BRAMPTON, an extensive parish and village, pleasantly situated 3½ miles W. by N. from Chesterfield, consists of many scattered hamlets and pleasant houses; and at the north extremity the constablewick of Cutthorpe, the whole of which keep their poor conjointly, and for parochial purposes is divided into the Upper and Lower divisions. It contains 8,000 acres of land, 840 houses, and 3,937 inhabitants, of whom 1,936 were males, and 2,001 females. Rateable value, £9,764 16s. Population in 1801, 2,047; in 1831, 3,595, including Cutthorpe, which is returned as containing 333 inhabitants. The Duke of Devonshire is the principal owner and lord of the manor, chiefly freehold; a part of Cutthorpe is copyhold. The Duke of Portland, Sir George Sitwell, Bart., and Robert Arkwright , Esq. And others, are also owners. The church, dedicated to St Peter and St Paul, is a perpetual curacy, valued at £143, has been augmented with £800 benefaction, and £200 Queen Anne's bounty; Bishop of Lichfleld is now the patron, formerly the gift of the Dean of Lincoln; and the Rev. William Peach, M.A. incumbent. The church is an ancient embattled structure, on a bold elevation, on the north side of the village: it has nave, chancel, side aisles, low tower, from which rises a short contracted spire. The parsonage is situate near the church, and has 30 acres of glebe; the tithes have been commuted, the large for £411 8s. 10d, and the small for £90 6s. 4d. A school and residence for the master were erected here in 1830, towards which the National School Society gave £100 for endowment.

BRAMPTON MOOR and NEW BRAMPTON form the south east portion of the parish. An act was obtained for inclosing the Moor in 1825, which now forms a populous district, adjoining to Chesterfield, where a district church, St Thomas, was erected in 1830, and opened in 1831. The Methodists and Primitive Methodists have chapels here, erected in 1827; and a national school has also been erected. The parish is about seven miles in length from east to west, and 3½ miles in breadth, New Brampton forming the east extremity. It is noted for its extensive brown earthenware and stonebottle manufacture, generally designated as Chesterfield Ware.

Three manors are noticed in Brampton (Brantane) at Domesday survey, two of which belonged lo Ascolt Muscard, the other to Walter Deincourt. The two former appear to have been united at an early period. This manor ot Brampton was given by King Henry II. to Peter de Brampton, whom it is supposed was the second son of Matilda de Cauz or Caus, heiress of the barony of Caus, by her second husband, Adam de Berkin, the grandson of this Peter assumed the name of De Caus. This family became extinct in the male line, about the year 1460: two of the co-heiresses married Ash and Baguley, or Balguy. The whole of the manor of Brampton, otherwise Caus-hall, became eventually, by purchase, the property of the Earl of Shrewsbury; it was purchased of the Shrewsbury family by the Earl ot Newcastle; and was, in 1641, valued at £142 4s. 8d. per annum. Having passed with other estates to the Dnke of Portland, it was included in an exchange with the late Duke of Devonshire.

BIRLEY GRANGE formerly belonged to the monastry of Lowth.

Brampton House, 1 mile W. from Chesterfield, is the property and residence of Mr William Claughton.

Bridge House, ¼ mile W.N.W. form Chesterfield, is the property and residence of Mr Benjamin Booth. Ashgate, an ancient mansion, formerly the property of the Clarks, 2 miles W. of Chesterfield, is now the property and residence of John Gorrell Barnes Esq.

CUTTHORPE, a small village, pleasantly situated on an eminence commanding fine views, forms the north side of the parish, 1½ miles N. by E. from Brampton. The Hall, now a farm house, is avery ancient building, the property of W.H. De Rodes, Esq.

Linacre, formerly esteemed a subordinate manor, was the seat of an ancient family named Linacre.

Somersall Hall, a venerable mansion, formerly a seat of the Clarkes, 2 miles S.W from Chesterfield, is now the property and seat of Samuel Johnson, Esq.

THREE BIRCH, a farm and district, noted for extensive slate quarries.

WATSHELF, WATCHELL, or WADESEEL, which took its name form Wade, the saxon owner, in the reign of Edward the Confessor; was given by the Musards to Beauchief Abbey. It is a small village, which forms the S.W. extremity of the parish.

WIGLEY, a small village, ½ mile N. form Watshelf, was the original residence of the ancient family of Wigley The scattered farms are named in the directory.

Transcribed by Stephen Kimberley. Reproduced by courtesy of Jayne McHugh.