Epperstone
"Epperston parish has a pleasant and well built village, in the vale of the Dover Beck, 7 miles south-west of Southwell. It contains 511 inhabitants and 2,343 acres of land, of which 250 acres are in woods. The common was enclosed in 1768, when 254 acres were allotted in lieu of tithes. Thomas Holdsworth Esq. is principal owner and lord of the manor, but Thomas Moore, John Towle, John Litchfield, John, Thomas and William Barnard, and Henry Sherbrooke Esquires also have estates here.
The free school was purchased in 1838 with money raised by subscription, and a grant from the National Society. About 100 children are now taught in the school. Litchfield library was founded in 1839 by John Litchfield Esq. It contains 2,250 volumes, on philosophical and miscellaneous subjects, available to all subscribers of sixpence per quarter, paid in advance. The books were kept at the shoolroom till 1843, when the worthy donor erected a neat building, and vested it, together with the library, in the following trustees, for the use of the parishioners of Epperston, viz: John Litchfield Esq., John Barnard Esq., The Rev. Thomas White, and their successors."
[White's "Directory of Nottinghamshire," 1853]
- The parish was in the Southwell sub-district of the Southwell Registration District.
- The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
Census
Year |
Piece No. |
| 1861 |
R.G. 9 / 2471 |
- There was a church here at the time of the 1086 Domesday Survey. There is evidence of a church here in Saxon times.
- The Anglican parish church is dedicated to the Holy Cross.
- The church tower was added in the 14th century.
- The church was thouroghly restored in 1853 and re-opened in March, 1854.
- The church was restored again in 1879.
- There is a photograph of Holy Cross Church at Geograph.
- The church is a Grade I listed building with British Heritage.
- The London Family History Centre has "Marriages at Epperstone, 1582 - 1812" on microfilm #0496689.
- The London FHC also has "Bishop's Transcripts for Epperstone, 1605 - 1848" on microfilm #0504062.
- There were once two Methodist chapels in Epperstone, but both appear to have closed. One is now a Social Institute.
- The parish was in the Southwell sub-district of the Southwell Registration District.
- Civil Registration began in July, 1837.
The parish, township and village of Epperstone lies in the valley of the Dover Beck and covered 2,503 acres in 1881. It is 7 miles south-west of Southwell near Lowdham.
Epperstone village was granted a Conservation Order in 1972 in order to preserve the traditional village from major development. A number of buildings date back to the 16th and 17th centuries. Today it is mostly a commuter's village.
- Stop by the Village Hall on Gonalson Lane, near the cricket field, to check the activities list.
- Stop in at the Cross Keys Pub to chat with the locals.
- The national grid reference is SK 6548.
- You'll want an Ordinance Survey Explorer map, which has a scale of 2.5 inches to the mile.
- See our Maps page for additional resources.
- This place was an ancient parish in Nottingham and became a modern Civil Parish when those were established.
- The parish was in the south division of the ancient Thurgaton Wapentake (Hundred) in the north-east division of the county.
- You can contact the local Parish Council concerning civic or political issues, but they are NOT staffed to assist you with family history searches.
- District governance is provided by the Newark and Sherwood District Council.
- The poor had the rents from four tenements purchased in 1765 bequeathed by Mary LEAKE.
- The Common Land was enclosed here in 1768.
- As a result of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act reforms, this parish became part of the Southwell Poor Law Union.
- The London FHC has the "Parish Chest for Epperstone, 1706 - 1888" on microfilm #1526160. The original material is also in the Nottinghamshire Archives Office.
| Year |
Population |
| 1801 |
422 |
| 1851 |
511 |
| 1861 |
518 |
| 1871 |
436 |
| 1881 |
435 |
| 1891 |
378 |
| 1901 |
362 |
| 1911 |
380 |
| 1921 |
408 |
| 1931 |
347 |
- Epperstone Free School was purchased in 1838 with money raised by subscription and a grant from the National Society. Prior to 1843, the school also housed the Litchfield Library.
- The recent school building was built in 1855 and is now the Epperstone Church of England School. IT was modernised in the 1960s and closed in 1985.
- A photograph of the Class of 1940 can be found at the North East Midlands Photographic Record.
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[Last updated: 11-February-2013 - Louis R. Mills]
