Repton and its neighbourhood

by F. C. Hipkins

Plate 18.

Anchor Church. ([Page 123.])

Bretby Hall. ([Page 104.])

It is not known when the castle was pulled down, but most probably in the days of Philip, 1st Earl of Chesterfield (1585-1656), who built a mansion on the present site, within the park. The old castle stood on the land to the south-west of the church, the grass covered mounds indicate the foundations of a very strong fortress, consisting of two courts.

The stones of the castle were probably used in the building of the mansion in the park, which must have been a grand place, built “in the midst of a large park, well wooded, and stored with several kinds of deer, and exotic beasts; several fine avenues of trees leading to the house, which is of stone, though not of modern architecture, very regular, convenient, and noble, with a very curious chapel, (designed in the Grecian (Ionic) style, by Inigo Jones), very good outbuildings. The gardens, after the plan of Versailles, in the old grand style, with terraces, leaden images of wild beasts, fountains, labyrinths, groves, greenhouses, grottoes, aviaries, &c., &c.,” the park, with its chain of fishponds, and fine timber, must have presented a scene of unsurpassed natural beauty. Amidst such surroundings, an open-air masque, written by Sir Aston Cokayne, was “presented at Bretbie in Derbyshire on Twelfth Night, 1639,” before the Earl and Countess and a great company. The masque is printed in “Glover’s History of Derbyshire,” Vol. II., part I., p 184.

In November, 1642, during the Civil War, the house, which had been fortified by the Earl, witnessed another scene. Four hundred foot, with a party of dragoons and two sacres, under the command of Major Molanus, were sent to Bretby by Sir John Gell. They compelled the Earl, and his garrison of 40 musketeers and 60 horse, to abandon the house, and fly towards Lichfield. “Then the Countess was asked by the victorious officers to give 2s. 6d. to each soldier, to save the house from plunder, but she said she had not so much in the house; they proposed 40 marks as a composition, to which she returned the same answer; they then offered to advance it to her, but she declared she would not give them a penny; then the soldiers plundered the house, but the officers saved her own chamber, with all her goods.” (Sir John Gell’s M.S. Narrative).

In the year 1780, the young Earl “was persuaded ‘by an artful steward,’ to pull down this splendid mansion and chapel, as being in a dangerous state of decay, though it was afterwards proved to have been very substantial.” The gardens also suffered a like fate. Fortunately the fine cedar of Lebanon, planted in February 1676-7, on the east side of the house, escaped destruction. It is considered to be the oldest in the kingdom, and still flourishes, braced together by iron chains, and is the chief object of admiration to visitors to Bretby and its park. The present house was begun by the 5th Earl, who died in 1815, when the building operations ceased. The architect was Sir Geoffrey Wyatville, assisted by Mr. Martin, the Earl’s architect. A ground plan of the house is printed on page 187 of “Glover’s History of Derbyshire,” Vol. II., signed by W. Martin, architect and builder, September, 1828. When completed it will form a four-sided building, with a courtyard within it.

The church of Bretby, or rather the chapel, for it is one of the seven chapelries of Repton, was rebuilt in the year 1877, in the place of a very old building, built in the thirteenth century. It occupies the old site with the addition of an aisle, which forms a large pew for the noble owners, and a vestry, both on the north side. The village consists of a few scattered houses. To the east of the park is Bretby mill, on a small stream; which, rising in the Pistern hills, runs in a northerly direction, through Repton, till it joins the river Trent.

HARTSHORN.

About four miles south of Repton is the ancient village of Hartshorn, which at the time of the Domesday Survey belonged to Henry de Ferrers. Later on the Priory of Repton had lands, a moiety of a park, and the important right of free warren over the manor. According to the list of patrons of the living, various families succeeded to the manor, among whom are mentioned the de la Wards, Meynells, Dethicks, the Earls of Shrewsbury, and the Earls of Chesterfield. One of the rectors was Stebbing-Shawe, jun., (an O.R.,) editor of the Topographer, and historian of Staffordshire. The church, which is well placed on the higher part, with the rectory on the east side of it, forms a very pleasing object from a distance, a closer inspection reveals the fact that, at the restoration of 1835, when the nave of the church was rebuilt, cast iron windows, imitating Perpendicular tracery, were inserted! The east window of the chancel, of two lights, belongs to the Decorated period. The embattled tower is a fair specimen of the Perpendicular period, and contains a ring of five bells. Three of them were placed there during the time of Stebbing-Shawe, sen. The other two are of pre-Reformation date, and bear well lettered inscriptions: “Hec Campana Beata Trinitate Sancta Fiat,” and “Ave Maria Gracia Plena Dominus Tecum.”