170 REMINISCENCES OF OLD ALLESTREE. 
completed it in about 1805. He appears to have acquired his 
wealth in India, and it was the custom to call such persons 
Nabobs. He kept up great state during his residence at Allestree, . 
driving a coach and four, with a black footman, and two spotted 
dogs to follow the carriage, as was the custom in those days. 
This gentleman was Sheriff of the county in 1818. Ceasing to 
reside at the Hall, he let it to Mr. Evans, the father of the 
present owner, who eventually bought, and greatly improved, the 
estate, planting the park, and causing a fishpond to be made in it, 
thus adding much to its beauty. There are now probably few 
parks of its size having so much variety and agreeable seclusion, 
while at the same time, from various points, commanding exten- 
sive prospects over the beautiful valley of the Derwent. Having 
said thus much of the lords of the soil, let us note a few 
particulars with regard to the old village and parish of Allestree 
that have now disappeared. 
Very elegant things were some of the Allestree spinning wheels, 
and beautiful and durable were the sheets, and the table linen, to 
say nothing of the woollen fabrics made for hangings for beds, 
and also for counterpanes. 
At Allestree, too, they had a flax-yard; flax was grown and 
prepared for use on the spot. The poorer people too would send 
out their children to gather the wool torn from the sheeps’ backs in 
their travels from field to field, and a surprising amount could thus 
be collected, and stockings made from the yarn. 
Allestree also had its Cornhill-end, a place for the sale of corn, 
for the people had to buy their own corn and have it ground at 
the mill. There is still a croft called the Butter Cellar, supposed 
to have been a place where it was sold when the plague was at 
Derby, rendering it unsafe to go there with it. These things we 
gather from field and place names still used, as well as from 
local traditions. There was the Inn, too, used in the coaching 
days, and still standing opposite the park gates, though now 
used as cottages. 
In the coaching days the road between Derby and Duffield 
was not by any means such as we see it to-day. It was just 
