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Castleton and Its Old Inhabitants.
Chapter 3. A Feast of Facts and Curious Tales.
The Menagerie 1855.
Travelling menageries with their exotic wild animals would tour the countryside visiting towns, cities
and fairgrounds. In 1855, “Edmond’s, late Wombwell’s, Windsor Castle Menagerie” was travelling
between Sheffield and Manchester when it came to Castleton on April 5th. One can only imagine the
colourful scene and excitement in the village that day.
Right; hand-painted print (circa 1848-50) of
Wombwell’s visit to Windsor Castle;
produced by G. Webb and Co., London. *
Reproduced by kind permission of
Matthew Ford.
www.GeorgeWombwell.com
Tigers, giraffes, lions and “double-headed snakes”
were amongst the exhibits, and some were made to
perform; the huge Burmese elephant would stand on
his own head. Creatures from the Amazon were
exhibited including a giant boa constrictor that had
been in the process of swallowing a whole goat as it
was captured on the banks of the river.
Admission was a shilling, sixpence for children.
Left; advertisement for “Edmond’s, late
Wombwell’s, Windsor Castle Menagerie”
which was to exhibit at Castleton 5th April
1855.
Sheffield Independent 31 March 1855
Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL
RIGHTS RESERVED.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000181/
18550331/002/0001
Above; detail from the advertisement in 1855. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000181/18550331/002/0001
Menageries were certainly not to everyone’s taste and they gradually became attached to circuses.
However, the image of these exotic animals travelling through the village in Victorian England would
still have been a grand sight; it would have been wonderful if someone had captured the scene on
camera.
*Wombwell’s menagerie had been exhibited at Windsor Castle, seen by Queen Victoria and her
family. It was renamed “Edmonds, late Wombwell’s, Windsor Castle Menagerie” after it was
inherited by Wombwell’s niece around 1850; that was its name when it came to Castleton in 1855.
A Curious Castleton Phenomenon 1783.
In 1783, whilst many natural disasters were happening across the world, the Derby Mercury chose to
add Castleton’s own curious little tale to the theory that the axis of the Earth may have shifted. It
was generally suspected that our planet must have undergone some great change that would
account for these global disasters – Castleton’s “old inhabitants” could prove it!
They describe
Castleton as being
situated at the north
of a “very steep
mountain”, the
shadow of which
covered much of the
village throughout the
winter.
Some houses had no
sunshine at all for
weeks.
Above; Castleton lying at the foot of a “very steep mountain” circa 1900.
Image reproduced courtesy of Castleton Historical Society.
Many of the “ancient persons”
who dwelt in these houses
said that, after the shortest
day of the year, sunshine now
entered their homes several
days earlier than it did some
fifteen years ago.
Also a meadow near the foot
of the mountain that they
remember always being in
shadow, was now never
totally shaded.
They were convinced, without
a doubt that the axis of the
Earth had indeed shifted.
Right; read this curious
tale for yourself. Derby
Mercury 11 September
1783. Image©THE BRITISH
LIBRARY BOARD. ALL
RIGHTS RESERVED.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.
co.uk/viewer/bl/0000189/17830911/
002/0001
Although the hill had not changed, nor the axis of the Earth, there were changes made to the English
calendar in 1751 and 1752. Eleven days were “lost” in September 1752 when we adopted the
Gregorian calendar – but whether this would account for this phenomenon observed by the old
inhabitants – I have absolutely no idea!
Left; Castleton nestling at the
foot of Castle Hill and Peak
Cavern Gorge, leaving many
cottages shaded throughout
the winter months.
“Peak Cavern, Derbyshire”
1864 by Robert Gallon (18451925).
Photo Credit - Lancaster City
Museums.
From the Castleton Burial Registers.
Our Parish Burial Registers are fascinating, and offer us a window through which we may glimpse the
past. The following entries reflect both life and death in Castleton many years ago.
Anna Hall 1719.
It appears we had a “wise woman” living here three centuries ago. Anna Hall was a widow; she died
and was buried here in 1719. She was “commonly known as ‘Wisdom Nan’ of Castleton.”
Above; Anna Hall’s entry in the Burial Register 19th March 1719. The Latin “Vulgo vocat” means
“commonly known as.” Image reproduced courtesy of Revs Ian Davis & Jo Barnes, and Derbyshire
Record Office D1432 A/PI 1/1.
This old Inhabitant of Castleton may have had knowledge of herbs used for medicines, been a
midwife or she may even have told fortunes. To date, nothing more is known about her than this.
Rebeccah Cock 1759.
Nicholas Cock was one of the supposed “Winnats Pass
murderers” of the Eighteenth Century. In April 1746 he
married Mary Barber in Castleton Church. They had
several children including a little girl, Rebeccah.
Rebeccah was only two years old when she “drowned
accidentally in the brook” in 1759.
Some of the Cock family lived up Goosehill, and also on
the Island – Rebeccah may have drowned in Peakshole
Water nearby.
Right; Entrance to the Peak Cavern, Derbyshire 1814.
Engraved by S. Rawle from a drawing by I. Nixon.
©The Trustees of the British Museum.
Above; Rebeccah Cock’s entry in the Burial Register 14th October 1759. Image reproduced courtesy
of Revs Ian Davis & Jo Barnes, and Derbyshire Record Office D1432 A/PI 1/2.
Joseph Flinders 1762.
Joseph Flinders married Ann Barber in Castleton Church in 1747. Their son, also Joseph, died in the
smallpox outbreak here in 1759, aged 3. Joseph himself was run over and killed in 1762 - “he was
unfortunately killed by ye wheel of a cart running over him.”
Above; Joseph Flinders’ entry in the Burial Register 22nd June 1762. Image reproduced courtesy
of Revs Ian Davis & Jo Barnes, and Derbyshire Record Office D1432 A/PI 1/2.
William Oldfield 1770.
One of the most poignant entries has to be that of William Oldfield “who destroyed himself by
hanging, in ye Poor House” in 1770. No more is known of William’s life, to date, than his death entry
in the Burial Register. It could be suggested that he too may have been one of the “Winnats Pass
murderers”, possibly due to the nature and date of his death. Although his name was certainly not
mentioned in the “confession” by James Ashton in 1778 – one of the five supposed murderers has
not yet been traced with any accuracy.
Below; William Oldfield’s entry in the Burial Register 22nd February 1770. Image reproduced
courtesy of Revs Ian Davis & Jo Barnes, and Derbyshire Record Office D1432 A/PI 1/2.
Poor Houses were known to exist off Back Street; these
buildings were underneath where the current school and
yard is today.
Right; detail from a plan of Castleton in 1819 showing
part of Back Street. No. 178 refers to “Poor Houses and
garden” owned by the “Township of Castleton.” Plan &
Survey of Castleton 1819, B Staley D911 Z/P1-2.
Derbyshire Record Office.
This area looks very different today, but No. 179 shows
(today) Causeway House, and No. 154 in the bottom left
corner is (today) the Nag’s Head Dining Room.
Isaac Royse (also Rose) 1811.
Isaac Royse or Rose was buried on 7th June 1811. He died after being struck by lightning - “Isaac, son
of Joseph and Mary Royse, killed in the coe, situate in the Top-Linicar, by lightening.” A “coe” was a
small cabin above a mine shaft used for storing miner’s tools, clothes and food etc.
Isaac had been sitting with a woman in the coe when they were both struck by lightning - when the
woman came to, she found Isaac dead. The identity of the woman is unknown.
Above; Isaac Royse’ entry in the Burial Register 7th June 1811. Image reproduced courtesy of
Revs Ian Davis & Jo Barnes, and Derbyshire Record Office D1432 A/PI 1/3.
Isaac was 63 when he died; both his burial
record in 1811 and his baptism record in 1747
record him as “Royse”. For some inexplicable
reason his (and the rest of his family’s)
inscriptions on the gravestone record their name
as Rose. The newspaper article this story
appeared in also called him Rose.
However, given the unlikelihood of two men
with similar names both being struck dead by
lightning in Castleton on the same day, I think
this is just an example of the poor literacy of the
day?
Right; the gravestone of Isaac Rose (or
Royse) and his family. It is just to the right
as you enter the Churchyard through the
main gates.
Thomas Needham.
In 1862, Thomas Needham, of Castleton, was sent to prison for a month after being charged
with vagrancy;
Above; Derby Mercury 10th September 1862. Image ©THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL
RIGHTS RESERVED. http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000052/18620910/018/0005
Described as “an old man from Castleton”, he was in trouble again three years later,
charged with both vagrancy and drunkenness. Having already been cautioned several times,
he was given seven days hard labour.
However, a stroke of luck may have been coming this old gentleman’s way when the
following notice appeared in the papers in 1873;
Above; Sheffield Independent 28th July 1873. Image ©THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED. http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000181/18730728/002/0002
Sadly it is not known what this “advantage” was, whether poor Thomas even saw the notice,
or ever benefitted from it.
The Bull Stake.
The term “Bull Stake” appears in very few old Castleton documents. It refers to the former
barbarous and cruel activity of Bull Baiting where a bull would be secured to a stake or ring
and teased or “baited” by dogs as a form of “entertainment”.
Right; 17th Century inn sign showing Bull
Baiting with dogs taking place. Nottingham
Evening Post 6th August 1907. Image
©Local World Limited. Image created
courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/00003
21/19070806/041/0005
Micah Hall, a lead miner living at
the top of Castle Street/Market
Place in the 1800s, received a
letter addressed to him at “Bull
Stake, Castleton, Derbyshire” in
1855.
Right; letter addressed to “Bull
Stake, Castleton, Derbyshire.”
Image reproduced courtesy of
Castleton Historical Society.
Left; the former “arena”
where Bull Baiting would
take place.
The 1861 Census also refers to this
area as the “Bull Stake”.
Florence Barber, who researched much of Castleton’s history, writes, “The Bull-Ring; called
the Market Place nowadays has not altered a great deal since the days when the better sort
of folk, usually the ladies, witnessed the Bull baitings from behind the parapet on the roof of
the Hall……”
Left; Florence
Barber.
Image reproduced
courtesy of Castleton
Historical Society.
Right; Castleton Hall
would have provided
an ideal viewing
point for a cruel
sport.
The Rev. Brooksbank, Vicar of
Castleton in the early 1900s, also
refers to the former Bull Ring in his
history notes, where by repute, the
inhabitants of Castleton Hall could
watch in comfort.
Right; Market Place and Bull Stake
area in the early 20th Century. Image
reproduced courtesy of Castleton
Historical Society.
Given the pieces of evidence here, this cruel “sport” was almost certainly partaken of by the
Old Inhabitants in centuries gone by. Any physical evidence, if it still exists, is now hidden
beneath the tarmac. Bull Baiting was finally banned in 1835.
Visitors and Drunken Violence.
In 1875, John Downs, a journeyman
cabinet maker from Sheffield, was charged
with being drunk and riotous at Castleton.
He had been drinking at the George Inn, on
Castle Street, where he had also assaulted
landlord, Jarvis Swindell. He was fined a
total of 15s and costs.
Above; the George Inn on Castle Street.
Left; Affray in the Village Inn. G.W.Bonner after G.
Cruikshank, 1811-36. ©The Trustees of the British
Museum.
In August 1886 two Irishmen, Michael Mulligan and James
Phillips, had been helping with the harvest.
One night Sergeant Gray heard a noisy commotion
coming from Back Street and found Mulligan and Phillips
fighting at the church gates.
Right; the churchyard gate and steps on Back Street.
Both were extremely drunk and violent. Help was needed to haul them down to the police
cells where their boots were pulled off and the men kept apart.
They were charged at Chapel-en-le-Frith, before Mr. Robert How
Ashton and Mr. Bagshawe, with being drunk and riotous. Both
pleaded guilty and asked for leniency – Mulligan was fined 5s, and
Phillips 2s 6d or seven days hard labour in gaol.
Left; local magistrate Robert How Ashton of
Losehill Hall.
Image reproduced courtesy of Castleton
Historical Society.
In 1898 travelling showman,
William Partridge jnr, was
charged with being drunk and
disorderly in the Market Place.
He violently assaulted both
farmer George Hall and the local
policeman.
Right; the Market Place circa 1900.
Image reproduced courtesy of
Castleton Historical Society.
His defense was that George Hall had hit him first with a shovel. Found guilty, William
Partridge jnr was fined a total of £6 15s after ten previous convictions were proved in many
different parts of Derbyshire.
Bibliography and further reading.
Sheffield Independent 31st March 1855.The British Newspaper Archive.
Derby Mercury 11th September 1783.The British Newspaper Archive.
Castleton Parish Registers held at Derbyshire Record Office;
Register of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials (1662-1722) D1432 A/PI 1/1.
Register of Baptisms, Marriages (to 1773) and Burials (1722-1783) D1432 A/PI 1/2.
Register of Baptisms and Burials (1783-1812) D1432 A/PI 1/3.
Bury and Norwich Post 3rd July 1811.The British Newspaper Archive.
Derby Mercury 21st April 1785.The British Newspaper Archive.
Henderson, Mark. (2010) Murders in the Winnats Pass. Amberley.
Plan & Survey of Castleton 1819 B Staley D911 Z/P1-2. Derbyshire Record Office.
Castleton Censuses (CHS Archives and Ancestry.co.uk)
Derby Mercury 10th September 1862, Derby Mercury 4th January 1865, Sheffield Independent 28th July
1873.The British Newspaper Archive.
Castleton, Florence Barber’s history notes. (CHS Archives)
Brooksbank, Rev J.H. (1925) Transactions of the Hunter Archaeological Society. Vol III, No. 1, Castleton: Its
Traditions, Sayings, Place-Names, Etc. Sheffield: printed by J.W. Northend Ltd.
Sheffield Daily Telegraph 17th September 1875, Sheffield Independent 17th August 1886, Derbyshire Times 18th
August 1886, Sheffield Daily Telegraph 20th May 1898.The British Newspaper Archive.
Acknowledgements.
I wish to acknowledge the following with thanks;
The Derbyshire Record Office for permission to both see and photograph our real Parish Registers, their
permission and Reverends Ian Davis and Josephine Barnes permission to reproduce images from the Registers.
The Castleton Historical Society Trustees for permission to reproduce images from our Archives. Sometimes
the origins of old photographs have been lost over time and cannot be traced – if this is the case in any
pictures used in this history, then please contact our Historical Society so the correct credit/acknowledgement
etc. may be given where appropriate. My thanks to Matthew Ford for his kind permission to reproduce
Wombwell’s Windsor Castle Menagerie print, and to Shaun Everett for his assistance with enabling this. The
images from the newspapers are reproduced with the kind permission of the British Newspaper Archive
(www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk). My thanks to Karen Green for her assistance with Latin translation. My
thanks to the Trustees of the British Museum for permission to reproduce their images which remain their
copyright. Thanks to Heather Dowler from the Lancaster City Museums for permission to include their image
of Robert Gallon’s painting of “Peak Cavern, Derbyshire” on this website. My thanks go also to Audrey
Middleton for permission to use quotations from Florence Barber’s Castleton history notes. Many thanks also
to Val and Ian Burgess for assistance with editing and putting this article on the CHS Website. All modern
images are my own unless otherwise stated.
Kay Harrison November 2014.