169 



gMinstcr JHariftet l^ousc. 



By H. C. Heathcote. 



HE local history of Winster, that old upland village 

 — once a town — in the Peak of Derbyshire, 

 seems to have been unwritten. Winster, named in 

 the Doomsday survey Winsterne, has had several 

 speculative derivations of its name : for a detailed account of 

 these the reader is referred to an article by Mr. Frederic Davis, 

 which appeared in the Derbyshire Archceological Journal some 

 years ago. The antiquity of the village is beyond doubt, as is 

 manifested by the discoveries from time to time of stone 

 implements and the numbers of ancient burial-places in the 

 neighbourhood. The old lead mines show undoubted evidence 

 of Roman occupation, but, " Hypotheses non fingo," Winster is 

 one of the oldest market towns in Derbyshire. Tradition has 

 it that a peck of potatoes, a peck of meal, and a pound of butter 

 could be purchased for a shilling in Winster market once upon 

 a time. 



The earliest record we can find of the market is in the Will 

 of the late Thomas Eyre,* of Rowtor, or Roo-Tor, who died 

 November 30th, 171 7. An extract from his Will reads: "And 

 as for ye wordly {sic.) estate wch it hath pleased God to bestow 

 upon me I give devise and bequeath ye same in manner and 

 form following . . . together with my Market and Fairs 

 of Winster with their and every other appurtenances." 



* He was son of Adam and grandson of Roger of Rowter, who was a son of 

 Rowland Eyre, of Hassop, by Gertrude, daur and co-heir of Humphrey 

 Stafford, of Eyam. — Editor. 



