DERBY. 



667 



Berby. 



Antiqui- 

 ties. 



Religious 

 houses. 



Churches. 

 All Saiuts. 



name Derby. Historians inform us, that during the 

 Heptarchy the Saxons called it Northworthig ; but of 

 this appellation, not a trace now remains. In the time 

 of the Danes, it was called Dearaby ; a word, said to 

 be compounded of two Saxon ones, signifying a habi- 

 tation for deer ; but this derivation is too fanciful to ad- 

 mit of any credit. The most probable conjecture is, 

 that the name of the town, and that of the river Der- 

 went, have the same origin ; that originally it was Der- 

 tvenlby, or the town by the Derwent ; and, that in pro- 

 cess of time, this name was corrupted,, or abbreviated 

 into Deorby and Derby. 



From the contiguity of Derby to the Roman city 

 Derventio, now called Little Chester, it is supposed that 

 it must be a place of some antiquity, and of some con- 

 sequence prior to the Roman invasion; for the Romans 

 generally fixed their stations in the vicinity of some 

 British town. But in what age, or by what nation it 

 was founded, it is impossible to determine. 



There are but few antiquities in Derby. Formerly 

 there stood a castle near the south-east corner of the 

 town, but there have been no remains of it in the me- 

 mory of any person living. About twenty years ago, 

 an antiquarian took some pains to search out its site. 

 He discovered some vestiges of it, near what is called 

 Castle-hill, in an orchard : it was guarded by the Der- 

 went on one side, and on the other runs, at present, the 

 London road. It is the opinion that Derby castle was 

 built about the reign of Stephen ; and that it was de- 

 stroyed during the civil wars between the houses of 

 York and Lancaster. 



We are informed by ancient authors, that there were 

 six religious houses in the town of Derby ; several of 

 which were hi existence at the suppression of the orders 

 by Henry VIII. The monastery of St Helen's, belong- 

 ing to the order of Austin Friars, was situated on the 

 spot where the spar manufactory now stands, near the 

 upper end of Bridge-gate. It was erected in the reign 

 of Stephen, by Robert de Ferrers, second Earl of Der- 

 by. But in the reign of Henry II. the abbot and ca- 

 nons removed to Darley, a beautiful spot, about a mile 

 from the town, situated on the banks of the Derwent. 

 A priory of Dominican, or Black friars, once stood on 

 the spot where the mansion and grounds of M. Henley, 

 Esq. now stand, in the Friar-gate. It is thought to 

 have been founded in very early times ; and was dedi- 

 cated to the blessed Virgin. On the north-west side of 

 Nun's-green, in the meadow that was called Nun's- 

 close, stood a priory of Benedictine nuns, dedicated to 

 St Mary de Pratis. It was founded by the abbot of 

 Darley, in the year 116*0. Near the brook, on the 

 north of St Jances' lane, stood a cell of Cluniac monks. 

 It was of Saxon origin, and founded by Waltheof, a 

 nobleman of that nation, who was beheaded by William 

 the Conqueror in the year 1074. He dedicated it to 

 St Jances, and presented to the Abbey of Bermondsey, 

 in Southwark. A Mansion de Dieu, a hospital for le- 

 prous persons, was founded in Derby, as early as the 

 reign of Henry II. There was also here, an old hos- 

 pital of royal foundation, consisting of a master and se- 

 veral leprous brethren, dedicated to St Leonard. St 

 Mary's was an old building in the Saxon style, situa- 

 ted upon the verge of the Derwent, and forming a part 

 of the old bridge. It is thought to have been one of the 

 six churches mentioned in Domesday-book. 



At present, Derby contains five churches, the prin- 

 cipal of which, is All Saints. The tower of this church 

 is much admired. It was built in the reign of Henry 

 VIII. or of Mary ; and is an elegant specimen of the Go- 



thic architecture. The workmanship is of a superior Derby, 

 kind, and reckoned excellent ; it is richly ornamented, **" "" Y""""' 

 and rises to the height of 180 feet ; towering above the 

 churches and houses, it forms a beautiful and striking 

 object from the surrounding country. Tradition says, 

 that it was built at the expence of the bachelors and 

 maidens of the town ; but the opinion is merely con- 

 jectural. Between this tower and the body of the 

 church, there exists an uncommon instance of architee- 

 tural incongruity; for to this beautifid specimen of 

 Gothic architecture, is added a Grecian body of the 

 chastest proportions and most classical design. It was 

 built from a design by Gibbs, in the years 1723-1-5. 

 The expences of the erection were defrayed by volun- 

 tary subscriptions, which were raised and directed by 

 Dr Hutchinson, who was then the curate. This wor- 

 thy man, by indefatigable industry, raised nearly L.7000 

 by his own exertions in begging, and executed this mas- 

 terly work without a shilling of expence to his parish. 

 The interior of this church is large, light, and elegant ; 

 five columns on each side support the roof; the win- 

 dows are large and handsome ; and the symmetry and 

 harmonious proportions of the building, have a pleasing 

 effect. The church contains several monuments of the 

 Cavendish family ; and many persons of that illustrious 

 house are buried here. The principal are the following : 

 one erected to the memory of the famous Countess of 

 Shrewsbury ; another to William Earl of Devonshire ; 

 one by Rysbrack to the memory of Caroline of Bes- 

 borough; and another by Nollekins, displaying the 

 medallion and arms of her husband William Ponsonby, 

 Earl of Besborough. The church contains a good or- 

 gan, and the tower a set of good bells and chimes. 



St Alkmund's church stands at the north-east end of St Alk- 

 the town, and was erected about the middle of the mind's, 

 eighth century. This, like All Saints, is in the gift of 

 the corporation. The church of St Peter is situated St Peter's. 

 near the southern extremity of the town, and is thought 

 to be the same as the one mentioned in the time of king 

 Stephen, dedicated to the same apostle. St Werburgh's St Wer. 

 is situated on the western side of the town, upon the burgh's. 

 Markeaton-brook. St Michael's stands in Queen-street. St Mi- 

 This living, is a vicarage united with St Werburgh. chad's. 

 Besides the above mentioned churches, the Presby- 

 terians, the Independents, the Baptists, the Quakers, 

 the Roman Catholics, and the Methodists, have their 

 respective places of worship in the town. 



One of the most considerable charities in Derby, is Charitable 

 the Devonshire Alms-houses, situated near All Saints, institutions. 

 This was founded by the Coimtess of Shrewsbury, in 

 the reign of Elizabeth, for eight men and four women. 

 The rules for the observance of the inmates are, " that 

 they are not to marry or get drunk, without expulsion ; 

 to lie one night out incurs a forfeiture of four-pence ; 

 if absent one day, six-pence ; to miss prayers at All 

 Saints, two-pence ; to strike a blow, one shilling ; and 

 if three blows, a discharge." In the Bridge-gate there 

 are eight alms-houses for an equal number of the poor 

 and aged of both sexes. Another alms-house, for the 

 widows of clergymen, is situated at the top of the Friar- 

 gate. The inmates, who are five, receive L.17 a year 

 each. For the education of the children of the poor, 

 the free-school in St Peter's church-yard was originally 

 intended, and has endowments to support two masters ; 

 but the only schools where the really poor are now ad- 

 mitted, are the Lancastrian and Bellian schools, which 

 have lately been established by subscriptions raised in 

 the town and neighbourhood. 



The principal buildings in Derby are, a county Jtnd 



