JTnbrntorg of Itofccrt J&arplcs, 1676. 



By S. O. Addy, M.A. 



HE inventory which follows these words of introduction 

 has been chosen as illustrative of the manner in which 

 the house of a Derbyshire country gentleman was 

 equipped and furnished two centuries ago. The original document 

 is in the Lichfield Probate Registry. 



Robert Marples, whose house and household goods are here 

 described with some minuteness, was a man of considerable estate. 

 He was descended from an ancient family, which was formerly 

 seated at Holbeck Woodhouse, in the parish of Norton Cuckney, 

 in the county of Notts. In 1533, Richard Marples of Holbeck 

 Grange was, with the exception of Sir Wm. Pierrepont, the only 

 freeholder and the largest landowner in Holbeck.* 



By the kindness of Earl Manvers I have had an opportunity of 

 seeing many deeds and documents at Thoresby, to which Robert 

 Marples was a party, affecting lands both in Derbyshire and in 

 other counties. Upon any disposition of the family estates of the 

 Pierreponts being made, his name generally appears as trustee. 

 The inference seems to be that he was steward of the Earl's estates. 

 His family had, at least a century previous to the date of this 

 inventory, been associated with the Pierreponts either as friends, 

 retainers, or relations, and this connection continued down to the 

 year 17 16, when Richard Marples, of the city of London, 

 gentleman, "Receiver General" of the Dean and Chapter of St. 



*Survey Book of Sir Wm. Pierrepont, 1533, penes Earl Manvers. The land 

 attached to the Grange was 129 acres. The other holdings were limited to 4 

 or 5 acres each. 



