, and the living is a vicarage, in the patronage of the Bishop of Chester, who is also the impropriate rector; the present incumbent is the Rev. Charles Cecil Bates. Here is a free grammar school, endowed with lands producing £26 per annum, for the education of twenty three children. Two annual fairs are held, one on the 21st of April, the other the first Wednesday in October, for the sale of cattle, horses, cloth, cheese and agricultural produce. The parish of Castleton, including the chapelry of EDALE, contained, in 1821, 1,428 inhabitants, and in 1831, 1,329.

HOPE is a township and village (once a market town), in the parish of its name, in the same hundred as Castleton, about one mile from that town, and about 5 1/2 N. from Tideswell. The moors in this parish have afforded, in many instances, extraordinary properties in the preservation of human bodies buried in them; some having been discovered, after thirty years` interment, perfect and free from decomposition. The church, which is dedicated to St. Peter, is an embattled structure, with a tower surmounted by a spire; the living is a vicarage, in the gift of the dean and chapter of Lichfield; the present incumbent is the Rev. Francis Orton. Here is a small free school, for teaching reading and writing, to a limited number of children, established about a century ago. A market was anciently held here, and renewed by grant in 1715, but has fallen into disuse for several years. The fairs take place on the 28th March, for cattle; the 13th of May (called `the great fair`), for cattle, cloth, ironmongery and pedlery: and another on the 2nd Tuesday in September for cattle. Hope parish contained, in 1821, 4,102 inhabitants, and in 1831, 3,927, of which last number 426 were returned for the township.

HATHERSAGE, a village and parish, is 5 1/2 miles E. by S. from Castleton , in the same hundred as Hope, and 4 miles from that village. The branch of wire drawing, and the manufacture of needles, are carried on here extensively; and upon the Derwent, which flows through the parish, are corn mills, and one for the making of paper. The places of worship are the parish church, and a chapel each for Wesleyan Methodists and Roman Catholics. The church, which is dedicated to St. Michael, is an ancient embattled structure: the interior contains some interesting monuments of the ancestors of the Earls of Newburg. On the south side of the church-yard, a spot marked by two stones, is pointed out as the place of interment of Little John, the favourite companion of Robin Hood. The living of Hathersage is a discharged vicarage, in the patronage of the Duke of Devonshire, who is like-wise lord of the manor, and holds a court-leet annually at Michaelmas. A fair is held here on the first Friday after Michaelmas-day, for cattle, sheep and articles of pedlery. The parish contained, in 1821, 1,856 inhabitants, and in 1831, 1,794, of which last number 722 were returned for the township.

BRADWELL is a populous hamlet, in the parish of Hope, about two miles S.E. from Castleton. The importance of this hamlet is chiefly derived from the mining operations carried on within it, and the lead smelting works, belonging to Messrs Furness & Co.; hats are also manufactured here by several individuals. In 1821 the number of inhabitants in the hamlet was 1,130, and in 1831, 1,153.

BROUGH and STRATTON is a small hamlet, in Hope parish, one mile from that village, and 2 1/2 miles E. from Castleton. This is said to have been the birth-place of `Peveril of the Peak`, the supposed founder of the original castles at Castleton and Bolsover, and the hero in Sir Walter Scott`s novel of that name. Here is an extensive lace thread manufactory, the only branch of trade of consequence in the hamlet. The population of this place is ont decline - in 1821 it contained 93 inhabitants and in 1831, 78; at the census taken in 1801 there was 92.

POST OFFICE, at the Castle Inn, CASTLETON, Margaret Wragg, Post Mistress - Letters from TIDESWELL arrive every Monday, Thursday and Saturday at noon, and are despatched same days to meet the SHEFFIELD and MANCHESTER mails at TADDINGTON.

GENTRY AND CLERGY

INN

Bates Rev. Charles Cecil, Castleton

Castle (& posting), Margaret Wragg, Castleton

Eyre Rev. Lawrence, Hathersage

LEAD MERCHANTS

Hall Mr. Jos. (attorney), Castleton

Hill Thomas, Castleton

Hall Mr. Michael, Castleton

Royse Isaac, Castleton

Hall Mr. Richard, Castleton

MILLERS

Holworthy James Esq., Brookfield House, Hathersage

Heathcote --, Castleton

Le Cornu Rev. John, Hathersage

Kirk Benjamin, Brough

Middleton M.M. Esq., (magistrate) Leam House

Morton William, Hathersage

Orton Rev. Francis, Hope

MILLSTONE MAKERS

Ross Rev. John, St. Michael`s House, Hathersage

Marples Anthony, Hathersage

Rutland the Duke of, Longshaw

Oddy Caleb, Hathersage

Shuttleworth Mrs. Ann, Hathersage

NEEDLE MANUFACTURERS

Thornhill Col. Wm. Hathersage Hall

Cocker and Sons, Hathersage

ACADEMIES & SCHOOLS not otherwise described are day schools

Greaves Ralph, Hathersage

Armstrong Mary (ladies` boarding), Castleton

SPAR ORNAMENTS - MANUFACTURERS OF

FREE SCHOOL, Castleton - Robert Hall, Master

Howe Robert, Castleton

Heardley William, Hope

Needham Ellis, Castleton

Needham Septimus, Castleton

SURGEONS

Oliver John, Hathersage

Grundy Edmund, Hathersage

BLACKSMITHS

Lowe James, Bradwell

Boardman David, Castleton

Winterbotham John, Castleton

Bradbury Edward, Brough

SURVEYORS - MINERAL

Dean Joseph, Castleton

Ashton Robert How, Castleton

Farnsworth Charles, Hathersage

Hall Elias, (& geologist) Castleton

Hall George, Castleton

TAILORS

Holme George, Bradwell

Calvert Robert, Bradwell

Rowland George, Hope

Chapman Richard, Castleton

Wainwright Charles, Hathersage

Downing George, Hathersage

Walker Richard, Bradwell

Elliott Thomas, Bradwell

BOOT AND SHOE MAKERS

Kay Richard, Bradwell

Broomhead Henry, Hathersage

TAVERNS & PUBLIC HOUSES

Brown James, Hope

Bell, Richard Froggart, Hathersage

Hobson John, Hope

Bull & Mouth, Robert Torr, Hathersage

Marshall Anthony, Bradwell

Bull`s Head, John Bradwell, Bradwell

Middleton Robert, Bradwell

Bull`s Head, John Dakin, Castleton

Siddall Thomas, Hope

Butchers` Arms, Deborah Watson, Castleton

Stafford Obadiah, Bradwell

Cheshire Cheese, Sarah Burdekin, Hope

Taylor Robert, Hathersage

Cross Daggers, Charles Jackson, Hope

BUTCHERS

Fox & Goose, A Walker, Fox Holes

Bradwell John, Bradwell

George & Dragon, Joseph Bocking, Bradwell

Dakin John, Castleton

George & Dragon, Melicent Hall, Castleton

Frost Matthew, Castleton

George Inn, George Morton, Hathersage

Needham Ellice, Bradwell

Horse Shoe, George Rowland, Hope

CARPENTERS

Nag`s Head, Alice Hyde, Castleton

Ashton Joseph, Castleton

Ordnance Arms, Robert Cook, Hathersage

Eyre William, Brough

Pack, Joseph Frost, Hathersage

Marsden John, Hope

Plough, Michael Eyre, Hathersage

Smith William, Hathersage

Rose & Crown, Robert Moreton, Bradwell

GROCERS AND DEALERS IN SUNDRIES

Waggon & Horses, Abraham Deakin, Castleton

Barber Joseph, Bradwell

White Hart, Ellice Needham, Bradwell

Broomhead Thomas, Hathersage

Woodrooffe Inn, Nathan Woodrooffe, Hope

Clark John, Castleton

WHEELWRIGHTS

Cocker Samuel, Hathersage

Higginbottom Thomas, Hathersage

Cook David, Hathersage

Somerset Benjn. & Isaac, Bradwell

Eyre Thomas, Castleton

Wilson John, Hathersage

Hill Thomas, Castleton

WIRE MANUFACTURERS

Hopkinson Charles Richard, (& druggist), Castleton

Cocker & Sons, Hathersage

Howe Jonathan, Castleton

Cocker Jonathan, Hathersage

Marsden Thomas, Hathersage

Cocker Samuel, Hathersage

Platt James, Castleton

Crosland Thomas, Booths

Ramsden John, (& tallow chandler) Castleton

MISCELLANEOUS

Royse Isaac, Castleton

Buxton Samuel, saddler, Hathersage

Slack Samuel, (& tallow chandler), Castleton

Fox William, shuttle maker, Castleton

Somerset John, Bradwell

Froggat Richard, button manufacturer, Hathersage

Watkinson Benj. (& draper), Castleton

Furness J & Co., lead ore smelters, Bradwell

White Joseph, Hathersage

Ibbotson Charles, paper manufacturer, Hathersage

Wilson Sarah, Hathersage

Pearson Benjamin, lace thread manufacturer, Brough

HAT MANUFACTURERS

Evans William & James, Bradwell

Jackson Robert, Bradwell

Middleton Charles, Bradwell

Middleton George, Bradwell

Middleton Joseph, Bradwell

Middleton Robert, Bradwell

Stafford William, Bradwell

COACHES To MANCHESTER, the Wellington (from Sheffield) calls at the Castle Inn, every day at half past twelve; goes through Chapel-en-le-Frith, Whaley Bridge, Disley and Stockport. To SHEFFIELD, the Wellington (from Manchester) calls at the Castle Inn, every afternoon at half-past three; goes through Hope and Hathersage.