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Church Gresley

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CHURCH-GRESLEY, a parish in the hundred of Repton and Gresley, in the county of Derby, 4 miles S.E. of Burton-on-Trent, 4 from Ashby-de-la-Zouch, and 6 from Derby. It is a station on the Midland railway. This parish, which is rapidly increasing, includes the townships of Drakelowe, Church-Gresley, Castle-Gresley, and Linton. The living is a perpetual curacy* in the diocese of Lichfield, value £190, in the patronage of the Rev. George Lloyd. There is also a district church at Swadlincote, the living of which is a perpetual curacy, value* £80, in the patronage of the Incumbent of Gresley.

The church at Gresley is dedicated to SS. Mary and George, and contains monuments of the Gresley and Alien families. It was erected by Nigel de Gresley in the reign of Henry I., who founded likewise a priory of Austin monks, all traces of which have disappeared. The Primitive and Wesleyan Methodists have each a place of worship, and there are National schools for both sexes. The collieries and potteries employ a great part of the inhabitants. Sir Thomas Gresley, Bart., is lord of the manor."

"CASTLE GRESLEY, a hamlet parish in the parish of Church Gresley, hundred of Repton and Gresley, in the county of Derby, 4 miles to the S.E. of Burton-on-Trent. Gresley is a station on the Burton, Ashby, and Leicester branch of the Midland railway."

"DRAKELOW, a township in the parish of Church Gresley, hundred of Repton, in the county of Derby, 2½ miles S.W. of Burton-upon-Trent, its post town and nearest railway station. It is pleasantly situated on the E. bank of the river Trent. Drakelow Hall is the principal residence."

"LINTON, a township in the parish of Church Gresley, hundred of Repton, county Derby, 5 miles S.E. of Burton-on-Trent, its post town, and 2 S.W. of the Gresley railway station. The village is small and wholly agricultural. The Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists have each a place of worship. The land is nearly evenly divided between arable and pasture. The soil is fertile, and the pastures are extremely rich. This place is celebrated for its cheese and fat cattle.”

from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

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Archives & Libraries

Castle Gresley village is served by the Mobile Library on route 5, which stops at the Linton Road Shops every fourth Thursday in the afternoon.

The nearby Swadlincote Library is an excellent resource with a Local History section and a Family History section.

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Cemeteries

The York Road Cemetery was laid out before 1912 and was 5 acres in extent with one mortuary chapel. The cemetery was and is administered by a nine member Burial Board of the Parish Council.

Find a Grave has 120 of the York Road Cemetery memorials in its database.

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Census

  • The parish was in the Gresley sub-district of the Burton on Trent Registration District.
     
  • The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
     
Census
Year
Piece No.
1851H.O. 107 / 2011
1861R.G. 9 / 1962
1891R.G. 12 / 2198
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Church History

  • The 1086 Domesday Book mentions a church here.
     
  • The Anglican parish church is dedicated to Saint Mary and Saint George and is in Church Gresley township.
     
  • The church was built in the reign of Henry I (early 12th century), apparently on the site of the older church.
     
  • Originally a priory for Austin canons was constructed with the church, but no trace of that structure remains.
     
  • Most of the church was rebuilt in 1820.
     
  • The present chancel was built in 1872.
     
  • The church was restored in 1881-82 and again in 1896.
     
  • The church seats 355.
     
  • Ray COFFEY has photograph of The Parish Church on Geo-graph, taken in June, 2004.
     
  • The church is a Grade II building with British Heritage. The tower has a noticeable lean to it, but it does not appear to be in danger yet.
     
  • St. John's Church was built in the township of Donisthorpe. See Donisthorpe for information on that church.
     
  • A church was also built in the township of Swadlincote in 1847. See Swadlincote for information on that church.
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Church Records

  • The Anglican parish register dates from 1568 for baptisms. Early portions were badly written, often indecipherable and are in poor condition.
     
  • Michael SPENCER and Louis MILLS have provided a list of burials for.your use. Your additions and corrections are welcomed.
     
  • Transcripts of the Parish Registers for 1574 - 1984 are available at the Church Gresley Parish Page.
     
  • The church was in the rural deanery of Repton.
     
  • The Primitive Methodists built a chapel here in 1831 and rebuilt it in 1850.
     
  • The Latter Day Saints had a chapel here before 1857.
     
  • The Catholic church of Our Lady of Good Counsel was built in 1897.
     
  • The Wesleyan Methodists and Primitive Methodists both had small chapels in Linton township before 1857.
     
  • The Wesleyan Methodists and Primitive Methodists both also had small chapels in Oakthorpe township before 1857.
     
  • The Wesleyan Methodists had small chapel in Swandlincote township before 1857.
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Civil Registration

  • Civil Registration began in July, 1837.
     
  • The parish was in the Gresley sub-district of the Burton on Trent Registration District.
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Description & Travel

"CHURCH GRESLEY is a parish, in the hundred of Repton and Gresley, 13 miles S. from Derby, 6 W. from Ashby-de-la-Zouch, and 5½ S.E. from Burton-upon-Trent - the last-named being the nearest post town. The coal works and potteries of this parish and neighbourhood are rapidly rising in importance, and from discoveries recently made in the mines hereabout, highly beneficial results are anticipated. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the patronage of Sir Roger Gresley, Bart. whose remote ancestor founded a priory of canons of the order of St. Augustine, in the reign of Henry I, and dedicated it to St. Mary and St. George. The parish contained, at the last census, 2,543 inhabitants, and the township 671 of that number."

[Description from Pigot and Co's Commercial Directory for Derbyshire, 1835]

The parish covers about 5,510 acres and abuts the Leicestershire border. There is no village of "Gresley" or "Greasley" today..

There is an area south of the lost village known as "Linton Heath". Sue ADAIR has a photograph of the "Linton Heath Village Sign" on Geo-graph, taken in September, 2005. Linton was and is a township in the parish.

Moorgreen is a hamlet in the parish. Newthorpe is also a hamlet in the parish. Watnall Cantelupe and Watnall Chaworth now form one village on the road from Alfreton to Nottingham. Drakelow is a Township in the parish situated on the River Trent.

You can see pictures of Church Gresley which are provided by:

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Directories

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Gazetteers

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History

  • In the 1800s the parish had extensive collieries and made considerable pottery. Fire bricks were also made here from local clay.
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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK293181 (Lat/Lon: 52.759717, -1.567264), Church Gresley which are provided by:

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Military History

In 1912, B Squadron of the South Nottingham Hussars was headquartered in Watnall Cantelupe, Major T. P. BARBER, commanding; Sergt.-Major H. J. HALL, drill instructor.

A photograph of Major BARBER is at the Yeomanry site.

The Chancel Screen was erected in light oak in 1919 as a memorial to those from Greasley who died in the First World War.

In the Chancel is a wooden board bearing the Memorial to the Second World War, in light oak and separated into the three services.

A stone obelisk was erected across from Maurice Lea Memorial Park, surrounded by trees, shrubs and seats. It was dedicated in November 1922 and Major General Sir Richard Luce KCMG was on hand.

The War Memorial dedication is pictured at the Roll of Honour site. Names have not yet been transcribed.

A more recent view of the War Memorial is at Geo-graph, taken by Alf BEARD.

There are 24 Commonwealth War Graves in the Swadlincote Distrcit Cemetery (the York Road Cemetery).

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Military Records

For a list of the names on the two church memorials, please see the Southwell Church History Project site.

The names on the stone Obelisk in Maurice Lea Memorial Park are (data from the Emperial War Museum):

  1. ADAMS, W.
  2. ARNOLD, A.
  3. ASHMORE, George
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Politics & Government

  • This place was an ancient parish in Derbyshire and became a modern Civil Parish when those were established.
     
  • This parish was in the ancient Repton and Gresley Hundred (or Wapentake).
     
  • The parish at one time contained the townships of Chruch Gresley, Castle Gresley, Donisthorpe (with Oakthorpe), Drakelow, Linton and Swadlincote.
     
  • Drakelow became its own separate modern Civil Parish in December, 1866.
     
  • Swadlincote became its own separate modern Civil Parish before 1841.
     
  • You may contact the Castle Gresley Parish Council regarding civic or political matters, but please do NOT ask them to assist you with family history searches.
     
  • Drakelow's District governance is provided by the South Derbyshire District Council.
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Bastardy cases would be heard in the Swadlincote petty session hearings every other Tuesday.
     
  • There is an index of Church Gresley Bastardy Papers held at the DRO on the Yesterdays Journey website. Select "Bastardy Papers" on the left side, then "Church Gresley" from the list of parishes displayed.
     
  • There is also an index of seven Castle Gresley Bastardy Papers held at the DRO on the Yesterdays Journey website. Select "Bastardy Papers" on the left side, then "Gresley" from the list of parishes displayed.
     
  • As a result of the Poorlaw Amendment Act reforms of 1834, this parish became a member of the Burton-upon-Trent Poorlaw Union.
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Population

YearInhabitants
1801899
18311,786
18412,330
18512,819
18916,309
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Schools

The Church Gresley (mixed and infants) school was built in 1866 and enlarged in 1881 and 1894 to hold 190 mixed and 90 infants. The school was "maxed-out" in 1911 with full enrollment.

The York Road School was built in 1877 for 273 boys and 237 girls and 240 infants. It, too, was at full capacity in 1911.

The Hastings Road (mixed) School was erected in 1898 for 420 children.

In addition, in 1898, an Infants School was erected to hold up to 280 infants.

Castle Gresley had an Infants School built in 1885 for 132 infants. Attendance in 1911 was 120.