Nearby places
STONEY MIDDLETON, Derbyshire
"STONEY MIDDLETON is a chapelry, in the parish of Hathersage
and hundred of High Peak, five miles E. from Tideswell, and
four and a half N. from Bakewell. The houses forming the
village are singular in their appearance, being scarcely
distinguishable from the grey rocks which impend over them,
and from which they appear to have been hewn. The church
here is a small edifice, of octagonal form, remarkable for
its neatness, erected principally at the expense of the Duke
of Devonshire. It is dedicated to St. Mark: [Ed: No! St.
Martin] the living is a perpetual curacy, in the gift of the
Vicar of Hathersage; the present incumbent is the Rev.
Edward Parker. The lime works in this neighbourhood employ
many of the inhabitants. The chapelry contained, in 1821,
635 inhabitants, but at the last census (1831) the number
returned was only 479."
[Description from
Pigot and Co's Commercial Directory for Derbyshire, 1835]
- Stoney Middleton - A Working Village.
Published in 2002 with the assistance of a Millennium Award, this
booklet encapsulates life in Stoney Middleton over 2 centuries -
a "must" for the Stoney Officianado. There are tales of
village "characters - "Holy Joe" - Joe MASON,
Churchwarden, who used to ring all 3 church bells by himself (the third
one with his foot!) and a field named "Jinnie's Piece", so
called as Jane GODDARD (nee SWIFT) used to sit there to scare the birds!
It also records dates when many of the cottages in the village were built.
It is on sale in village shops price £5 and during the Well
Dressings 20th to 27th July.
- The definitive study of Stoney Middleton, which everyone quotes
from - History of the Village of Stoney
Middleton, by Thos. E. Cowen (1910) has been
transcribed/OCR'd by Rosemary Lockie (February 2003)
This superb work, modestly prefaced by Cowen, contains many names and
much of interest about the village.
- Transcription of the Census for Stoney Middleton of
1841 and
1851
by Rosemary Lockie.
- Transcription of the Census for Stoney Middleton of
1861 with
Summary,
by Rosemary Lockie,
from photocopies very kindly supplied by my cousin Glenn Trezza.
- Transcription of the Census for Stoney Middleton of
1871 with
Summary,
by Rosemary Lockie,
from photocopies very kindly supplied by my cousin Glenn Trezza.
Originally 3 households missing - added 23 Sep 2005, by courtesy of
Linda M Barber.
- Transcription of the Census for Stoney Middleton of
1881, converted from LDS data
by Rosemary Lockie,
and included here to augment the collection of parishes of special interest.
- Transcription of the Census for Stoney Middleton of
1891 with
Summary,
by Rosemary Lockie,
from microfiche as part of the
FreeCEN project.
- Transcription of the Census for Stoney Middleton of
1901, very kindly contributed
by Janet and Peter Kirk, with
Summary
by Rosemary Lockie.
|
CAUTION: Please note that what may today be considered part of the modern
village of Stoney Middleton may in the above Censuses have been enumerated with Eyam,
East of the Church (see Eyam, Census.
The portion of the village on the Lover's Leap side of the brook didn't become part
of the parish of Stoney Middleton officially until 1934. |
- The nave of the Church is octagonal in plan, built in 1759 to
replace the earlier nave which was destroyed by fire in 1757.
Legend has it that the first Chapel at Stoney Middleton was founded in
the 15th Century by Joan Eyre, formerly Joan Padley, heiress of
Padley, and wife of Robert Eyre, a minor land owner, to give
thanks for his safe return from the Battle of Agincourt (1415).
This building was, apparently a normal church in plan, but
now only the tower survives of that original building. If the legend is
true, however, its founding predates 1463, the date recorded for
Joan's death - she and husband Robert (d. 1459) are commemorated
on a memorial brass inside Hathersage Church.
There are more details in J. C. Cox's
Churches of Derbyshire : The Chapelry of Stoney Middleton.
Churches of a similar octagonal plan may be found in widely separated
areas of the United Kingdom, for instance at
Dreghorn, in Ayrshire
(www.ayrshireroots.com), and
Teignmouth in Devon
(GENUKI/Devon).
Dreghorn was built in 1780 for the Montgomeries
of Eglinton, then eight years later another octagonal church was constructed
at Eaglesham in Renfrewshire, based on a plan by the architect Robert McLachlane
commissioned by the 11th Earl of Eglinton, but virtually a copy of
the Dreghorn configuration. Eaglesham Church was later extended, so
no longer retains the same basic plan, but Dreghorn retains its octagonal
shape.
In Pigot's Directory for Devon, 1823-4 the one at Teighmouth was deemed to be
in "bad taste" - q.v.
Teignmouth. It also describes it then as a new church,
so of these three, Stoney Middleton appears to be the oldest.
[Note: I am indebted to John Loney for the information on Dreghorn and Eaglesham Churches]
- A CD containing a transcription of
The Parish Registers of St Martin's Church
is available for purchase from Valerie Neal. Added 1 Dec 2007.
- Here are some Extracts of
Stoney Middleton Parish Records, collected by Rosemary Lockie, with
assistance of Janet Kirk and Glenn Trezza. Note: these include entries
from the Bishops Transcripts for the period 1701-1708 allegedly missing
(see below). Thanks to Glenn for spotting this, and kindly providing a most
useful transcription.
- The earliest Parish Register for Stoney Middleton begins in 1715,
and covers the period until 1812, and includes Baptisms and Burials,
with Marriages up till 1754 in a single book. Baptism Registers
are available covering the period 1813-1843, and 1844-78; and Burials
1813-1862; and there is a full complement of marriage registers from
1754-1947. These registers are all available
for searching at the Derbyshire Record Office on microfilm and coverage
dates are current as of January 2001 (thanks to Janet Kirk).
- There are Bishops' Transcripts (BTs) covering the period 1663 to
1864, but according to the catalogue, years 1669-70, 1686-90, 1702-07,
1712-13, 1774-5, and 1862 are missing (but see above for 1702-7); and I personally
found the period 1758-62 unreadable. As I understand it, batched entries in the IGI
have been entered largely from the BTs, so although those transcribing for the IGI
may have had greater success (or perseverance!) than I did over the 1758-62
period, it is nevertheless possible that if you are looking for an
event during 1758-62, or 1774-5, you may have better luck with the
parish register, than with the BTs or IGI. The years missing from the
BTs prior to 1715, are alas lost forever.
The original BTs are held at the
Lichfield Joint Record Office, but have
been microfilmed, so the film should be available on loan via your
local Family History Center. There are two films - #0428943
(1663-1812), and #0498132 (1813-1864).
- A short Description of Stoney Middleton
& St Martin's Church, published originally in Derbyshire Ancestral
Research Group (DARG) Newsletter, April 2002, to accompany the MIs
(see above, Cemeteries).
- "TO MANCHESTER, the Champion (from Nottingham) calls at the Moon Inn,
Stoney Middleton every day at twelve o'clock; goes through Chapel-en-le-Frith,
Whaley, Disley and Stockport.
TO NOTTINGHAM, the Champion (from Manchester) calls at the same Inn every
day at twelve, goes through Baslow, Chesterfield and Mansfield."
- Roger Vaughn's Research on the Naturalist, The Rev. Leonard Jenyns (1800 - 1893)
describes
Events in the Life of the Rev. Leonard Jenyns in the Year 1830 (Page 6),
describing his trip around the Peak District - "Middleton Dale was wild and
romantic 'a narrow winding deep chasm... rising on either side to a great height &
assuming the most grotesque & whimsical forms'".
- Transcription of Directory entry from
Glover's History and Gazetteer of the County of Derby,
1829 for Stoney Middleton, by Rosemary Lockie.
- Directory for
Stoney Middleton, Eyam, Calver and Neighbourhoods
transcribed from Pigot and Co's Commercial Directory for Derbyshire, 1835
by Rosemary Lockie.
- Transcription of section of
White's History, Gazetteer and Directory of the County of Derby, 1857,
for Stoney Middleton by Neil Wilson.
- Transcription of section of Directory of
Sheffield and 20 miles round, 1862,
for Stoney Middleton by Rosemary Lockie.
- Transcription of section of
Kelly's Directory (1891) for Stoney Middleton by Ann Andrews.
- An account of
Stony Middleton Hall, taken from
Old Halls, Manors and Families of Derbyshire, Volume I
1892 (The High Peak) by Joseph Tilley, transcribed/OCR'd by
Rosemary Lockie.
"There is no such thing as having a coach where I live,
for the town stands on one end." (Robert Ashton, 1664-5)
- A list of Stoney Middleton Vicars (1701-1992),
taken partly from parish records, and partly from a leaflet entitled
Notes for Visitors to the Church, transcribed jointly by Glenn Trezza
and Rosemary Lockie.
- Here is a list of Singers at the Church,
April 16. 1717.
- An account of the Inns and Public Houses in
Stoney Middleton 1822-1934, compiled by Rosemary Lockie.
Added 10 Apr 2007.
- Stoney Middleton - Lists of Licensed Victuallers, transcribed by Janet Kirk:-
- In 1851, Stoney Middleton seemed to have more than its fair share of Brushmakers.
The
Society of Brushmakers' Descendants assists those with
Brushmaking Ancestors, or with an interest in discovering more
about the brushmaker's trade.
In particular, the besom workshop is remembered
from about 100 years ago, apparently above the smithy - for further
information on besom making, see
Peakland
Heritage - use either the site "Search" or
the 'Working Life' menu, selecting the 'A Skilled Trade' option.
In 1851, William JUPP aged 46 had arrived in Stoney Middleton from
Slaugham in Sussex, having been preceded by other Broommakers
- the JACKSONs (James, 50 and John, 45) and a William JOHNSON
in 1841, coincidentally, or otherwise also originating from villages
in Sussex.
"By 1901 William JUPP's old besom-making room was used
for storage by a firm of shoe makers."
[quote from Peakland Heritage item.]
See also
Bygone Industries of the Peak: Besom Makers,
article by Julie Bunting, reproduced from The Peak Advertiser.
- Census Statistics - the population figures for the village of Stoney Middleton are as follows:-
| 1801 | 1811 | 1821 | 1831 | 1841 |
1851 | 1861 | 1871 | 1881 | 1891 |
| 404 | 513 | 635 | 479 | 532 |
593 | 608 | 521 | 354 | 423 |
| 1901 | 1911 | 1921 | 1931 | 1951 |
1961 | 1971 | 1981 | 1991 | |
| 478 | 508 | 532 | 513 | 527 |
531 | 495 | 483 | 515 | |
A decrease in 1871 was due to stoppage of lead mines and diminution of
employment at lime burning works.
The above census statistics have been contributed by
Joseph Platt.
- The history of Stoney Middleton Village School dates from 1835, one
of the earlier schools in the area, predating nearby Eyam and Grindleford Schools.
The present building is situated part-way up the High Street, on the corner where
it meets "The Dale Mouth". The School Motto:-
"Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he
will not depart from it."
"Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it."
is inscribed on stone tablets which date from the school's foundation.
Over the years, the inscriptions have become eroded, but in the late
1980s the tablets were restored. On 23rd November 1990, a Double
Celebration took place at the school to pay tribute to the retiring Head-Mistress
(who had started teaching at the school in 1952), and to inaugurate the stone
tablets after their restoration.
Mr. Thomas E. Cowen, who wrote the History of
the village of Stoney Middleton (1910) mentioned in the
Bibliography section above was an
earlier headmaster of the school.
- Stoney Middleton also had a "Dame School", kept by a
Mistress Oldfield, but now - of course - closed. It seems likely this "village
academy" would have been attended only by the children of
"better-off" parents, who were able to afford to pay for their child's education.
- Here are some lists of Stoney Middleton Voters.
© Copyright Rosemary Lockie, GENUKI and contributors, 1999-2008, &c.
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[Last updated 20 Nov 2009 - 13:50 by Rosemary Lockie]
