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Foston and Scropton

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From: John BARTHOLOMEW's Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887)

"Scropton and Foston, par., partly in Staffordshire but chiefly in Derbyshire, 7 miles NW. of Burton on Trent, 2,983 ac., pop. 622; P.O. at Foston."

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Archives & Libraries

The Etwall Library is an excellent resource with a Local History section and a Family History section.

Alternatively, the Ashbourne Library is a little bigger and also has an excellent Local History section and a Family History section.

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Cemeteries

Jonathan CLITHEROE has a photograph of the Churchyard in Scropton on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2014.

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Census

  • The parish was in the Tutbury sub-district of the Burton upon Trent Registration District.
     
  • The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
     
Census
Year
Piece No.
1861R.G. 9 / 1958
1891R.G. 12 / 2196
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Church History

  • The Anglican parish church is dedicated to Saint Paul.
     
  • The church was built in the village of Scropton.
     
  • The church was rebuilt in 1856.
     
  • The church seats 275.
     
  • Michael PATTERSON provides a photograph of Saint Paul's Church on Geo-graph, taken in March, 2006.
     
  • David KELLY also has an excellent photograph of Saint Paul's Church on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2018.
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Church Records

  • The Anglican parish register dates from 1681.
     
  • The church was in the rural deanery of Longford.
     
  • Paul JONES provides a transcription of the Parish Records 1680-1812 on his website.
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Civil Registration

  • Civil Registration began in July, 1837.
     
  • The parish was in the Tutbury sub-district of the Burton upon Trent Registration District.
     
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Correctional Institutions

Wikipedia tells us that: "HM Prison Foston Hall is a women's closed category prison and Young Offenders Institution." It re-opened in 1997 after extensive remodeling.

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Description & Travel

"FOSTON, a township in the parish of Scropton, hundred of Appletree, county Derby, 6 miles N.W. of Burton. At Scropton is a railway station on the North Staffordshire line, about 1½ mile S.E. of this village. It is situated on the N. bank of the river Dove. Foston Hall is the principal residence. Here is a meet for the Hoar Cross hounds."

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)
Transcribed by Colin HINSON ©2003]

Foston Brook is the small stream that flows through the parish.

J. THOMAS has a photograph of the Village Sign as you enter Scropton on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2016.

You can see pictures of Foston and Scropton which are provided by:

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Directories

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Gazetteers

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History

  • Scropton was historically the larger of the two settlements, with Foston being more of a hamlet just to the north.
     
  • The parish had an annual feast on the nearest Sunday to St. Paul's Day (25th of January).
     
  • In 1953, the Ministry of Justice acquired Foston Hall and converted it into a closed female prison. It was closed in 1996 for remodeling and re-opened in July, 1997.
     
  • In the 20th century the Dove Valley Business Park was established in Foston and a number of small industries have been encouraged to open there.
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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK189312 (Lat/Lon: 52.877939, -1.720618), Foston and Scropton which are provided by:

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Military History

  • In 1891, Foston Hall was the property and sometimes residence of Admiral Sir Arthur CUMMING. The Admiral had been born in France in 1817. He is probably most noted for his anti-slavery operations in the Royal Navy. He retired from the navy in 1880.
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Obituaries

Jane TAYLOR of Redcar provides this extract from the Derby Mercury of 4 January 1804: DIED: "A few days since as Thomas BLACKSHAW, aged ten years, servant to T.K. HALL, Esq. of Foston, in this county, was returning from the blacksmith's with a blind horse, he fell over the battlements of the bridge, and the water being high, was unfortunately drowned."

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Politics & Government

  • Foston was an ancient Township on the Derby and Staffordshire county border. In December, 1866, Foston became a seperate, modern Civil Parish.
     
  • In 1890 this Civil Parish was severed from Staffordshire and placed under Derby county administrative control.
     
  • This parish was in the ancient Appletree Hundred (or Wapentake).
     
  • You may contact the Foston and Scropton Parish Council regarding civic or political issues, but they are NOT staffed to provide you with family history searches.
     
  • District governance is provided by the South Derbyshire District Council.
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Bastardy cases would be heard in the Sudbury petty session hearings.
     
  • As a result of the 1834 Poorlaw Amendment Act, this parish became a member of the Burton upon Trent Poorlaw Union.