CONSERVATION AREA HISTORIES:
KING’S NEWTON
DISTRICT OF SOUTH DERBYSHIRE
There is docum
were held in fre
new village we
prospective set
might explain t
help to explain
Melbourne did.
As would be e
homesteads alo
rather than grow
the street fronta
there were back
one is still prese
through the Par
South of the str
‘grain’ of the ara
the new village
ploughland out
A general view of Main Street taken by Edward Martin of Melbourne (d 1921). By
courtesy of Melbourne Civic Society.
King’s Newton has always been part of the manor and parish of
Melbourne, but has a distinct character and jealously-guarded identity
of its own. Open land around the village physically separates it from
Melbourne, except at the west end where the two settlements now
meet on Packhorse Road.
Melbourne was a Royal manor at Domesday, and remained in Crown hands
until 1604. “Newtons”, i.e. new villages or settlements, were plentiful in
the 12th century, when the population was rising and the economy was
prospering. Lords of Manors set up new settlements to attract newcomers,
because they would themselves benefit from sales and rents. Some of these
new settlements succeeded and grew; others survived but failed to prosper.
Some failed utterly. King’s Newton is first mentioned early in the reign of
Henry II (c1160) simply as “Neutona”. The “King’s” prefix, which
distinguishes the village from other “Newtons” e.g. Newton Solney, does
not appear until later. It is “Neutone Regis” in the Assize Rolls of 1269,
anglicised to “Kyngesneuton” in the Assize Rolls of 1306.
There is little documentary evidence to shed light on the early fortunes of
King’s Newton, but it seems to have been a modest venture and there is no
evidence that it was ever expected to become large or important. It has
been suggested that one incentive for people to settle there was provided
by the option to hold plots by “free socage”, i.e. the liberty to do as one
liked with one’s property subject to a small token rent to a superior lord.
This was the mediaeval equivalent of freehold property today. In Melbourne,
by contrast, most property in the ancient village centre appears to have
been “copyhold”. This was a less free form of tenure, finally abolished in
1922.
-1 -
A charter of 123
at Melbourne on
Newton on Satu
Newton was pa
a new grant wou
of King’s Newto
Despite the rela
documentary ev
as early as the
unreplaced dem
small lanes arou
until the Parliam
erased by the p
shortly afterwar
The village faile
an almost exclus
dominance of t
the houses and
Raggs, Beresfo
maintained an a
The “deserted”
formerly a strin
along Trent Lan
Farm (24) on T
of the last unrep
gave its name t
again until after
The meagre evi
south axis of th
the village alon
RIES:
ON
HIRE
921). By
and parish of
uarded identity
parates it from
ttlements now
in Crown hands
were plentiful in
e economy was
act newcomers,
s. Some of these
ailed to prosper.
y in the reign of
prefix, which
on Solney, does
e Rolls of 1269,
.
early fortunes of
e and there is no
mportant. It has
e was provided
rty to do as one
a superior lord.
y. In Melbourne,
ppears to have
lly abolished in
There is documentary evidence to prove that some plots at King’s Newton
were held in free socage, while others were copyhold. Perhaps plots in the
new village were offered on both terms according to the purse of the
prospective settler. The presence of early freeholders in King’s Newton
might explain the separatist tradition in relation to Melbourne, and may
help to explain why it became more prosperous in relation to its size than
Melbourne did.
As would be expected of a “new town”, the orderly layout of the
homesteads along Main Street seems consistent with deliberate planning
rather than growth by gradual accretion. The buildings and yards lie along
the street frontage, with crofts behind them. North and south of the street
there were back lanes (see plan) giving access to the crofts. The northern
one is still preserved by Sleepy (formerly Johnson’s) Lane and by a footpath
through the Park behind the Hall, but the southern one no longer exists.
South of the street, the alignment of the plot boundaries followed the
‘grain’ of the arable lands adjacent to the village, perhaps suggesting that
the new village plots were first created by enclosing groups of arable
ploughland out of the parish open field system.
A charter of 1231 directed that a market granted to the Bishop of Carlisle
at Melbourne on Wednesdays in 1230 should henceforth be held at King’s
Newton on Saturdays. The change of venue is difficult to explain; King’s
Newton was part of the manor of Melbourne anyway, so it is unclear why
a new grant would be necessary to authorise the move. Was it a recognition
of King’s Newton’s success, or was it an effort to avoid failure?
Despite the relative wealth of King’s Newton in relation to Melbourne,
documentary evidence shows that the village was thinning out and shrinking
as early as the 16th century, and there is plentiful evidence of further
unreplaced demolitions in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. A network of
small lanes around the village (shown as broken lines on the plan) survived
until the Parliamentary Enclosure of Melbourne in 1787-1791. Some were
erased by the provisions of the Enclosure Award, and others disappeared
shortly afterwards.
The village failed to diversify during the Industrial Revolution, maintaining
an almost exclusive dependence on agriculture. Nevertheless, the increasing
dominance of the Melbourne Estate as chief owner there, coupled with
the houses and lesser estates of King’s Newton gentry families such as the
Raggs, Beresfords and Cantrells, ensured that King’s Newton always
maintained an air of gentility and dignity in spite of its dwindling population.
The “deserted” zones of the village can still be identified. There was
formerly a string of old houses on the north-south axis of the village i.e.
along Trent Lane and Jawbone Lane. A few still survive, including Elms
Farm (24) on Trent Lane, and “Charnwood” (26) on Jawbone Lane. One
of the last unreplaced demolitions was of Mrs. Ward’s cottage (1), which
gave its name to Ward’s Lane, in 1863. The village did not start to grow
again until after the Second World War.
The meagre evidence suggests that the built development along the northsouth axis of the village was more irregular than in the “planned” part of
the village along Main Street. So which part came first? One possibility,
-2-
which deserves
Street was graf
gradually migrat
Newton seems
the crossroads o
east-west along
cremation cem
excavation of th
the Bishop of C
stimulated a mig
It is a tantalisin
Domesday Boo
may have been
manor house an
had shrunk so s
downstream of
recorded in old
pool with its da
also had its own
1623, suggest th
at the Reformat
The preservatio
result of centurie
town during th
honoured agric
rebuilt or impro
The pattern of o
sale at auction o
in 1919 and 192
of the village, th
There had form
exceptions the l
The focal poin
space is small, b
1231. The step
found in a nearb
association can
church. The cro
commemorate
was never crow
Sir Cecil Paget o
a kerb for a larg
King’s Newton
Three handsom
Newton House
of them (17). It
mellow, limewa
chimneystack an
the walls are o
t King’s Newton
haps plots in the
he purse of the
King’s Newton
ourne, and may
n to its size than
y layout of the
berate planning
d yards lie along
uth of the street
s. The northern
nd by a footpath
o longer exists.
es followed the
suggesting that
oups of arable
shop of Carlisle
be held at King’s
explain; King’s
t is unclear why
s it a recognition
ilure?
to Melbourne,
ut and shrinking
ence of further
s. A network of
e plan) survived
791. Some were
ers disappeared
on, maintaining
s, the increasing
e, coupled with
ilies such as the
Newton always
ling population.
ied. There was
f the village i.e.
including Elms
bone Lane. One
tage (1), which
ot start to grow
along the northplanned” part of
One possibility,
which deserves further study, could be that the “new town” along Main
Street was grafted onto a pre-existing settlement on Trent Lane, which
gradually migrated to the site of modern-day Melbourne. Strategically, King’s
Newton seems to command a better situation than Melbourne, being at
the crossroads of a road leading to ferries over the Trent and a road leading
east-west along the edge of the Trent valley. Significantly, a Pagan Saxon
cremation cemetery (27) was found at King’s Newton in 1867 during
excavation of the railway cutting. But by the 14th century Melbourne boasted
the Bishop of Carlisle’s house and the King’s castle, which may have
stimulated a migration there.
It is a tantalising thought that the settlement described at Melbourne in
Domesday Book could have been based at King’s Newton, and that there
may have been very little on the site of modern day Melbourne, except the
manor house and church, until later on. In the mediaeval period, before it
had shrunk so significantly, King’s Newton had its own mill. Immediately
downstream of a close called Mill Holme, a marshy area and a footbridge
recorded in old Ordnance Survey plans (28) may indicate a former mill
pool with its dam serving as a crossing point of the brook. King’s Newton
also had its own mediaeval chapel. Title deeds, and a manorial survey of
1623, suggest that it stood just north of Elms Farm (23). It was ransacked
at the Reformation, in 1552.
The preservation of the village in its quaint old-fashioned state today is the
result of centuries of stagnation. While Melbourne became a manufacturing
town during the 18th and 19th centuries, King’s Newton retained its timehonoured agricultural dignity. Old farmbuildings and some houses were
rebuilt or improved, but there was scarcely any new development.
The pattern of ownership in King’s Newton was radically changed by the
sale at auction of the Melbourne Estate and Cantrell Estate property there,
in 1919 and 1921 respectively. Between them they had owned the majority
of the village, though the Melbourne Estate was by far the largest owner.
There had formerly been a number of smaller freeholders, but with a few
exceptions the larger estates had bought them out by the Victorian period.
King’s Newto
foreground. B
repairs. The unc
mullioned wind
the window fram
a late 17th centu
Cantrell collect
the Georgian re
The other two
House (20) was
as “a new and co
An older wing to
divided in two
century piecem
The focal point of the village is the crossroads at the centre (19). The
space is small, but is presumably the site of the weekly market granted in
1231. The steps of the market cross still remain. The head of a cross,
found in a nearby well in the 19th century, probably belonged to it, but the
association cannot be proven. It is now in the north transept of the parish
church. The cross steps are now surmounted by a modern cross erected to
commemorate the accession to the throne of Edward VIII, the King who
was never crowned, in 1936. The prime mover in providing the Cross was
Sir Cecil Paget of King’s Newton Hall. Previously the cross steps acted as
a kerb for a large lime tree, said to have been planted by Thomas Scott of
King’s Newton around 1780.
Three handsome houses command the road junction at the cross. King’s
Newton House, former home of the Cantrell family, is the most imposing
of them (17). It has a continental appearance, with small sash windows in
mellow, limewashed walls. It tries to pass as Georgian, but the large central
chimneystack and small windows betray its earlier origins. Beneath the render
the walls are of stone, raised in brick, partially uncovered during recent
-3-
This cruck- fr
“Crown Cotta
Trent Lane, run
the Trent at Kin
meadow and pa
wn” along Main
nt Lane, which
ategically, King’s
ourne, being at
d a road leading
a Pagan Saxon
in 1867 during
bourne boasted
hich may have
t Melbourne in
n, and that there
urne, except the
period, before it
ill. Immediately
nd a footbridge
te a former mill
King’s Newton
norial survey of
was ransacked
tate today is the
a manufacturing
etained its timeme houses were
opment.
changed by the
property there,
ned the majority
e largest owner.
, but with a few
Victorian period.
Today, the histo
of modern hous
interesting grou
regrettably dem
King’s Newton House, former house of the Cantrell family, with the cross in the
foreground. By courtesy of John Parker.
repairs. The uncovered areas showed no sign that the house ever had stone
mullioned windows, except to the basement. Assuming, therefore, that
the window frames were always of timber rather than of stone with mullions,
a late 17th century date might reasonably be suggested. A notebook in the
Cantrell collection at the Derbyshire Record Office (D73) suggests that
the Georgian reworking was carried out in 1802-4.
The other two houses by the Cross are Cofton and Cross House. Cross
House (20) was also built by the Cantrells and was advertised to let in 1809
as “a new and convenient house with out offices for a small genteel family”.
An older wing to the rear was pulled down and rebuilt when the house was
divided in two in the 1950s. Cofton (18) appears to be an 18th and 19th
century piecemeal rebuilding of an older house.
Elms Farm, T
previous hous
Further down o
the mediaeval
then, from 1423
of the village w
was rebuilt by th
The previous h
November 1800
by the high pri
Briggs (1819-18
and published
only 20.
entre (19). The
arket granted in
ead of a cross,
ged to it, but the
ept of the parish
cross erected to
I, the King who
g the Cross was
s steps acted as
Thomas Scott of
At the lower en
railway in 1867)
Briggs asserts
documentary e
before 1603, so
predecessor of
assume any con
Newton were si
and were not m
King’s Newton
now a storage d
Second World W
he cross. King’s
most imposing
ash windows in
the large central
neath the render
ed during recent
Returning agai
Pevsner’s “Build
in Derbyshire. It
enhanced by sto
by the Melbour
note, and the st
and stone built h
This cruck- framed house on Trent Lane was pulled down and replaced by the present
“Crown Cottage” in 1888-9. By courtesy of Lord Ralph Kerr.
Trent Lane, running north of the cross, once gave access to ferries across
the Trent at Kings Mills and Weston Cliff. It also gave access to the wet
meadow and pastureland by the Trent, hence its former name Marsh Lane.
-4-
Today, the historic character of the village is broken up by a concentration
of modern houses here. Nos. 19-21 on the west side occupy the site of an
interesting group of 17th century cottages known as “Stone Fronts” (25),
regrettably demolished under a clearance order confirmed in 1961.
in the
e ever had stone
, therefore, that
ne with mullions,
notebook in the
3) suggests that
s House. Cross
ed to let in 1809
genteel family”.
n the house was
an 18th and 19th
y the present
to ferries across
cess to the wet
me Marsh Lane.
Elms Farm, Trent Lane, built by Melbourne Estate after an arson attack destroyed the
previous house in 1800. By courtesy of John Wesson.
Further down on the west side, Elms Farm (24) can be traced back into
the mediaeval period first as the probable home of the Elys family and
then, from 1423, of the Rivetts. The name recalls the time when this part
of the village was referred to as “at the elm tree”. The present farmhouse
was rebuilt by the Melbourne Estate in 1802-4 for their tenant John Briggs.
The previous house and buildings were destroyed by an arson attack in
November 1800, arising out of widespread ill-feeling towards farmers caused
by the high price of corn during the Napoleonic Wars. Briggs’ son J. J.
Briggs (1819-1876) was a writer of poetry, natural history and local history,
and published the first of his three histories of Melbourne in 1839 aged
only 20.
At the lower end of Trent Lane, in Hall Close (22, 22, cut in two by the
railway in 1867), there was reputed to have been a large mediaeval house.
Briggs asserts that it was once occupied by the Radcliffe family, but
documentary evidence shows that the close had belonged to the Eyres
before 1603, so the house may have been theirs. It is said to have been the
predecessor of the present Hall on Main Street, but there is no need to
assume any connection whatever between the two. The “Halls” at King’s
Newton were simply the residences of the most important landed families,
and were not manor houses. Several halls could have existed at once in
King’s Newton – and probably did. At the bottom of Trent Lane there is
now a storage depot, on part of a large site once occupied by an important
Second World War military depot with extensive sidings.
Returning again to the cross, King’s Newton’s Main Street is praised in
Pevsner’s “Buildings of England” as one of the most attractive village streets
in Derbyshire. It is punctuated with some handsome and characterful houses,
enhanced by stone boundary walls. The lime trees planted along the street
by the Melbourne Estate in front of their property in 1856 add a formal
note, and the street is particularly notable for its mixture of timber-framed
and stone built houses.
-5-
Moving west along the south side of Main Street, Church House (16) is an
atmospheric, stylish and prominent building with semicircular steps
projecting into the pavement and triangular pediments over the windows.
Described as “new built” in 1708, it was originally the home of the Beresford
family who occupied it for more than a century. The present name recalls
its short-lived use as a Chapel of Ease to Melbourne Parish Church,
beginning in October 1850.
The former farmhouse next door at The Limes (15) was rebuilt in 1813 by
its tenant John Newbold, who noted the payments for his new house in his
notebook. It cost £239 17s 0˘d. He built the house on Melbourne estate
property, but it was not uncommon at that time for tenants to pay for the
rebuilding of their houses, as they could reasonably expect to live in them
for many years afterwards.
Nos. 54 - 62 Main Street (12 & 13) are an attractive range of stone, brick
and timber framed buildings, formerly thatched, flanking the public footpath
to Melbourne. No 56 (12) shows a pair of crucks on the east gable and
there are two further pairs inside. This building was once a public house
called the Chequer. The buildings at the back were built by the Melbourne
Estate for William Astle in 1910. They replaced Astle’s outbuildings and
grounds at King’s Newton Hall, sold to Mr. Paget when he set about
rebuilding the Hall.
“Four Gables” and the “Hardinge Arms” are another important group (7
& 9), both originally farmhouses. “Four Gables” (9) was the farmstead of
the Scott family for several generations until 1848, when the farmland was
split from it. The “Hardinge Arms” (7) was bought by the Melbourne
Estate in 1766, having previously been the property of the Bucknalls.
William Bucknall had bought it from Elizabethan land speculators Messrs.
Branthwaite and Bromley in 1589, suggesting that it may have been chantry
property successfully “concealed” from the Crown for some time after the
Reformation.
The “Newton Wonder” apple, a combined eater and cooker, was first
propagated in the back garden of the Hardinge Arms by William Taylor in
the 1880s. Taylor’s wife ran a beerhouse, which became the fully licensed
“Hardinge Arms” in the early 20th century. Modern houses (8) were built
on the former orchard in 2004.
The western extremity of the conservation area is marked by the Pack
Horse Inn (2), originally built on land encroached from the public highway.
As such, the property there belonged to the Lord of the Manor and the
occupants were there by his sufferance in return for a rent. John Ince, a
former tenant of the pub, gained ownership of it by an exchange agreement
in 1791. Over the door are the date 1727 and the initials WCM. Manorial
rentals and papers, complemented by the parish registers, reveal that the
initials must represent William and Mary Cartwright, who had several
children baptised from 1726 onwards. The property was in existence by
1687.
“The Old Alehouse” next door (3) is said to have been the “doss house”
for users of the packhorse. Its constructional details suggest that it may
have started out as an outbuilding, converted to a dwelling later on.
-6-
King’s Newton
By courtesy of
The north side o
King’s Newton H
in 1859 destroye
The present buil
(Sir Cecil Paget fr
The original ma
the four main ga
The Hall and its l
Newton in the m
and was probab
Newton itself. It
the King’s Newto
before the fire w
and became larg
create the beginn
away and old rid
Surviving deeds
1649-60. It is int
cleared away to
Main Street, inclu
The superstructu
was probably pa
is a modern one
destroyed by va
inscription in La
The last digits, m
the inscription wa
before, would be
on the edge of R
The park never d
of King’s Newto
1735 meant that r
because there w
Chantry House (
owners in King’
ouse (16) is an
icircular steps
r the windows.
of the Beresford
nt name recalls
arish Church,
built in 1813 by
ew house in his
lbourne estate
s to pay for the
to live in them
of stone, brick
public footpath
east gable and
a public house
the Melbourne
tbuildings and
n he set about
ortant group (7
he farmstead of
e farmland was
he Melbourne
the Bucknalls.
ulators Messrs.
ve been chantry
e time after the
oker, was first
illiam Taylor in
e fully licensed
(8) were built
ed by the Pack
public highway.
Manor and the
nt. John Ince, a
nge agreement
WCM. Manorial
reveal that the
ho had several
n existence by
e “doss house”
gest that it may
later on.
Mr. Henry Orton
old house was q
1851 into the Tu
Stevens of Derb
remodelling, app
field belonging t
cared, that Chan
exchange agreem
King’s Newton Hall, photographed shortly after its destruction by fire in April, 1859.
By courtesy of Philip Heath.
The north side of Main Street is dominated by the grey stone gables of
King’s Newton Hall (10). The Hall stood in ruins for fifty years after a fire
in 1859 destroyed all but the outer walls of the early 17th century building.
The present building dates largely from a rebuilding in 1910 by Cecil Paget
(Sir Cecil Paget from 1923), General Superintendent of the Midland Railway.
The original masonry was carefully preserved where possible, including
the four main gables and some of the external chimneystacks.
The Hall and its lands had been purchased by Nicholas Harding from John
Newton in the mid 16th century. It was “Aunciently called Newton Hall”,
and was probably named after the Newton family rather than after King’s
Newton itself. It remained in the possession of the Harding family until
the King’s Newton branch became extinct in 1729. The house as it existed
before the fire was probably all of their making, and as the house evolved
and became larger the family bought up neighbouring land and property to
create the beginnings of a park at the back of it (5). Buildings were cleared
away and old ridge and furrow ploughlands were converted to pasture.
Surviving deeds suggest that most of the purchases took place in the period
1649-60. It is interesting to note that the fossilised remains of buildings
cleared away to create the park can still be seen in the park wall against
Main Street, including a substantial barn with ventilation slits (6).
The superstructure of the holywell (4), reached by a path off Ward’s Lane,
was probably part of the creation of the park. The present stone structure
is a modern one of 1984, based on the design of its 17th century predecessor,
destroyed by vandals in 1948. The original structure had a lintel with an
inscription in Latin, recording that it was built by Robert Hardinge in 16**.
The last digits, made indistinct by weathering, were interpreted as 62 when
the inscription was recut in 1868. The Holywell, perhaps messy and unkempt
before, would be transformed by the new wellhead into an attractive feature
on the edge of Robert Harding’s new park.
The park never developed beyond its present embryonic state. The purchase
of King’s Newton Hall and its estate by the Cokes of Melbourne Hall in
1735 meant that rapid development of the Hall and its grounds was arrested,
because there was no longer an owner-occupier in residence.
Chantry House (11) was the ancient family home of the Ragg family, major
owners in King’s Newton until about 1800. It was purchased in 1848 by
-7-
This cottage o
By courtesy o
Orton’s pottery e
of red clay on his
Trent to be fired
Orton advertise
of 1857, but the
King’s Newton p
Asylum, of can
business continu
closed by 1899. T
as a landfill site.
East of Chantry
but were much
were still part tim
no. 65 from the
blades.
Philip Heath.
Designed and p
March 2005. Seri
are those of the
views of the Dis
If you require
braille or larg
Services Mana
Mr. Henry Orton, who set up a pottery and brickworks in the village. The
old house was quite plain when Orton bought it, but was transformed in
1851 into the Tudoresque confection we see today, to designs by Henry
Stevens of Derby. Its name “Chantry House” seems to date only from this
remodelling, apparently taken from no better authority than the name of a
field belonging to it, called Chantry Close. Orton may not have known, or
cared, that Chantry Close had only belonged to Chantry House since an
exchange agreement of 1708, long after the Chantries had been dissolved.
pril, 1859.
tone gables of
ears after a fire
ntury building.
0 by Cecil Paget
idland Railway.
ible, including
cks.
ding from John
Newton Hall”,
han after King’s
ng family until
use as it existed
house evolved
and property to
gs were cleared
ted to pasture.
ce in the period
ns of buildings
rk wall against
its (6).
off Ward’s Lane,
stone structure
ry predecessor,
a lintel with an
ardinge in 16**.
ted as 62 when
y and unkempt
ttractive feature
e. The purchase
bourne Hall in
ds was arrested,
e.
This cottage on Ward’s Lane, pulled down in 1863, was occupied by the Ward family.
By courtesy of Margaret Jackson.
Orton’s pottery enterprise began in 1853, when he discovered a fine bed
of red clay on his land (at 21). Trial pieces of pottery were sent to Stoke on
Trent to be fired, with promising results, and a pottery works was set up.
Orton advertised his extensive products in White’s Derbyshire directory
of 1857, but the pottery failed after a few years and Henry Orton sold his
King’s Newton property in 1861. He died in 1878 at the County Lunatic
Asylum, of cancer of the face and neck. The brickmaking side of the
business continued, run for a time by R. R. Bennett of Derby etc., but had
closed by 1899. The “brick hole”, as the clay pit was known, was later used
as a landfill site.
East of Chantry House, nos. 63-67 Main Street (14) have ancient origins
but were much altered and rebuilt in the 1960s. In the 19th century they
were still part timber framed and thatched. The party walls that separate
no. 65 from the adjacent cottages each still contain a fine pair of cruck
blades.
Philip Heath.
Designed and published by South Derbyshire District Council.
March 2005. Series Editor: Philip Heath. The views and opinions expressed
are those of the author(s) concerned and do not necessarily reflect the
views of the District Council.
If you require a copy of this information in another language,
braille or large print format please contact the Customer
Services Manager on 01283 595784.
gg family, major
sed in 1848 by
Map reproduced with
Information Group Lt
-8-