March 1146 A.D. Darley Abbey, Derby, Derbyshire, UK—Founded by Robert de Ferraris & Augustinian Canons Regular; Transferred to St. Helen’s; Dissolved 22 Oct 1538
March 1146 A.D. Darley Abbey, Derby, Derbyshire, UK—Founded by Robert de Ferraris
& Augustinian Canons Regular;
Transferred to St. Helen’s; Dissolved 22 Oct 1538; Granted to Sir
William West, 1540; House Named “Darley Park” Built on Site, 18th
Century and Demolished 1962; Monastic Building is Probably 15th
Century “Darley Abbey Inn;” 129 Miles NW of London, About 2200 as the Crow
Flies
Darley Abbey
Contents
History
Darley Abbey (Monastery)
Village History
Features
References
External links
Darley Abbey news from the Derby Telegraph
Darley Abbey
From Wikipedia, the free
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Darley Abbey
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Darley Abbey
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Darley
Abbey is a village on the outskirts
of Derby, England. The village is located on the River Derwent and is associated with the world heritage site of Derwent Valley Mills.
Contents
History
Darley Abbey (Monastery)
The Abbey Pub
The Augustinian monastery of Darley Abbey has a rather confused
foundation. In 1154,Robert de Ferrers, 2nd Earl of Derby made a donation to St Helen's Priory, Derby for them to establish a new religious house. He
donated the churches of Uttoxeter and Crich, an oratory and cemetery at Osmaston, and tithes from his property in Derby and land in Oddebrook and Aldwark.[1] A new monastery however was not constructed, as no
suitable location was identified.
Around 1160, Hugh, the rural
dean of Derby, donated his land at "Little Darley" to St Helen's
Priory for the establishment of the monastery.
Darley Abbey was a daughter
establishment to St Helen's Priory, however, shortly after its establishment,
many of the canons of the Priory transferred to Darley, St Helen's serving as a
hospital.[1][2]
Darley Abbey received numerous
donations, mainly from the burgesses of Derby, including land at Crich, Wessington, Youlgreave, Lea, Dethick, Tansleyand Little Chester, and the advowsons of the churches at Brailsford, Bolsover, Pentrich, Ripley, Ashover, Scarcliffe, South Wingfield, and St Peter's,
St Michael's, and St Werburgh's in Derby.[1] The Abbey also came into the possession of the
manors of Aldwark, Butterley, Normanton and Wessington.[1]
Between 1250 and 1252 Ralph,
son of Ralph de Wistanton, made numerous donations to the abbey, even though he
was a man described as "of quite limited resources".[1] The reason was that by donating to the abbey, Ralph
could deprive the Jewish money-lenders of what he owed them, as Jews could not
seize church property. Ralph eventually signed over all of his positions to the
abbey; the abbey in return provided him, his wife Joan, and their sons John and
Nicholas, with food, clothing and "honourable lodgings".[1] The family appears to have been very well cared for
by the abbey, having been given both a servant and a handmaid, large amounts of
food, seven gallons of beer a week, a horse, an large annual allowance of
quality clothing, and small yearly pensions for additions purchases of
clothing.[1]
In 1291, the abbey is recorded
as having an income of £72 19s. 3½d.[1]
By the early 14th century, the
abbey had fallen into poverty and two canons had to be sent to other
monasteries as they could not be sustained at Darley.[1] One source blames the abbey's poverty on failed
harvests and heavy mortality of their cattle.[1]Another, however, blames the Abbot of Darley, who is
accused of "selling the woods and wasting the goods and leasing the lands
of the abbey, to its great impoverishment".[1]
There are only two remaining
buildings from the monastic period.[citation needed] One is now the Abbey Pub (also known as the Abbey Inn), a Grade II* listed building. Constructed in the 15th century, it is thought to have
been part of the Abbot's residence.[3] The building appears to have been roofless for most
of its post-dissolution life;[citation needed] a new roof was added in the 1920s and the building reinforced in the 1950s
following some movement within the walls.[3] The building was renovated to its present state in
1978.[citation needed] The other monastic survivor makes up part of a private dwelling on Abbey
Lane.[4]
Village History
View of the toll bridge and mill across the River Derwent
The mill was built in 1783 by
Thomas Evans, who hailed from a family with interests in lead iron and copper.[5] Initially, he partnered with Richard Arkwright andJedediah Strutt in the venture.[citation needed] It was a six-storey building powered by water, with an enormous weir across
the river.[citation needed] It was destroyed by fire in 1788 and rebuilt with sheets of tin nailed to
the beams as protection.[citation needed][6] Thomas's son Walter ( who married Elizabeth Strutt,
a daughter of Jedediah) constructed a factory village of three-storey cottages
across the river from the mill for his employees.[7] A traveller in 1829 wrote favourably of the village
I passed through Darley,
interesting as the seat of the extensive cotton and paper mills of the Messrs,
Evans, and also as an exhibition of their unwearied philanthropy to their
numerous work-people. The whole forms a neat town, displaying general comfort,
with institutions of all kinds, for the improvement of the physical and moral
condition of some hundred families….kindness and rewards are constantly
bestowed in promoting cleanliness and neatness, and in stimulating industry and
good conduct. All that Mr Owen has benevolently fancied, these gentlemen and this
amiable lady have realised. It was cheering to view the neatness and comfort of
the houses, the honey-suckles, jessamines, and roses growing in front, and the
domestic occupations of persons who, in the same employment, in worse conducted
establishments, live in filth, rags and squalid misery[5]
This village, along with its toll road, still exists today.[citation needed] In 1970, the entire area was made into a conservation area, leading to it being part of the Derwent Valley Mills heritage area.[citation needed]
Features
·
Darley Park
is an 80-acre (320,000 m2) picturesque park featuring many different gardens and
wildlife areas.[citation
needed]Given to the people of Derby in 1931 by the Evans family,
who lived at Darley Hall.[citation
needed] The Hall was demolished in the early 1960s, but parts of
the original ground floor remain, now used as terracing for a small cafe.[citation
needed] Darley Park plays host every first Sunday of September to
the Darley Park open air concert, one of the largest free concerts in the
country.[citation
needed]
·
Saint Benedict Catholic Voluntary Academy is one of the largest schools in Derby with around
1500 pupils.[citation
needed]The school dates back to 1986, but with several schools
previously occupying the site including St Ralph Sherwin.[citation
needed]
·
Saint
Mary's Catholic School is a
historic coeducational Catholic school that can trace its roots back to
1813/1814 and has since moved to a new building on three separate occasions.[citation
needed]
References
1.
^ Jump up to:a b c d e f g h i j k l m William Page (ed.) (1907). 'Houses of Austin canons: The abbey of
Darley', A History of the County of Derby: Volume 2. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=40122. pp. 46–54.
2.
Jump up^ William Page (ed.) (1907). 'Hospitals: St Helen & St James, Derby', A History of
the County of Derby: Volume 2. pp. 83–84.
6.
Jump up^ Cooper, B., (1983) Transformation of a Valley: The Derbyshire
Derwent, Heinemann, republished 1991 Cromford: Scarthin Books
7.
Jump up^ "Member Biographies: William Evans". History of Parliament. Retrieved 2 August 2014.: William was the son of Elizabeth and William Evans who
was a half-brother of Walter
External links
 |
Darley Abbey news from the Derby Telegraph
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