Swarkestoneis a village andcivil parishin theSouth Derbyshiredistrict ofDerbyshire,England. The population at the 2011 Census was 187.[1]
| Swarkestone | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Swarkestone Location withinDerbyshire | |
| Population | 187 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | SK372286 |
| Civil parish |
|
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | DERBY |
| Postcode district | DE73 |
| Dialling code | 01332 |
| Police | Derbyshire |
| Fire | Derbyshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament | |
Swarkestone has a very old village church, a full cricket pitch, a canal with a Georgian lock keepers cottage and moorings. It was mentioned twice inDomesdayasSorchestunorSuerchestune,when it was worth twenty shillings.[2]
History
editThe village
editEvidence of theBeaker peopleliving near Swarkestone was discovered in the 1950s. At that time it was estimated that people had lived near Swarkestone for at least 3,800 years.[3]The only survivingBronze Agebarrow cemetery in the Trent valley is at Swarkestone Lows near the A50. The barrow is a registered national monument.[4]
In theDomesday Book,Swarkestone was held by the King (William the conqueror) and byHenry de Ferrers.[2]
In theBattle of Swarkestone Bridgeduring theEnglish Civil War(1643) it was defended by theRoyalistsagainst theParliamentarians,but the outnumberedCavalierslost the day.
In 1745 during theJacobite risingled byBonnie Prince Charlie,the advance party of his army reached here to gain control of the crossing of the Trent. Finding no reports of support from the south, they turned back to Derby; the invading army then retreated toScotlandand final defeat at theBattle of Culloden.Swarkestone was thereby the most southerly point reached during that army's advance on London.[5]
Swarkestone Bridge
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The ancient bridge at Swarkestone crosses theRiver Trentabout 6 miles south ofDerbyand was for about 300 years the Midlands' main crossing of the Trent. The only crossing betweenBurton Upon TrentandNottingham,[6]it is currentlyGrade I Listedand aScheduled Ancient Monument.Swarkestone bridge was built in the 13th century to cross the river and its surrounding marshes, between the villages ofSwarkstoneandStanton by Bridge.[7]It was financed by the two Bellamont sisters. Both had become engaged and were to throw a joint celebration; their fiancés, however, had to meet the local barons on the far side of the river.[6]Following a storm the Trent became swollen; eager to return to their brides-to-be and their party, the men tried to ford the river on horseback: both were swept away and drowned.[6]The Bellamont sisters commissioned the bridge so that no one else would suffer the tragedy they had.[6]Neither sister married and both died in poverty having exhausted their fortune on building the bridge.[6]They were buried in a single grave inPrestwold, Leicestershire.[citation needed]
Sport
editSwarkestone Cricket Clubis an English amateurcricketclub with a history of cricket in the village dating back to the 1930s.[8]The club ground is on Barrow Turn in the village.[9]Swarkestone field three senior teams in theDerbyshire County Cricket League,[10]three women's teams in the Derbyshire Cricket Foundation Competitions[11]and an established junior training section that play competitive cricket in the South Derbyshire Development Group.[12]The club is a registered charity. They are the reigning Derbyshire Premier League Champions, having won the title on four occasions: 2013, 2016, 2022 and 2023.[13]
The Pavilion
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Nearby is theJacobeangrandstand calledSwarkestone Hall Pavilionand walled area, formerly connected with Harpur Hall, where (it is believed, see Pevsner, loc. cit.), they used tobait bulls.The pavilion is attributed to John Smythson who also designedBolsover Castle,and is Grade I Listed.[14]It was repaired and is now owned by theLandmark Trustwhich maintains it and lets it to holidaymakers.
Images
edit-
Swarkestone Lock and Keeper's House -
Swarkestone Lowes
Notable residents
edit- Thomas Bancroft,poet, was born here in the early 17th century.[15]
See also
editThechain ferryatTwyfordwas the next crossing north of the Swarkestone Bridge.
References
edit- ^"Civil Parish population 2011".Neighbourhood Statistics.Office for National Statistics.Retrieved31 March2016.
- ^abDomesday Book: A Complete Translation.London: Penguin, 2003.ISBN0-14-143994-7p.742 & 749
- ^Beaker Folk site found in BritainNew York Times December 1956
- ^Historic England."Lows Barrow (1019060)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved7 September2014.
- ^"Bonnie Prince Charlie banished from Derby again".The Derby Telegraph.3 December 2012. Archived fromthe originalon 24 September 2015.Retrieved30 March2015.
- ^abcdeWadd, Barbara (2007).More Ghost Walks in Derbyshire.Wiltshire: Cromwell Press.ISBN978-1-85983-556-2.
- ^Historic England."Swarkestone Bridge and Causeway (1088337)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved7 September2014.
- ^Derbyshire Marston's Pedigree County Cricket League Centenary Yearbook.Derbyshire: DCCL. 2019. p. 127,128 & 181,182.
- ^"Cricket Club".swarkestone.play-cricket.com.Swarkestone CC.Retrieved23 October2023.
- ^"Derbyshire County Cricket League".derbyscountylge.play-cricket.com.DCCL.Retrieved23 October2023.
- ^"Derbyshire Cricket Foundation Competitions".dcfcompetitions.play-cricket.com.DCFC.Retrieved23 October2023.
- ^"South Derbyshire Development Group".sderbysdg.play-cricket.com.SDDG.Retrieved23 October2023.
- ^"DCCL Competition results".derbyscountylge.play-cricket.com.DCCL.Retrieved23 October2023.
- ^Landmark Trust – Swarkestone Pavilion
- ^Thomas Bancroft in theDictionary of National Biography
External links
edit
- Swarkestonein theDomesday Book
- Swarkestone:historical and genealogical information atGENUKI.