History, Gazetteer and Directory of Derbyshire, with the town of Burton-upon-Trent, etc

Front matter

HISTORY, GAZETTEER AND DIRECTORY Of DEKBYSHIEE, WITH THE TOWN OF BURTON-UPON-TRENT ; COMPRISING A GENERAL SURVEY OF THE COUNTY WITH A VARIETY OF HISTOBICAL, STATISTICAL, TOPOGEAPHICAL, COMMEKCIAI AKI) AGBICTJLTUEAL INFOEHATION; SHEWING THE SITUATION, EXTENT, AND POPULATION OF ALL THE TOWNS, PARISHES, CHAPELRIES, TOWNSHIPS, VILLAGES, HAMLETS, AND EXTRA-PAROCHIAL LIBERTIES ; THEIR AGRICULTURAL AND MINERAL PRODUCTIONS ; THE LORDS OF THE MANORS AND OWNERS OF THE SOIL THEIR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS, CHARITIES, MAGISTRATES, AND PUBLIC OFFICERS AND THE SEATS OF THE NOBILITY AND GENTEY; IN ONE VOLUME, WITH A COLOURED SHEET MAP OF THE COUNTY : BY SAMUEL BAGSHAW. SHEFFIELD' PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, BY WILLIAM SAXTON, HIGH-STIVEET, AND_60LD BY SAMUEL BAGSHAW, PHILADELPHIA, SHEFFIELD, BY HIS AGENTS, AND BY THE BOOK8ELLER6. [PRICE OF THE VOLUME AND MAP, TO SUBSCRIBERS, 14s.6d.] 1846.

Preface

. In presenting the Public with a History and Topography of Derbyshire and a Directory of its inhabitants, the Author has to acknowledge his great obligations to the literary and official gentlemen of the County, who have so freely furnished him with valuable information, and f&o to the numerous subscribers who have so liberally patronized the work. Every Parish, Township, and VUlage, with all the principal Residences and Farm Houses in the County, have been visited for the addresses, and to authenticate the necessary information, it is therefore hoped that the great variety of subjects compressed within its pages, wttl be found an acquisition either to the library or the office. The Parliamentary Reports of population, trade, commerce, and charities, have been carefuUy examined ; and the copious extracts from the Commissioners' Reports of public charities we trust will be found a useful and valuable portion of tlie publication.

The standard works of Lyson and PUkington have been frequently referred to in the compUatioii of the historical notices ; as also White Watson and the most popular authors on the strata ; with various local Histories and Guides, including Rhodes and Adam, to the more interest ing parts of this romantic county. The Plan of the work embraces a general description of Derbyshire and ofthe Borough of Derby, with a variety of Agricultural, Commercial, Statistical, Biographical, Geographical, and Topographical information ; and comprises a survey of the Hosiery, Lace, and Cotton Trades, Lead Mines, Collieries, Iron Works, Antiquities, Minerals, Rocks, Caverns, Mountains, Warm and Petrifying Springs, Manorial Rights, and Civil and Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions; with Lists of Magistrates, Public Officers, and Seats of the NobUity and Gentry.

The Topography of the county commences at page 157, with an alphabetical arrangement of parishes in their respective hundreds ; shewing the situation, extent, and population of each parish, chapelry, township, vUlage, hamlet, and extra parochial liberty — the owners of the soU, and lords of the manors — the value of the church livings, with their patrons and incumbents, each foUowed by the addresses of the gentry and other principal residents, with a classification of trades and professions ; the whole followed by a copious index of places, and subjects affording an easy reference to the page at which every parish, township and hamlet is to be found, giving the volume all the advantage of an alphabetical Gazetteer, illustrated by a coloured sheet Map of the County. To which is added a History and Directory of Burton-upon-Trent.

Sheffield, March \Mh, 1846. SAML. BAGSHAW. A TABLE SHEWING THE DISTANCES OF THE MARKET TOWNS IN DERBYSHIRE FROM EACH OTHER, AND FROM LONDON AND MANCHESTER. The Small Capitals denote the Market Days; those without, the Markets are obsolete. 48 WIRKSWORTH u3 I WINSTER 27 TIDESWELL 53 RIDDINGS 42 MATLOCK 13 GLOSSOP 38 DRONFIELD 59 DERBY 48 CHESTERFIELD 18 CHAPEL-EN-LE-FRITH.. 27 CASTLETON 24 BUXTON 53 BOLSOVER 54 BELPER 32 II BAKEWELL 47 ASHBOURN 51 FROM MANCHESTER. 9 9 11 6 12 10 0 11 17 j 10 16 23 19 7 23 23 3 18 23 5 13 35 28 37 11 14 17 40 13 Riddings, sat. 11 14 8 9 12 22 24 24 38 37 23 35 j 36 15 25 11 22 14 13 20 7 24 9 22 10 16 28 23 15 30 29 0 6 Chapel-en-le-Frith, th'jrs. 24 23 10 26 26 12 Castleton 20 21 12 28 29 Buxton, sat. 11 24 18 16 Bolsover 8 12 16 Belper, sat. 15 16 Bakewell, fri.

Ashbourn, sat. 17 Alfreton, fri. 16 9 23 6 24 20 j 21 23 14 13 18 13 19 10 15 4 j 14 32 Winster, sat. 6 0 7 16 14 10 16 10 30 Tideswell, w ED. 14 12 10 30 43 24 Glossop, sat. 14 20 6 29 Droiifi eld. 33 36 34 25 Derby, FRI. 20 23 Chesterfield, sat. DISTANCES 16 35 ! 9 17 14 33 Matlock. 3 I 3 I 9 17 6 Wirksworth, tue. FBOM LONDON. 140 145 160 139 144 175 156 126 152 Ili7 164 163 145 134 153 139 GENERAL HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION OF DERBYSHIRE. Derbyshire, which took its name from the county town, was, in the time of the Britons part of a large district inhabited by the Contain. During the government of the Romans, it formed part of Britannia Prima, and when England became divided under the Saxon monarchs, into seven kingdoms, called the heptarchy, Derbyshire constituted part of Mercia, and Repton, then called Repandune, appears to have been a residence of tbe Mercian kings.

It is a midland aud almost central county, being situated nearly at an equal distance from the eastern and western seas. It is hounded on the north by Yorkshire, on the south and south east by Leicestershire, on the east by Nottinghamshire, on the west by Staffordshire, and on the north-west by Cheshire. It lies between 52 deg. 40 min. and 53 deg. 29 min. north latitude, and 1 deg. 12 min. and 2 deg. 8 min. west longitude from the meridian of Greenwich. The form of the county is extremely irregular, especially on its western side, and there is a small isolated part of it in Leicestershire. Its greatest length from north north west to south south-east is 56 miles, and ifs breadth from east to west is about 33 miles. The circumference is 204 miles, comprising an area of 663,180 acres, of which 510,000 are arable, pasture, aud meadow lands.

At the census in 18-11 it contained a population of 272,217 inhabitants, of whom 135,620 were males, 136,597 were females, of this number 61,450 males, and 64,425 females were under twenty years of age, aud 71,170 males and 72,172 females were twenty years old and upwards. The number of inhabitants born in the county were 228,156, and elsewhere 44,061, aud the number of occupied dwelling houses were 53,020, at the same time 2,192 were uninhabited, and 441 were building. In 1801 the population was 164,142, and tbe annual value of the land and building as assessed to the county rate in 1815 was £887,659. The annual value of real property assessed to the poor rates for the year ending Lady-day 1841, was landed, £625,396; dwelling houses, £160,777, and all other kinds of property £80,315, making a total of real property assessed, of £866,488, on which £81,194 were levied.

The average value of land per acre for the whole county is 18s. 10d., and the Anncal Value of every parish or township may be seen by referring to the work. The County, before the passing ofthe Reform Bill, sent only four members to parliament, but now sends six, viz., four for the county at large, and two for the borough of Derby. The six hundreds of which it is composed form the North and South divisions of the county, each of which sends two members. The Northern division comprises the hundreds of Scarsdale, High Peak, aud part of Wirksworth; and the Southern division, the hundreds of Appletree, Morleston and Litchurch, Repton and Gresley, and part of Wirksworth. For the North division, the polling places are at Bakewell, Chesterfield, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Alfreton, and Glossop, the place of election being at Bakewell.

Those for the South division are Derby, Ashbourn, Melbourn, Wirksworth, and Belper, the place of election being at Derby. The chief market towns are Alfreton, Ashbourn, Bakewell, Bolsover, Belper, Chapel- X, en le-Frith, Chesterfield, Derby, Glossop, Riddiugs, Tideswell, Wiuster, and Wirksworth. Derbyshire is included io the diocese of Lichfield and province of Canterbury, in which it forms an archdeaconry, comprising the deaneries of Ashbourn, High Peak, Chesterfield, Derby, Castellar, and Repington. It contains about 140 parishes, of which 50 are rectories, 58 vicarages, and the remainder perpetual curacies. There are also 50 dependent chapels within the boundaries ofthe county, and upwards of 250 dissenting places of worship. Part of the county is in the jurisdiction of the Duchy of Lancaster court, held at Tutbury, in Staffordshire ; and many parishes within the hundreds of High Peak, Scarsdale, and W irksworth are in the jurisdiction of the Peveril court, held at Radford, in Nottinghamshire ; both of these courts are for the recovery of small debts, punishment of trespasses, assaults, &c. The Barmote courts for the regulation of mineral concerns, and determining all disputes relating to the working of the mines, are held at Monyash, in the Peak, and at Wirksworth.

The assizes are held at Derby, as are the quarter sessions, except tbe Easter, which are held at Chesterfield ; Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire were so far connected iu civil polity that they had but one sheriff for both counties, till the year 1569. The assizes for both counties were held at Nottingham till the reign of Henry III. They were then held alternately in each county, till 1569, since which time they have been uniformly held at Derby. Judge Blackstone says England was first divided into counties, hundreds, and tithings, by Alfred the Great, for the protection of property and the execution of justice. Tithings were so called because ten freeholders with their families formed one ; ten of these tithings were supposed to furm a hundred. Wapentake, from an ancient ceremony, in which tbe governor of ahundred met all Ihe aldermen of his district, and holding up his spear they all touched it with theirs, in token of subjection and union to one common interest.

An indifferent number of these wapentakes or hundreds form a county or shire, for the civil government of which a shire-reeve or Sheriff is elected annually. The kingdom was divided into parishes soon after the introduction of Christianity, by Honorius, Archbishop of Canterbury, in the year 636, and she boundaries of them, as marked in Doomsday book, agree very nearly with the present division. The custom which still continues of making the hundreds responsible for the excesses of a lawless mob, is au appendage to the Saxon system of tithing. Historians all agree that the Aborigines of Britain were a tribe of Gauls who emigrated from the continent, probably a thousand years before the Christian era. Previous to the Roman conquest, the ancient Britains inhabiting the southern portion of the island had made some little progress towards civilization, but those on the north were wild and uncultivated, aud subsisted chiefly by hnntiug, aud the spontaneous productions of the earth, wearing for their clothing the skins of animals killed in the chase, and dwelling in habitations formed by the interwoven branches of the forest.

Their religion was Druidical, but its origin is not known ; some assert that the Druids accompanied tbe Gauls in early ages, and others that Druidism was first introduced into England by the Phœnicians, who were the first merchants who traded to this island, and for a considerable time monopolized a profitable trade in tin and other useful metals. Their government, according to Diodorus Siculus, the ancient historian, though monarchial, was free, and their religion, which formed one part of their government, was Druidical. Justice was dispensed, not under any written code of laws, but on equitable principles, and on difference of opinion in tbe assembled congress, appeal was made to the Arch Druid, whose decision was final. Their religious ceremonies were performed on high places, and in deep gro%-es, and consisted in worshipping the God of nature, and rendering him praise on the yearly accession of the seasons.

The means by which religion was supported was by voluntary tithes and offerings, and in this respect we trace a similarity with all the nations of autiquity. Despite of the corruptions and philosophical atheism in which thc Druidical religion became involved, candour demands of us that the Druids were in possession of learniog as extensive and more useful than some of their Christian posterity, who from the eighth century to the reformation, were almost wholly employed in scholastic divinity, metaphysical or chronological disputes, legends, miracles, and martyrologies ; and Dr. Kennedy informs us that in St. Patrick's time, no fewer tha.n 300 volumes of their books Were burnt, and no doubt the same was practised so long as a volume could be found. Bv this destruction a wide chasm has been made in the historical details of this country.

Julius Cæsar, in his " Commentarii de Bello Gallico," informs us that the Druids inculcated the doctrine ofthe immortality and transmigration ofthe soul, and discoursed " with the youth about the heavenly bodies, their motion, the size of the heaven and the earth, the nature of things, and the influence and power of the immortal Gods." The misletoe was their chief specific in medicine, and nothing was held so sacred as the misletoe of the oak, which being scarce, was gathered with great ceremony on a certain day appointed for their general festival. In the civil government of this ancient people, capital offenders were sentenced to death, and sacrificed iu the most solemn manner, on the altars of their temples, while those convicted of minor crimes were excommunicated from all civil and religious liberty.

At the time of the Roman invasion, the British Druids exerted their utmost zeal in opposing the usurpation of that foreign power. The invaders, on the other hand, fired with equal resentment, endeavoured to establish their security by the extermination of the Druidic order, and its priests were sacrificed to this barbarous policy ; many fled to the Isle of Anglesey, and afterwards perished in the flames, by the orders of Suetonius, and great numbers of them were cut off in an unsuccessful revolt of the Britons, under Queen Boadicea, after which the power and splendour ofthe Druids rapidly declined. Julius Cæsar invaded Britain 55 years before the birth of Christ, and after a protracted struggle, succeeded in establishing a [toman government, but being distracted by domestic wars, which ended in the establishment of an absolute monarchy at Rome, the conquerors had little force to spare for the preservation of distant conquests, the, Britons were therefore soon left to themselves, and for nearly a century after the invasion of Cæsar, enjoyed unmolested their own civil and religious institutions.

In the interval between the first and second invasion of Britain by the Romans, the founder of the Christian religion, had accomplished bis divine mission, in a province of the Roman empire, but almost without observation at Rome : and a.d. 43, Claudius sent over an army to this country, under thc command of Plautius, who was afterwards succeeded by Suetonius Paulinus; this general succeeded, after many sanguinary struggles, in completing the conquest, and caused great numbers of the Druids to be burnt in the fires they had prepared for their captive enemies; be also destroyed all their consecrated groves and altars, aud abolished their rites ana ceremonies. But the dominion ofthe Romans was not finally established till a.d. 80, when they were placed under the command of Julius Agricola. The first care of the conquerors was to introduce civilization and law, and by multiplying the wants of the people, to incline them to habits of industry, and finally to incorporate them with the Roman empire.

Agricola endeavoured to secure his oonquest by erecting a chain of forts across the isthmus between the Frith of Forth aud Clyde, and in the year 84, he extended a chain of Stations from Solway Frith to Tynemouth, which was afterwards connected by an earthern rampart raised by the Emperor Adrian, as an obstruction to the Caledonians, who frequently descended and committed the most dreadful ravages in the Roman territories. In a.d. 208, this earthern barrier was strengthened by the great wall, 12 feet high and 8 feet thick, built by the Emperor Severus, across the island from Solway Frith to the river Tyne, stretching a distance of 80 miles. From this time York was made the capital of Maxima Cæsarieusis, the great Roman province in which Derbyshire was comprised. The Emperor Constantine, son of Constantius was born at York, ofa British priucess, in the year 312, and was the first imperial convert to the Christian faith.

During the residence of the Romans in this island, comprehending a period of 400 years, many great public works were accomplished, and they left behind many monuments of their skill aud industry. The conquered country was divided into six provinces, each of them governed by a prætor and quæstor, the 'former charged with the general administration of the government, and the latter with the management of the finances. Roman Antiquities. — The great Camo on Holy hill, near Arnold, is supposed to have been the central station of the Roman forces in this district. The Roman Station Derventio, at Little Chester, near Derby, is on the great Roman road, Ryknild street, which was examined by Mr. Pegge, about sixty years a.?o, with so much attention, as to leave us but little to add to his observations.

It enters Derbyshire at Monks' bridge, about two miles from Burton-upon-Trent, and extends in a direct line over Egginton Heath, to Little Over. From this village it ran in a north-east direction to the town of Derby, where it was carried across Nun's Green, aud down Darley Slade, to the station at Little Chester. It is generally allowed there was once a bridge over the Derwent, at this place, in the same line with the street; from this place the road is very evident in dry seasons, in the pastures on the north side of the village. It passes to the east of Breadsall Priory, across Morley moor, and appears very conspicuous a little east of Brackley gate, after which it is visible iu Horsley Park, it afterwards crosses the road lying between Nottingham and Wirksworth. From Street Laue it runs through the fields to the road which lies between Heage and Ripley, and passes on to the east side of the cainp ou Pentrich common, and extends towards Okerthorpe, through the Day Cans, at Shirland Hall, for Higham, from which it kept tbe turnpike road to Clay cross, and thence to Chesterfield, where it is supposed there was a station; from this place no marks of the road are visible, but it is supposed to have extended on the east side of the Rother to the west of Killamarsh church, and through the parish of Beighton into Yorkshire.

Another Roman road called Bathoin gate, or Bath gate, was clearly traced from Brough to Buxton, both by Mr. Pegge and Mr. Whitaker: on leaving the station at Brough, it is discoverable bearing to the south-west, and enters the lane leading to Suialldale, where the right hand edge stands upon it. It was also visible on Tideswell moor, retaining its original breadth of 18 or 20 feet, sweeping in a long streak of vivid green over the purple surface ofthe heath, till it reached Fairfield common, from which place it was found to have kept the same line to the hill above Buxton. The Saxon Antiquities of this county are numerous and exceedingly interesting. They consist of tumuli, encampments, vestiges of castles, and religious houses, as will be seen in the various histories of Derby, Duffield, Gresley, &c. Though we meet with few records or monuments to illustrate the history of Britain previous to the appearance of the Romans; however, Pilkington in his View of Derbyshire, published in 1789, says, that from an attentive survey, we shall find that at thi* distant period the state of the county is not involved entirely in darkness.

One of the most striking monuments of antiquity in Derbyshire, is situate iu the parish of Youlgreave, and in the hamlet or township of Middleton, called Arbelows, or Arbor-low. It consists of an area encompassed by a broad ditch, which is bounded by a bigh bank. The area measures from east to west 46 yards, and from north to south 52 yards; the ditch is six yards wide, and the bank about five yards high, having openings on the north and south, and on the east side of the south opening is a barrow. In the area are several stones of different sizes; about thirty large ones lie round the boarder, having the smallest eud pointiug to the centre, mostly about five feet long, three broad, and one thick. It is said they formerly stood obliquely upon one end, having about fourteen smaller ones irregularly intermixed, and three lying in the centre, of which one is larger than any other iu the area.

It is generally believed by antiquarians, that monuments of this kind are of civil or religious institution, and were either places of council, courts of justice, or designed for the rite; of worship. It seems probable to suppose, from the number and size of the stones lying near the centre of the area, that there formerly stood a cromlech or altar, in this situation. One of them, which was probably supported by the other two, measures three yards in length, aud two in breadth, and is about one foot thick ; upon this broad stoue it is very likely that the sacrifices were offered. Some years ago, a transverse section was made of the barrow mentioned, and in it were found the horns of a stag, and it seems probable the auimal to which they belonged had been offered up in sacrifice. On Friday, the 23rd May, 1845, this barrow was again opened.

The Rev. Stephen Isaacson having obtained permission for that purpose, from his Grace the Duke of Rutland; accompanied by Thomas Bateman, jun., Esq., so well known for his scientific and persevering researches into the British antiquities. These gentlemen commenced excavating the harrow, determined to carry ont their object, and solve the mystery which has hitherto hung over these most remarkable relics of the very earliest ages of our country. Accordingly, after penetrating to a depth of seven feet, and in their progress meeting with some fragments ofthe horns and blade bones ofthe red deer, they discovered the top ofa Kist, ou which Mr. Bateman at once detected an urn of very rude and primitive character, and a mass of burnt bones, which was with care ultimately rescued from its lengthened interment, and deposited in the chest specially prepared.

Subsequently, the fragments of a much larger and more beautiful urn, in which the deposit had rested, and the entire mass of bones aud the kist were removed. AmODg the debris were found a bone pin and flint of the rudest workmanship, proving that the interment was ahont 3,500 years old, and establishing the fact that the Lows in Derbyshire were erected by the independent British Aborigines, long before the soil was defiled by the foot ofthe Saxon invader. It is much to be regretted that the Duke of Rutland's agent interposed to prevent a complete survey. No doubt, when the matter is laid before his Grace, the undertaking will be resumed, and Mr. Isaacson aud Mr. Bateman reap the just reward of their Archæological labours. It is very remarkable, that a fragment of spherical hepatic pyrites was found in the deposit, specimens of which Mr. Bateman had on two previous occasions discovered in similar positions ; these were undoubtedly worn as ornaments, or used as armlets by our rude forefathers.

Mr. Isaacson met with similar objects amongst the natives of South America. The following observations on the general character of deposits, serve to shew in a great measure, the dates of the interments in these Lows. If, for example, bones are found, especially burnt bones, unaccompanied by any, even the rudest instruments, we may safely affirm that these belonged to the aborigines, and are of the remotest antiquity. The discovery of flint and bone pins, of barbarous workmanship, with occasional rude earthen vessels, with the human remains, may be called the second era in the funeral history of the early Britons, whilst the third epoch is clearly defined by the brass dagger or celt of elegant proportions, and probably of Phœnician origin, which are found near the head of the principal interment, tnd sometimes accompanied by a stone hammer or celt.

The iron knife and sp^ai bead. with shields of the same metal, are certain proofs of a Saxon barrow ; whilst Roman tumuli are remarkable for the beauty of the pottery, and the coius universally found therein, and it is by no means unusual to find the primeval interment of burnt bones beneath a secondary one, when the bronze instrument of the Briton, or iron spear, or knife, or shield, of the Saxon denote a much later era. The Early Commerce ofthe ancient Britons was carried on by barter without the aid of money, but about the commencement ofthe Christian era, a mint master was invited over iuto Britain from the continent. A mint was erected at Colchester, and money of gold, silver and copper was coined in that city, about forty different specimens having reached our time. Mines both of silver and gold were worked iu the island during the reigns of Augustus and Trajan.

Cambden asserts a gold mine was discovered in Bedford, a few years before his time. The Romans drew their revenues from various sources, commerce, mines, legacies, houses, and heads, all contributed to supply their exactions, and as they had suggested to the natives the mode of making money, they did not fail to supply the exhausted treasury at Rome, from the industry of Britain. A succession of ages had almost identified the Britons with their Roman conquerors, and when tbe emperors pressed by difficulties at home and weakened by their possessions abroad, began to withdraw their legions from this island, the inhabitants importuned them to remain, to protect them from the incursions of the Picts and Scots; the wall of Severus was no longer a barrier to these semi-barbarians. In A.D. 450, two years after the last Roman legion had quitted England, Hengist and Horsa, two brothers, the descendants in the fourth generation from Woden, one of the principal gods of the Saxons, embarked their army to the number of 1600, on board of three vessels, aud landing in the isle of Thanet, immediately marched to the defence of the Britons, who had invited them over to protect them against their northern invaders.

Having expelled the enemy, the fertility and richness ofthe country presented a temptation too strong to be resisted by the ambition os these newly acquired friends who soon began to aspire to the possession of th« island. Roused by this display of treachery, the native inhabitants flew to arms, and for near a century maintained a conquest of dubious success. In 518, however, King Arthur expelled the Saxons almost from tbe island, but after tbe death of this monarch, the Saxons again prevailed under various leaders, and the island was divided into seven kingdoms, Derbyshire being included in that of Mercia. Ofthe Saxon system of government it may be observed, that it had in it the germ of freedom, if it did Dot always exhibit the fruit. In religion they were idolaters, and their idols, altars, aud temples, soon overspread the country ; they had a god for every day in tbe week; Thor, the god of thunder, represented Thursday : Woden, the god of battle, represented Wednesday : Friga, the god of love presided over Friday : Seater, over Saturday, and had influence on the fruits of the earth : Tuyse, the tutelar god of the Dutch, conferred his name on Tuesday: they also worshipped the sun and moon, each conferring a name on one of the days of week : Sunnan, on Sunday, and Monan, on Monday.

The merit of eradicating this baneful superstition, by the introduction of Christianity, was reserved for a Roman Pontiff, Gregory, surnamed the Gteat, who in the year 597, sent Augustine, a monk, into the south, and Paulinus to the north of England, by whose preaching the Christian religion made such rapid progress that it soon became the prevailing faith, and Augustine was elevated to the rank of Archbishop of Canterbury; and Paulinus, Archbishop of York, who was the first to preach Christianity in Mercia, where he followed the victorious arms of Edwin, king of Northumbria. The Danes being dissatisfied with the Saxons being in possession of the largest and richest island in Europe, made various incursions, aud fitted out a large fleet, and entered the Htimbei* in 867. After frequently penetrating into the interior ofthe country, they took possession ofthe kingdom of Mercia, and made Repandune (Repton) their head quarters.

These pagan marauders burnt aud destroyed villages and monasteries, and spared neither age nor sex, which caused the Anglo Saxon monarchs to confederate for their mutual defence, and the invaders were at length subdued. At this time the sovereignty of Mercia fell into the hands of Alfred the Great. All the kingdoms of the heptarchy became united in one great state in 823, near 400 years after the arrival of the Saxons in Britain, and the crown was placed upon thc head of Egbert. Union iu the government gave the people hopes of settled tranquility, but these fair expectations were speedily blasted by the re-appearance of the Danes, who for some ages had kept the Anglo Saxons in a state of perpetual alarm. For upwards of forty years, and through five successive reigns, the Danish invaders continued the struggle, and at the death of Etheldred, his brother Alfred, the successor to the throne, was obliged to abandon the field, and seek an asylum in the cottage ofa swineherd.