Epperstone

The Community Library was founded in 1839 by John LITCHFIELD. The Library was in the same building as the schoolroom until 1843, when it was moved to a new building. Alan MURRAY-RUST has a photograph of the old Library Lintel on Geo-graph, taken in December, 2009.

The Library at Newark-on-Trent will prove useful in your research.

• James GUNN, "A History of Epperstone", ISBN 978-09544806-08, publ. 2003, paperback, 136 pages.

• The parish was in the Southwell sub-district of the Southwell Registration District.
   
• The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
   

• There was a church here at the time of the 1086 Domesday Survey, evidence of a church here in Saxon times.
   
• This structure is probably the third church to stand on this site.
   
• The Anglican parish church is dedicated to the Holy Cross. It is built of Epperstone stone with Mansfield stone dressings.
   
• The current church building dates from around 1250.
   
• The church tower was added in the 14th century.
   
• A large Cedar Tree was planted in the churchyard in 1836.
   
• The church was thoroughly restored in 1853 and re-opened in March, 1854.
   
• The church was restored again in 1879.
   
• The church seats 250.
   
• The church is a Grade I listed building with British Heritage.
   
• Alan MURRAY-RUST has a photograph of Holy Cross Church on Geo-graph, taken in December, 2009.
   
• There is another photograph of Holy Cross Church at Geo-graph, taken in July, 2009.
   

• The Anglican parish register dates from 1582 for all entries and is in good condition.
   
• 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.
   
• The church was in the rural deanery of Gedling.
   
• There were once two Methodist chapels in Epperstone, but both appear to have closed. One is now a Social Institute.
   
• Alan MURRAY-RUST has a photograph of the Primitive Methodist date stone of 1851 on Geo-graph, taken in December, 2009.
   

• 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 covers 2,300 acres. It is 130 miles north of the city of London, 6 miles south-west of Southwell near Lowdham and 3 miles west of Thurgarton.

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 ask for a forth-coming activities list.
   

• Geograph
• Flickr

• We have an extract from White's 1853 Directory relating to this parish.

• Ask for a calculation of the distance from Epperstone to another place.

• Roman coins have been found in the parish.
   
• In the 1800s most people in the parish were frame-work knitters making stockings.
   
• The parish held an annual Feast on the first Sunday after All Saints Day (Nov. 1st).
   
• A Penny Bank was erected here in 1871.
   
• Alan MURRAY-RUST has a photograph of the Cross Keys Public House on Geo-graph, taken in December, 2009.
   
• The Cross Keys Pub on the Main Street has long been a good spot to chat with the locals. Here are the names associated with the Inn in various Directories:
   

John NEEDHAM, above, was only 19 in the 1881 census, born Arnold, Nottinghamshire. He and his three younger brothers were running the Inn.

• The Kings Head Inn also dished up news and gossip. Here are the names associated with the Inn in various Directories:

William SKINNER, above, was 68 in the 1881 census, born Nottingham.

• The Manor House, sitting in a park of 70 acres, was occupied by Sir Francis LEY, bart. J.P., in 1912, who was lord of the manor.

• See our Maps page for additional resources.

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK652485 (Lat/Lon: 53.029822, -1.029262), Epperstone which are provided by:

• OpenStreetMap
• Google Maps
• StreetMap (Current Ordnance Survey maps)
• Bing (was Multimap)
• Old Maps Online
• National Library of Scotland (Old Ordnance Survey maps)
• Vision of Britain (Click "Historical units & statistics" for administrative areas.)
• English Jurisdictions in 1851 (Unfortunately the LDS have removed the facility to enable us to specify a starting location, you will need to search yourself on their map.)
• Magic (Geographic information) (Click + on map if it doesn't show)
• GeoHack (Links to on-line maps and location specific services.)

• All places within the same township/parish shown on an Openstreetmap map.
• Nearby townships/parishes shown on an Openstreetmap map.
• Nearby places shown on an Openstreetmap map.

• In 1904, H Company of the 4th Volunteer Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters is listed here. Captain Thos. William HUSKINGTON, commanding.
   
• In 1912, H Company of the 8th Territorial Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters is listed here. Major Thomas William HUSKINGTON, commanding.
   

For a photograph of the War Memorial plaque in the church and the names listed on it, see the Southwell Churches History Project site.

These are the names on the WW1 War Memorial in Holy Cross church:

1. Amyan Lyndford CHAMPNEYS
2. Herbert DAYNES
3. George HALLAM
4. John Person JACKSON
5. Christopher LEY
6. Maurice Aden LEY
7. Wm. Henry Brett WALES
8. Sanvil Charles WILLIES
    

There is one Commonwealth War Grave in the Holy Cross churchyard from World War II:

1. Ernest Arthur BRINDLE, corp., Royal Army Reserve Corps, age 41, died 29 Jan. 1947. Son of Sarah BRINDLE, husband of Edith Annie BRINDLE.

• 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 may contact the local parish council regarding civic or political matters, but they are NOT funded to do family history work for you.
   
• District governance is provided by the Newark and Sherwood District Council.
   

• Bastardy cases would be heard in the Nottingham petty session hearings.
   
• 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

• 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.