The neighbourhood of Repton is full of objects of interest for the antiquary, geologist, botanist, or the lover of the picturesque.
Beginning with Repton, with its church, camp, &c., which date back to the 9th century, down to Stretton with its most beautiful 19th century church, the antiquary will find many objects of interest. The geologist will find much to interest him in the gypsum quarries and mines at Chellaston Hill, and the carboniferous limestone quarries at Tickenhall, Calke, and Breedon Hill. In the pages of “Contributions to the Flora of Derbyshire,” by the Rev. W. H. Painter, the botanist will find a list of plants, &c., to be found in the neighbourhood. The lover of the picturesque will find much to please him in the varied scenery of the valley of the Trent, and its numerous tributaries. The views from such points as Askew Hill, Bretby Clump, King’s Newton and Breedon Hill, are scarcely to be equalled in any county of England. The plan adopted in the following descriptions of towns, &c., is to group together those which lie close to one another, so that the visitor may visit them together in his walk or drive. All are within about eight miles of Repton.
ASHBY-DE-LA-ZOUCH.
What reader of “Ivanhoe” does not remember one scene, at least, in that well-known romance, “The Gentle and Joyous Passage of Arms of Ashby,” which has shed such a lasting halo of chivalry over that town? Sir Walter Scott had often stayed with Sir George Beaumont, at Coleorton Hall, and, no doubt, had visited all the places connected with the history of the locality. The Castle of Ashby in which “Prince John held high festival,” as Sir Walter writes, “is not the same building of which the stately ruins still interest the traveller,” but the description given of the field in which the tournament was held, corresponds, in a most minute manner, with the “Tournament Field,” still so called, at the neighbouring village of Smisby, and has for ages been identified with that famous “Passage of Arms.” Eight miles south-east of Repton this very interesting “habitation among the ash trees” is situated.
The first authentic mention we have of it is about the year 1066, when William the Conqueror granted the Manor to Hugh de Grentemaisnel, one of his most valiant captains at the battle of Hastings. In Domesday Book we read of its having a priest and church. Soon afterwards it fell into the hands of Robert de Beaumeis, another Norman, whose successor, Philip, granted “the church of St. Helen of Ashby, with the church of Blackfordby,” &c., &c., to the Abbey of Lilleshall, Salop. Philip de Beaumeis, having no son to succeed him, left his estates to his daughter Adeliza, who married Alan la Zouche, a descendant of the Earls of Brittany. Alan settled at Ashby, and added the family name to it, to distinguish it from the other towns of that name. Alan was succeeded by his son Roger, who was succeeded by his son Alan, the last of the real Zouches, in the male line, who held the Manor of Ashby, he granted it to Sir William Mortimer, a distant relative, who assumed the name, and passed it on to his son Alan, who fought at the battle of Creçy, 1346, and died in that year, he was succeeded by his son Hugh, who died in 1399, leaving no heir, with him the name, finally, became extinct.
Plate 16.
Ashby Castle. ([Page 92.])