The English Counties Delineated, Volume 2
SHIRLEY 4 miles SE from Ashborne contains 60 houses and 309 inhabitants The church dedicated to St Michael is a vicarage value 6 13 Ad Sewallus having removed his seat from Eatington in Warwickshire to Shirley became the founder of the family of Shirley their ancient mansion here is entirely demolished but the Earls Ferrers continued lords of the manor till the time of Lawrence the fourth earl The townships of Stydd and Yeaveley are in the parish of Shirley at the last place was a hermitage dedicated to St Mary and St John the Baptist Ralph le Fun in the reign of Richard I granted it to the Knights Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem when it became a preceptory of that order At the Dissolution the revenue of it and Barrow in Cheshire was 107 3 Hd The preceptory of Yeaveley was granted 35 Hen VIII to Charles Lord Mountjoy\
Written by Thomas Moule