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North Wingfield

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NORTH WINGFIELD, a parish in the hundred of Scarsdale, county Derby, 4 miles S.E, of Chesterfield. It is situated on the river Rother, and the Roman Icknield Street near the line of the North Midland railway, which has a station at Clay Cross, where it is carried through a tunnel 1,760 yards long, 22 feet wide, and 26 high. The expense of constructing this tunnel is said to have been £100 per yard, or £176,000. The parish comprises 7,603 acres, and has increased in population from 3,144 in 1841 to 7,339 in 1861, or more than double in 20 years.

The cause of this prosperity was the opening up of the extensive coal, lime, and ironstone beds, the Clay Cross colliery and ironworks alone employing above 600 hands. The parish contains the townships of Claylane, Pilsley, Stretton, Tupton, North Wingfield, and Woodthorp.

The living is a rectory* in the diocese of Lichfield, value £1,200. The church, dedicated to St. Lawrence or St. Leonard, is situated at some distance from the village. There are, besides the district church at Clay Cross, dedicated to St. Bartholomew, chapels for Wesleyans and New Connexion Methodists, also a mechanics' institute. The charities produce about £90 per annum. There are British, National, and other schools."

"TUPTON, a township in the parish of North Wingfield, hundred of Scarsdale, county Derby, 3½ miles S.E. of Chesterfield, on the Derby railway. Tupton Hall is the principal residence."

"WOODTHORPE, a township in the parish of North Wingfield, hundred of Scarsdale, county Derby, 4 miles S. of Chesterfield, near the Chesterfield canal.”

from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

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Archives & Libraries

Danesmoor township is served by the Mobile Library on route N, which makes a stop every fourth Wednesday in the late morning.

Tupton township is served by the Mobile Library on route N, which makes three stops every fourth Wednesday in the afternoon.

The Mobile Library also stops at the Miners’ Welfare Car Park every fourth Tuesday in the late morning.

The Clay Cross Library has an excellent Local History section and a Family History section to help you with your research.

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Cemeteries

  • The churchyard was enlarged by two acres in 1887.
     
  • The Cemetery is now known as the North Wingfield Municipal Cemetery.
     
  • Andrew HILL has a photograph of the Cemetery and chapel on Geo-graph, taken in May, 2011.
     
  • Inscriptions on the War Memorial, recorded by John MILLS on his Bygone Days In Ashover site.
     
  • Michael SPENCER has extracted a number of North Wingfield burials for your review. Your additions and corrections are welcomed.
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Census

  • The parish was in the Chesterfield sub-district of the Chesterfield Registration District.
     
  • The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
     
Census
Year
Piece No.
1851H.O. 107 / 2147
1861R.G. 9 / 2525 thru 2527 
1881R.G. 11 / 3430
1891R.G. 12 / 2758
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Church History

  • The Anglican parish church was originally dedicated to Saint Lawrence, but was subsequently transferred (date not reported) to Saint Helen.
     
  • The church was originally built before 1321.
     
  • The baptismal font dates from 1662
     
  • The church was repaired and re-roofed in 1880.
     
  • An illuminated clock with chimes was installed in the tower in July 1893.
     
  • The churchyard was enlarged by two acres in 1887.
     
  • The church seats 360.
     
  • Alan HEARDMAN has a photograph of St. Lawrence Church on Geo-graph, taken in February, 2007.
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Church Records

  • The Anglican parish register dates from 1567, but some early portions are illegible.
     
  • The church was in the rural deanery of Chesterfield.
     
  • The Methodist New Connection and Primitive Methodists had chapels here by 1891.
     
  • The Primitive Methodists had a chapel in Ling's Row here by 1891.
     
  • The Primitive Methodists, Free Methodists and Methodist New Connection had a chapels in Tupton here by 1891.
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Civil Registration

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

"NORTH WINGFIELD, a parish in the hundred of Scarsdale, county Derby, 4 miles S.E, of Chesterfield. It is situated on the river Rother, and the Roman Icknield Street near the line of the North Midland railway, which has a station at Clay Cross, where it is carried through a tunnel 1,760 yards long, 22 feet wide, and 26 high. The expense of constructing this tunnel is said to have been £100 per yard, or £176,000. The parish comprises 7,603 acres, and has increased in population from 3,144 in 1841 to 7,339 in 1861, or more than double in 20 years."

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)
Transcribed by Colin HINSON ©2003]

This parish is 20 miles north of Derby city and 140 miles of the city of London. The parish included the townships of Williamsthorpe, Clay Lane, Pilsley, Stretton, Tupton and Woodthorpe. Pilsley became a separate parish, and Clay Lane, Stretton and Woodthorpe later formed Clay Cross parish.

Tupton is a township about two miles north-west of North Wingfield village. Clay Cross RR Station is in this township.

Andrew HILL has a photograph of the village sign on Geo-graph, taken in May, 2011. Neil THEASBY also has a photograph of the village sign on Geo-graph, taken in September, 2015.

You can see pictures of North Wingfield which are provided by:

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Directories

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Gazetteers

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History

There was a Humber ferry called the "PSS Wingfield Castle". She was a paddle-wheel ferry, launched in 1934. Her need as a ferry ended 40 years later when the Humber Bridge opened in 1974. She is.now part of the "Hartlepool's Maritime Experience",

Andrew HILL has a photograph of the old Working Men's Club on Geo-graph, taken in May, 2011.

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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK410650 (Lat/Lon: 53.180528, -1.387975), North Wingfield which are provided by:

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Military History

  • Alan HEARDMAN has a photograph of the War Memorial on Geo-graph, taken in March, 2007.
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Military Records

There are five Commonwealth War Graves in St. Lawrence's churchyard from World War I. They are for:

  1. F. EDGE, priv., Sherwood For. 1st Batln., died 12 July 1916
  2. G. P. DAY, lance bomb., Royal Gar. Artillery, age 31, died 18 Oct. 1918
  3. Harry BRAMLEY, priv., RASC, age 26, died 13 Feb. 1919
  4. George T. FOSTER, priv., Sherwood For., died 16 Dec. 1920
  5. G. LEVERETT, serj., Sherwood For., died 23 July 1921
     

There are two Commonwealth War Graves in St. Lawrence's churchyard from World War II. They are for:

  1. William Richard CLARK, pilot off., RAF Vol. Reserve, age 31, died 18 March 1942
  2. Sam Tunnicliffe (Peter) DANIELS, Flying off., RAF Vol. Reserve, died 8 June 1943
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Names, Geographical

"Wingfield" is from the Old English "winn + feld", meaning "open land used for pasture".  It appeared in 1002 as wynnefeld.
[A. D. MILLS, "A Dictionary of English Place-Names," Oxford University Press, 1991]

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Newspapers

Jane TAYLOR in Redcar contributes this snippet from the Derby Mercury of 20th October, 1803, MARRIED: "On Tuesday, Mr. David ADLINGTON, jun. to Miss Mary CLAY, both of North Wingfield, in this county."

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Obituaries

Jane TAYLOR in Redcar provides this announcement from the Derby Mercury of 9 December, 1802: DIED: "A few days since, Mr. Geo. HOLMSFIELD, of Tupton, in this county, a member of the Chesterfield Troop of Derbyshire Yeomanry Cavalry."

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Politics & Government

  • This place was an ancient parish in Derby county and became a modern Civil Parish when those were established.
     
  • This parish was in the ancient Scarsdale Hundred (or Wapentake).
     
  • You may contact the local parish council regarding civic or political issues, but they can NOT do family history work for you.
     
  • District governance is provided by the North East Derbyshire District Council.
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Bastardy cases would be heard in the Chesterfield petty session hearings.
     
  • Charities for the poor in 1891 amount to £25 13s. 7d. yearly, distributed to the poor in money and flannel at Christmas.
     
  • As a result of the 1834 Poorlaw Amendment Act reforms, this parish became a member of the Chesterfield Poorlaw Union.
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Schools

North Winfield and Tupton are included in the Clay Lane United School District.

In 1883 a Public Elementary School was erected in North Wingfield.

David BEVIS has a photograph of the North Wingfield Primary School on Geo-graph, taken in March, 2009.

In 1875 a Public Elementary School was erected in Tupton. This was enlarged a few years later to hold a total of 560 students.

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Societies

Check in with the North Wingfield Local History Group on Facebook.

This group often holds an exhibition at the Grassmoor Community Centre.