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Castleton

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Caution: There are several places named "Castleton" in the UK and at least one in Ontario, Canada.

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Archives & Libraries

A Library "of upwards of 1,000 volumes" was maintained in the Church Vestry in the late 1800s. This library was first formed by the Rev. Frederick FARRAN and was predominantly religious texts.

Castleton village is served by the Mobile Library on route N, which makes a stop at the Market Place every fourth Thursday in the mid-afternoon.

The Chapel-en-le-Frith Library is an excellent resource with a Local History section and a Family History section.

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Bibliography

  • CLARKE, Dr Liam - Castleton - A History, A Tour, People, Buildings and Industries. Owl Publishing, 2009. ISBN 978-0-9562437-0-6.
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Cemeteries

The Castleton Burial Ground was opened in 1973 on Hollowford Road.

David DIXON has a photograph of the Castleton Burial Ground off Hollowford Road on Geo-graph, taken in May, 2014.

Alan HEARDMAN has a photograph of the Burial Ground gates on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2008.

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Census

The parish was in the Chapel en le Frith sub-district of the Chapel en le Frith Registration District.

The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:

Census
Year
Piece No.
1851H.O. 107 / 2151
1861R.G. 9 / 2546 & 2548
1891R.G. 12 / 2780
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Church History

  • The Anglican parish church is dedicated to Saint Edmund.
     
  • The church was constructed in the late 11th Century or early 12th Century.
     
  • Kevin WATERHOUSE has a photograph of the Church of St Edmund on Geo-graph, taken in January, 2014.
     
  • The church was partially restored circa 1837.
     
  • In 1887 a chiming clock ws installed in the church tower to replace an older, silent clock.
     
  • The church seats 250.
     
  • Wally HAINES has a photograph of Castleton Church on Geo-graph, taken in March, 2008.
     
  • John SALMON has a photograph of church interior on Geo-graph, taken in 1991.
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Church Records

  • The Anglican parish registers date from 1633.
     
  • Michael SPENCER has provided an extract of Castleton burials entries. Your additions and corrections are welcomed.
     
  • The church was in the rural deanery of Eyam.
     
  • A Primitive Methodist chapel was built here in 1809. It apparently closed in 1933.
     
  • A Wesleyan Methodist Chapel was built here in 1898, replacing an older chapel.
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Civil Registration

  • Civil Registration began in July, 1837.
     
  • The parish was in the Chapel en le Frith sub-district of the Chapel en le Frith Registration District.
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Description & Travel

"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.'"

[Description from Pigot and Co's Commercial Directory for Derbyshire, 1835]

David DISON has a photograph of the Castleton Bus Station on Geo-graph, taken in May, 2014.

Chris DOWNER has a good photograph of the village green on Geo-graph, taken in May, 2013.

Steve MORRIS has a photograph of the Castleton Visitor Centre on the Alamy website.

You can see pictures of Castleton which are provided by:

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Directories

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Gazetteers

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History

  • The Romans developed the lead mines here and extracted vast amounts of lead for the empire.
     
  • One of the most famous of the localities of the semi-precious mineral fluorite is Castleton. Fluorite is used in steel-making. It is known as Derbyshire Blue John.
     
  • William PEVERIL's Castle of the Peak held this place in the 1086 domesday Book. Only the ruins of the castle remain.
     
  • Most of the parish was given over to pasturage in the 1700s and 1800s.
     
  • Graham HOGG has a photograph of Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Inn in the heart of the village on Geo-graph, taken in November, 2010.
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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK150829 (Lat/Lon: 53.342789, -1.776168), Castleton which are provided by:

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Military History

  • In 1912, Colonel Joseph Hall MOORE of the Derbyshire Regt. resided here at Nether house. He had been promoted to Major of the 2nd Regt. in 1881.
     
  • The Castleton War Memorial Cross, made from carved Derbyshire gritstone is a grade II listed structure with British Heritage. It was unveiled and dedicated on 18 October 1919 by Major S. HILL-WOOD, M.P.
     
  • And Ron GALLIERS has a photograph of the War Memorial on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2004. The top is obscured by the tree.
     
  • Mick GARRATT also has a photograph of the War Memorial on Geo-graph, taken in November, 2011.
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Military Records

The following names appear on the War Memorial Cross plaques (supplied by the Imperiam War Museum):

  1. Abbott, A.
  2. Abbott, H.
  3. Abbott, T.
  4. Abbott, W.
  5. Abbott, W. H.
  6. Alldred, H.
  7. Barber, H.
  8. Barber, J.
  9. Beverley, E.
  10. Beverley, Joseph Samuel
  11. Beverley, John Wilson
  12. Beverley, M.
  13. Beverley, S.
  14. Beverley, T.
  15. Boam, S.
  16. Bowler, A. E.
  17. Bowler, E. C.
  18. Broadbent, John
  19. Charles, C. E. D.
  20. Charles, F. D.
  21. Charles, P. D.
  22. Dodds, John Herbert
  23. Ellison, S. E.
  24. Eyre, G. W.
  25. Eyre, J.
  26. Eyre, J.
  27. Eyre, J. A.
  28. Greaves, D. W.
  29. Greaves, V. E. W.
  30. Hall, F.
  31. Hall, H.
  32. Hall, J.
  33. Hall, J.
  34. Hall, J. C.
  35. Hall, J. H.
  36. Hall, L.
  37. Hall, R.
  38. Hall, R.
  39. Hawkes, Leonard Bailey
  40. How, E. V.
  41. How, H.
  42. How, S.
  43. How, Victor E.
  44. Hoyle, W. M.
  45. Jackson, R.
  46. Lancaster, L.
  47. Littlewood, Charles
  48. Littlewood, John
  49. Littlewood, Mainad (spelling?)
  50. Lockley, C.
  51. Lockley, John M. W.
  52. Lomas, C.
  53. Lomas, S.
  54. Marrison, H.
  55. Marrison, W.
  56. Minnitt, George Chapel
  57. Nicholls, O. S.
  58. Nichols, H.
  59. Nicholson, R.
  60. Nickolson, R. T.
  61. Pashley, H.
  62. Pashley, William Edward
  63. Payne, Arthur Arnold
  64. Potter, A.
  65. Potter, F.
  66. Potter, J.
  67. Potter, J. T.
  68. Robinson, S.
  69. Rose, F.
  70. Rose, V.
  71. Sidebottom, J.
  72. Sidebottom, W.
  73. Snape, B.
  74. Swales, W.
  75. Tate, P. W.
  76. Unsworth, R.
  77. Waining, F. J.
  78. Walker, J.
  79. Weaving, T. J. J.
  80. Wheat, J. W.
  81. Wild, S.
  82. Wray, Wilfred James
  83. Younge, Henry George
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Monumental Inscriptions

St. Edmund's Church has a marble monument to John MAWE, born 1764, a native mineralogist of some celebrity, who is buried in London.

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Politics & Government

  • This place was an ancient parish in county Derby and became a modern Civil Parish when those were established.
     
  • Parish boundaries shrank by 7,000 acres between 1851 and 1881.
     
  • This parish was in the ancient High Peak Hundred (or Wapentake).
     
  • The citizens of this parish have elected to forgo a formal Parish Council. Instead, they hold periodic Parish Meetings of all the residents to discuss civic and political matters.
     
  • District governance is provided by the High Peak Borough Council.
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • BENNETT's Charity of 1720 provided £2 to be distributed among the parish poor each Christmas.
     
  • Bastardy cases would be heard in the Chapel-en-le-Frith petty session hearings once each month.
     
  • There is an index of Castleton Bastardy Papers held at the DRO on the Yesterdays Journey website. Select "Bastardy Papers" on the left side, then "Castleton" from the list of parishes displayed.
     
  • As a result of the Poorlaw Amendment Act reforms of 1834, this parish became a member of the Chapel-en-le-Frith Poorlaw Union.
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Population

YearInhabitants
18011,240
18311,329
18411,500
1871678
1881650
1891541
1901547
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Schools

A Public Elementary School (mixed) was built here in 1863 for 110 children.

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Social Life & Customs

  • "Castleton should be given a wide berth on a Saturday or Sunday in the summer months. On those days it overflows with the tripper, for whom it lays itself out to provide, and the streets are apt to be uproarious until the last brakes have gone singing down the vale. Its main thoroughfares are commonplace, but the cottages on the higher level are picturesque and unspoilt. Castleton retains one interesting local custom, for May 29th, or Oakapple Day, is still honoured in a curious way. A great garland of wild flowers is made, shaped like a bell on a frame, and is carried round the town by a man on horseback, who wears it upon his head, covering his face. He plays Charles II; the part of the Queen who rides beside him is taken by a youth, dressed in a lady's riding habit and veil. Twenty girls dance the Morris dance before them as they ride through the town to the accompaniment of "plenty of brass bands". One can conceive the din! Then the garland is taken to the church and slung up by a pulley to the parapet of the tower, where it is left to wither. It is accounted a great honour to bear the garland, and the privilege has been exercised for the last twenty years."
    [Firth, J B - Highways and Byways in Derbyshire, 1905. Quoted in The Peak Advertiser, 19th May 2003; p.11]