Old Duffield

Village, Church and Castle

WITH SOME PERSONAL REMINISCENCES

By JOHN BLAND

A Lecture given before the Duffield Branch of
the Church of England Men's Society, Dec., 8th., 1921,
and published, with some additions, by request.

First published in Derby by Harpur and Sons, 1922


 Introduction
 
 Celtic Occupation
 
 Roman Occupation
 
 Anglo-Saxon
 Occupation

 
 The Church
 
 Norman Occupation-
 The Castle

 
 Duffield Frith
 
 The Living
 
 The Church
 
 Monuments
 
 Parish Register and
 Churchwardens Books

 
 Reminiscences
 
 Duffield Floods
 
 Duffield in the late 19th. Century
 
 Map of Duffield in 1787
 
 Duffield People
 
 Appendix - List of Incumbents,
 St. Alkmund's Church, Duffield.

Preface by Jed Bland, his grandson.

Duffield is situated next to the River Derwent in Derbyshire at the lower end of the Pennines. There have been humans in the area, probably, from the stone age.

It is controversial whether the Romans maintained a military presence to protect the ford across which the convoys of lead from Wirksworth joined Rykneld Way en route for the North Sea ports.

However, in Anglo Saxon times it would seem to have been occupied by persons of some position, and in Norman times, Henry de Ferrars built a substantial castle. During this period, it was the centre of Duffield Frith, which extended over many miles radius.

This site archives a book written by my grandfather in 1922, of which few copies remain, and the work on the castle initiated by my great grandfather.

The photographs were taken by my great uncle. The quality is poor at present because I have had to copy them from the halftones in the book. The originals, I imagine, have disappeared long ago.

Return to the index

Further Reading

Derbyshire Archaeological Journal

Duffield Church from the North-West

Duffield Church from the North-West

Photo by W.R.Bland

Other Duffield Links:
 
Duffield Parish Council
 
Duffieldderbyshire.co.uk
 
Wikipedia also has extensive histories of Duffield, its castle, the De Ferrars family and also the railway
 
Also:
 
Derbyshire Archaeological Society
 
Landmark Information Group (Historic Maps)
 
Other Local Sites:
 
Picture The Past
Comments and communications about this site, please, to webmanager@jjb.uk.com
First published 1922, Derby, Harpur and Son. Website copyright 2001 Jed Bland. 27.09.01 last amended 25.07.03, 05.04.08, 01.07.15