Welcome to Genuki, ENG, Derbyshire Compliments of Sonia W. Addis-Smith ----------------------------- From: "History, Gazetteer, and Directory of the County of Derby", by Francis White & Co, for the year 1857, pp.767/9:- PLEASLEY is a considerable PARISH, consisting of the townships of Pleasley, Shirebrook and Stoney Houghton, which together contain 3,193 acres, principally of limestone, and in 1851 had 126 houses and 654 inhabitants (altogether) .... It is situated on the Nottinghamshire border, from which it is separated on the south and east by the River Meden or Mayden, which rises near Skegby, 3 miles west from Mansfield, running north to Hardwick, it turns to the east, through a deep romantic valley, passes Pleasley, where it again turns north, forming a very irregular boundary. PLEASLEY is a small VILLAGE, on a pleasant eminence, having a rapid declevity to the south, on the Mansfield and Chesterfield road, at its junction with the Rotherham and Clown road, 3 miles NW by W from Mansfield, 8 3/4 miles SE from Chesterfield. This is a romantic district, a deep ravine, through which the Meden runs, where, in many places, the limestone rock, broken into a thousand shapes, may be seen, separates it from Pleasley Hill, a hamlet, in Mansfield parish. The township contains 1,224 acres of land, including 224 acres of woods .... William E. NIGHTINGALE is lord of the manor, and principal owner. The CHURCH, St Michael, is a Rectory .... in the patronage of William Pole THORNHILL, Esq, and incumbency of the Rev Courtenay SMITH. The Church is an ancient structure of great length, and very narrow, with a tower (in which are three bells) in which a chasm was made by the shock of an earthquake, which happened on Sunday, March 17th 1816, and was felt over a great part of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, &c. The Rectory is a handsome stone mansion, in the village, and has 55 acres of glebe [church land for support of the Rector]; the tithes of the whole parish have been commuted for UKP 640. At 1 1/4 miles NE from the village are the handsome COTTON MILLS of Messrs William HOLLINS and Co, for spinning and doubling yarn for hosiery. The original mills were built for the cotton hosiery trade, about 70 to 80 years ago [ie c.1780-90], but were destroyed by fire nearly 20 years ago [1830s]; since which two large and extensive new ones have been erected, which are worked by water and steam power of 120 horses, and give employment to upwards of 600 hands. Connected with the Works is a day-school for the children, to which others have access, and in which the Methodists hold services. Here also is a day and Sunday school, the former of which is conducted on the National System, and was endowed by William PEARSE, for which 7 children are taught free, the remainder pay threepence per week. At Pleasley Vale is a Mechanics' Institution, with a library of 500 volumes; and at Pleasley Hill is a reading room, established November 1852, and principally supported by William HOLLINS, Esq. Formerly a Market was held here, now long disused. The ancient stone [market] cross, with a flight of five steps, still remains. Fairs are held May 6th and October 29th, for cattle, horses, and sheep. The MANOR of Pleasley belonged to Thomas BEC, Bishop of St Davids, Lord Treasurer to King Edward I, who, in 1284, had a grant of a market on Mondays, and a fair for three days at the festival of St Luke. Anthony BEC, Bishop of Durham and Patriarch of Jerusalem, died in 1310 or 1311, seized of this manor; it was inherited by his nieces, married into the families of HARCOURT and WILLOUGHBY, who possessed the manor in moieties for several generations. The manor was afterwards in the LEAKES, who appear to have been possessed of it in the reign of Henry VI (1422-61). After the death of Nicholas LEAKE, the last Earl of SCARSDALE, it was purchased by Henry THORNHILL, Esq. Pleasley Vale, near Pleasley works, is a handsome mansion, the residence of William HOLLINS, Esq. In Pleasley Park, adjoining the cotton mills, is a large enclosure with a double vallum and entrenchment, two sides of which are secured by natural precipices; it is 250 feet in length, by 190 in breadth, and is evidently of Roman origin, but from its retired situation had not attracted the notice of the antiquary. ________________________ PLEASLEY TOWNSHIP 1857 DIRECTORY (Note: Those marked * are in Nottinghamshire.) - ARMSON, Robert, bookkeeper - *BAGSHAW, Mr Richard - CHIPMAN, H.J., manager, Works - COOKE, William, baker - COOKE, William, road surveyor - CUTLER, James, manager, Works - HOLEHOUSE, John, parish clerk - HOLLINS, William, Esq, Pleasley Vale - HOLLINS, William & Co, cotton spinners & merino and silk manufacturers, Pleasley Works - *LUCAS, Marcus, wheelwright & beerhouse - MERRILL, Samuel, tailor - NORTHAGE, Sarah, schoolmistress - RICHARDS, -----, schoolmaster - SMITH, Rev Courtenay, incumbent - VALLANCE, Charles, blacksmith - WRIGHT, John, wood cutter Inns and Taverns:- - Nag's Head, Thomas BELFIELD - Swan Inn, John NAYLOR Corn Millers:- - FOX, John and Samuel - *REASON, Thomas Farmers:- - BELFIELD, Thomas - DEAN, Sarah - *DUCKMANTON, William, Radmanthwaite - *FLETCHER, William, Radmanthwaite - FLINT, James - FOX, James - FOX, John - FOX, John Jun, Park - *FOX, Joseph (and timber dealer) - FOX, Samuel - HOPKINSON, Joseph (and coal dealer) - *LINDLEY, Urban, Radmanthwaite - *MARSH, george, Pennimont House - *POTTER, William - ROGERS, Joseph - SADLER, John - SADLER, William - WILSON, John (and butcher) Shopkeepers:- - DEAN, Thomas - FLINT, James - *OLIVER, Henry ----------------------------- Added 11-February-2014