Astwith

Astwith
Derbyshire
Astwith Lane in the hamlet of Astwith.
Location
Grid reference:	SK442638
Location:	53°10’12"N, 1°20’24"W
Data
Post town:	Chesterfield
Postcode:	S45
Local Government
Council:	Bolsover

Astwith is a village in Derbyshire, close by Ault Hucknall. For many decades it was a part of the manor of Stainsby, which is recorded as Steinesbei in the Domesday Book of 1086.

The name of the village may come from the Old English æsc ford (ash-tree ford) or east ford (east ford). The ford would have been where there is now a bridge, on the lane from Stainsby.

History

No record of Astwith by name is found until the 13th century, from which time the name appears as Estewayt, Est(th)wayt, Estweit and Eswheyt.

In the 13th century, Adeluga, widow of Robert le Sauvage, released among other bequests, one messuage and one bovate of land at Estewyte to John de Sauvage and his heirs.

The Savage family are believed to have held Astwith among other local lands until 1593, when Bess of Hardwick purchased them from the Lord Chancellor and Auditor for the sum of £9,500. Following her death, her son William 1st Lord Cavendish, had a survey of all his lands carried out by William Senior in 1609/1610. At this time Astwith is recorded with a total acreage of 508 acres and seven named residents. The common extended to 169 acres. Unlike other local villages which were built along a main street with tofts on either side, Astwith was ranged along the edge of the common.

By the time of the 1839 Tithe Awards, the village had grown to 17 households, although the acreage farmed had remained the same in total. Communications to local towns had been improved by the development of the turnpike road between Tibshelf and Temple Normanton in the 1820s. Access roads into the village from the turnpike were improved and the housing centre of the village moved to this access road.

The village remained in the ownership of the Dukes of Devonshire until 1959, when it was passed to the National Trust as part of the death duty settlement of the 10th Duke.

About the village

Most of the village is now in private ownership, after the National Trust began to dispose of its holding of residential buildings in the 1970s. The Trust retains much of the land which is farmed by the one working farm in the village or by the farm at Hardwick Park within the grounds of Hardwick Hall which they run in partnership with the farmer. Many of the properties in the village remain under building covenants held by the Trust.

A circular walk of around five and a half miles is centred on Astwith and is a part of the longer 'Five Pits Trail' which connects Tibshelf, Holmewood and Grassmoor.

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Astwith)