Bagshaw's Gazetteer and Directory of Derbyshire (1846)
SHIRLEY parish includes the townships of Shirley Stydd and Yeaveley and has 3,500 acres of land and 599 inhabitants. Population in 1811 465 in 1831 602Shirley township and pleasant village 4½ miles SE by S from Ashbourne contains 159 acres of land 68 houses and 320 inhabitants of whom 164 were males and 156 females. Rateable value £2,300 Earl Ferrers is lord of the manor and considerable owner. Rev Thomas Cooper Brown, Frances Wright Esq., William Greaves MD are also owners. The church, St Michael, a vicarage, valued in the King's books at £6 13s 4d now £20s has been augmented with £200 benefactions and £300 parliamentary grant Earl Ferrers patron
Peat Hay, ½ mile S Wormsley, an ancient farm, ½ mile SE Brook and Lodge farms SW Common N and the Park farms NW from the village. This manor Sireli belonged to Henry de Ferrars. In the reign of Henry II it was held under that family by the immediate ancestor of Earl Ferrars who seating himself here took the name of Shirley. Soswallo or Sewall the ancestor occurs in Domesday as holding manors but not Shirley under superior lords. Sir Thomas Shirley who died in 1382 was a distinguished military character. His son Sir Hugh was slain at the battle of Shrewsbury. Sir Ralph son of Sir Hugh was a commander at the battle of Agincourt. Their descendant Sir George was created a baronet in 1611 and his great grandson in 1677 had been declared lord Ferrers of Chartley in virtue of his descent from that noble family through one of the coheiresses of Deveroux. The Earl of Essex was in 1711 created Viscount Tamworth and Earl Ferrers The church of Shirley was given to Darley Abbey by Fletcher de Ireton and confirmed by James de Sherley about the year 1230.
Stydd township and tithe and toll free liberty contains 312 acres of strong fertile land mostly pasture 6 houses and 40 inhabitants of whom 21 were males and 19 females Rateable value £400. John Goodale John Potter and John Harrison Esqs are thejownerr The Hall SmilesS bW from Ashbonm in a picturesque and retired situation belongs to Mr Goodale Here was formerly a preceptors of knights hospitallers dedicated to St Mary and St John the Baptist to which Sir William Meynell was a great benefactor in 12 18 and at the dissolution had a revenue of A 10 3s The chapel has long been a ruin A small portion of the wall and font still remain Ralph le Fun in the reign of Richard I gave the hermitage of Yeavely to the knights of St John of Jerusalem on condition that he should inhabit it during his life The site was granted by Henry VIII in 1543 to Charles Lord Mountjoy conveyed by his son in 1557 to Ralph Brown and by him in 1559 to Francis Colwich it was afterwards in the family of Hurd and then the property of John Walker Esq The residents are George Faulkner farmer Stydd Hall and John Robinson farmer YEAVELY township chapelry end well built village 4 miles S from Ashbourn contains 1,065 acres of fertile land 57 houses and 239 inhabitants of whom 126 are males and 113 females Rateable value 1,440 The chape a neat brick structure was erected in 1840 at a cost of 500 raised by subscription aided by a grant from the Incorporated Society It has a tower and I bell with 154 sittings of which 74 are free The vicar of Shirley patron and Rev Thomas Cupiss MA incumbent curate The tithe was commuted in 1839 50 for the large tithe to Mrs Kinnersley the impropriator and 20 the small tithe to which the vicar ef Shirley adds 25 for the minister The common was enclosed in 1840 Earl Ferrers is lord of the manor and considerable owner Rev German Bucks ton Wm Greaves Esq John Harrison Esq George Whitgreaves Esq Phillis Cupiss Esq with several others have estates here A National school was erected in 1840 and the Independents have a chapel in which they have service on a portion of the Sunday and the Primiuve Methodists occupy it on the other portion Rev James Peach Independent pastor Feast first Sunday after August 10 h Hales Green a small village 1 mile NW of Yeaveley Chabities Edward Pegge gave 20s yearly to the poor of Shirley IN at Christmas and 10s at Easter also 15s to the poor of Yeaveley in the same manner These sums are paid by the owner of the impropriate rectory of Shirley to the churchwardens at Christmas and Easter 5 SCROPTON PARISH 329