Pigot & Co's Commercial Directory for Derbyshire, 1835

“Tideswell, with the chapelry of Wormhill, Peak Forest and neighbourhoods”

Transcriptions by Rosemary Lockie, © Copyright 1996

TIDESWELL is a small market-town, in the parish of its name, in the hundred of High Peak, 160 miles from London, 32 N.N.W. from Derby. 25 S.E. from Manchester, 17 E. by S. from Sheffield, 6 W. by N. from Buxton, and 5 S. from Castleton. Tideswell was formerly celebrated for its ebbing and flowing well, from which it is asserted by some authorities to have derived its name; but the first account of the place is in Domesday book, in which, under the name Tiddeswall, it is mentioned as a royal demesne, having a chapel, which in 1215 was given by King John to the canons of Lichfield.

The present town is situate in a valley, among moorish and bleak hills, having a clear rivulet running through it, on each side of which are scattered the buildings, the houses being, with the exception of a few, mean in appearance. In the neighbourhood are some cotton manufactories and spinning works, but the majority of the labouring class are employed in agriculture.

The places of worship are, the parish church, and chapels for Wesleyan methodists and Roman catholics. The church, the greatest - indeed the only ornament of the town, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, is a remarkably fine cruciform structure, of the thirteenth century, principally in the decorated style of English architecture, having an embattled tower at the west end, surmounted by pinnacles. The church contains some ancient and interesting tombs, and monumental brasses, and two screens - one of carved oak, the other of stone, enriched with tracery. The living is a discharged vicarage, in the peculiar jurisdiction and patronage of the dean and chapter of Lichfield: the present incumbent is the Rev. Thomas Brown.

The free grammar school, here, was founded in 1560, under letters patent from Queen Elizabeth, obtained by Robert Pursglove, who endowed it with lands and a certain rent charge, the income arising from which, at present, amounts to about £227. per annum. In the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield is vested the privilege of appointing the master, and they, with the vicar and churchwardens, constitute a body corporate. In the vicinity is Monsal Dale, very much admired for its romantic scenery and picturesque beauty.

At Tunstead, a village two miles hence, was born Mr. Brindley, the celebrated engineer, employed in the stupendous undertakings of the late Duke of Bridgwater: he was the first person in this country who made aqueducts subservient to the purposes of canals. The market is held on Wednesday; and the fairs take place on the 3rd of May, the second Wednesday in September, and 29th October, principally for cattle and sheep. The parish of Tideswell contained, in 1821, 2,666 inhabitants, and in 1831, 2,807, of which last number 1,553 were returned for the town.

WORMHILL is a chapelry, in the parish of Tideswell, about two miles and a half W.S.W. from that town. The river Wye runs, in its vicinity, through the most picturesque scenery, particularly that of Chee Dale, in this chapelry. The rocks on both sides of the stream present a bold face of limestone and lava in alternate strata, which, when viewed from the narrow dell, appear, by the uniformity of their indentions and projections, to have been once united, and rent asunder, by some remarkable convulsion of nature.

‘Chee Torr’, a stupendous piece of rock, rises perpendicularly from the bottom of the dale to an altitude of nearly 400 feet, and is almost insulated by the river Wye, which flows at the foot of the mountain, The chapel here is dedicated to St. Margaret: the living is a perpetual curacy, in the gift of certain trustees.

The chapelry contained, at the last census, (taken in 1831), 313 persons.

PEAK FOREST is all extra parochial liberty, in the hundred of High Peak, about three miles and a half north-west from Tideswell. This district is in the honour of Tutbury, duchy of Lancaster, and within the jurisdiction of a court of pleas, held at Tutbury every third Tuesday, for the recovery of debts under 40s. The chapel here is dedicated to King Charles the Martyr: the living is a perpetual curacy in the peculiar jurisdiction of the dean and chapter of Lichfield, and in the patronage of the Duke of Devonshire. A free school here has a small endowment, for the education of ten poor children. The liberty contained, in 1831, 573 inhabitants, being fewer by thirty-four than were returned for it thirty years previous; and a reduction in the population of 107 persons since the census of 1821.

POST OFFICE:- George Inn, TIDESWELL, Joseph Leech, Post Master:- Letters arrive from STOCKPORT every evening at eight, and are despatched every afternoon at two. The names without address are in TIDESWELL.

GENTRY & CLERGY.
Arkwright Robert, esq. Stoke
Brown Rev. George Best
Brown Rev. Thomas
Chinn Rev. Henry Barrow

PROFESSIONAL PERSONS.
Brown John Montagu (attorney)
Buxton Geo. Alexander (surgeon)
Cheek William Henry (attorney)
Chinn Rev. Henry Burrow, master of the grammar school
Harrison Thomas, school master
Moore Methusalah (surgeon)

MANUFACTURERS OF COTTON GOODS.
Alcock John and Samuel
Hall Lawrence and Ralph
Turner James Aspinall and Co.

INNS & PUBLIC HOUSES.
Anchor, Francis Swindells
Boar, Joseph Longden, Peak Forest
Board, Joseph Slack, Wormhill
Bull's Head Inn, John Hudson
Cock, Thomas Plant
Cross Daggers, Robert Turner
Devonshire Arms, Mary Hawksworth, Wardlow mires
Dog, Edward Crooks
George Inn (commercial & posting house) Joseph Leech
Horse & Jockey, James Walton
King's Head, Samuel Hudson
New Inn, Thomas Winterbottom, Peak Forest
Pack Horse, Robt. Clayton, Peak Forest
Peacock, William Bingham
Red Lion, Matthias Heapy, Wormhill
Star, John Walton
Three Stags, Geo. Hill, Peak Forest
Three Tuns, Nancy Mosley
White Hart Samuel Hill

SHOPKEEPERS & TRADERS.
Bagshaw John, currier
Bagshaw John, shopkeeper
Bagshaw Peter, currier
Barnsley Joshua, shopkeeper
Bennett George, boot & shoe maker and shopkeeper
Bennett Samuel, joiner
Bennett William, boot & shoemaker
Bramwell Edward, butcher
Bramwell Jesse, boot & shoe maker
Bramwell Jos. boot & shoe maker
Bramwell Ralph, tailor
Bramwell Robert, joiner
Bramwell William, joiner
Brocklehurst John, plasterer
Brocklehurst Joseph, plasterer
Chapman George, butcher
Clayton Adam, wheelwright
Dawson James, tailor
Durant James, shopkeeper
Eyre Samuel, baker
Frost Joseph, joiner & wheelwright
Frost Joseph, shopkeeper
Frost Samuel, miller, Wormhill
Gilbert Anthony, linen draper
Goodwin Matthias, butcher
Gregory Abraham, blacksmith
Gregory Jacob, boot & shoe maker
Hall Robert, grocer & druggist
Hall Robert, plumber & glazier
Hall Thomas, boot & shoe maker
Hall Thomas, shopkeeper
Hallam Joseph, blacksmith
Handley Ralph, painter
Hankinson Thomas, grocer
Harrison Thomas, shopkeeper
Hill John, boot and shoe maker, Peak Forest
Hill John, butcher
Howard Edward, tinman & brazier
Hudson John, butcher
Hulme Anthony, butcher
Jackson Martha, butcher
Jenkinson Thos. tinman & brazier
Longden Richard, grocer & draper
Middleton Robert, baker
Moseley Thos. boot & shoe maker
Needham George, joiner
Newton Samuel, plumber & glazier
Newton Wm. cotton spinner, Litton
O'Haro William, tailor
Oven William, hatter
Plant Robert, watch, &c. maker
Plant Thomas, watch, &c. maker
Redfern Elizabeth, shopkeeper
Redfern Ralph Green Smith, butcher
Robinson James, tailor
Royston George, shopkeeper
Slack Samuel, plasterer, &c.
Slater Thomas, tailor
Sutton Amarius and Brother, horse dealers
Turner Charles, blacksmith
Turner Wm. joiner & wheelwright
Wallis Elizabeth, dress maker
Willis & Andrew, tanners & curriers, Gringleford bridge

COACHES.
To MANCHESTER, the Champion (from Nottingham) calls at the Anchor,
Tideswell, every day at half-past twelve; goes thro' Chapel-en-le-
Frith, Disley, and Stockport.
To NOTTINGHAM, the Champion (from Manchester) calls at the Anchor,
Tideswell, every day at half-past twelve; goes through Baslow,
Chesterfield, Mansfield, &c.

CARRIERS.
FROM TIDESWELL.
To CHESTERFIELD, Joseph Middleton, every Saturday, and James
Hibberson, daily.
To MANCHESTER, George Wain, every Friday, and James Hibberson,
daily.
To SHEFFIELD, Samuel Harrison, every Tuesday.

Description(s) from Pigot and Co's Commercial Directory for Derbyshire, 1835.
Transcribed by Rosemary Lockie in May 1996.

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