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The Ancient Parish of Glossop

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The background to these pages

For some time it had been in my mind to collate the entries in trade directories relating to the town of Glossop (where I was brought up) into a single database. When I eventually got round to doing it I realised that the changes in the area, over time, meant it was much more appropriate to include the whole of the Ancient Parish of Glossop, one of the most extensive in the north of England.

19th century Glossop

Glossop in the late 19th century, looking from Simmondley towards Whitfield & Howard's Town


The Ancient Parish of Glossop

The Book of Glossop by Hanmer & Winterbottom (Barracuda Books 1991, ISBN 0 86023 484 3) defines Glossop as the territory which "includes Hadfield, Padfield, Dinting, Gamesley, Simmondley, Whitfield, Chunal, Charlesworth, Chisworth, Ludworth and the village of Glossop. Glossop is 'the ten townships', though Gamesley was never a township in its own right, but a satellite of either Charlesworth or Glossop. 'Glossop' has meant more than one place: the small settlement, 'Glott's hop', established c 650; a manor granted first to Basingwerk Abbey c 1157 called 'the Manor of Glossop', and containing the ten townships; a parish based on Glossop Church, established at about the same time as the Manor but more than twice as big, containing the ten townships of the Manor, plus nine others outside it, and called 'the Parish of Glossop', and 'the Borough of Glossop', created in 1866 and containing less than half the territory of the Manor. Today the name means less than ever. The Manor has gone, sold off in small lots in 1925. The Parish is a tiny ecclesiastical unit, and gives its name outside itself only to a rural deanery. Glott's hop is in retirement as 'Old Glossop'. And, as a final blow to separate identification, the Borough of Glossop disappeared in 1974, submerged in a new hybrid authority called the Borough of High Peak.".

The breakdown of the parish is listed in the Index of Probate Documents of the Ancient Parish of Glossop by Lee, Clarke & McKenna (Derbyshire FHS, ISBN 0947 964 26 6). It lists the townships outside of the Manor as Mellor, Thornsett, Rowarth, Whittle, Beard, Ollersett, Hayfield, Little Hayfield, Phoside, Kinder, Bugsworth, Brownside and Chinley. The parish was based on All Saints church which still survives as the parish church of the township of Glossop. There were two chapelries: Mellor, comprising Chisworth, Ludworth, Mellor, Thornsett, Rowarth, Whittle and half of Beard; Hayfield, comprising the other half of Beard, Ollersett, Hayfield, Little Hayfield, Phoside, Kinder, Bugsworth, Brownside and Chinley. As the population increased, other parishes were formed as follows:

Many Parish Register entries, Monumental Inscriptions and probate documents will identify which township (or even, sometimes, which farm) people lived in. However, in other cases it is difficult to tell whether "of Glossop" meant the township or the parish.

Glossop Parish Church has its own web site which you will find here.

Anyone interested in Glossop's history would be well advised to visit the town to look at the local collection at the Library plus the wonderful Heritage Centre on Henry Street right in the middle of town. The Derbyshire Family History Society site has a map of the modern town centre of Glossop which you can access by clicking clicking here. The map will display in a new browser window to make it easy for you to return to this page.

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Glossop Bibliography

I have already mentioned above The Book of Glossop by Hanmer & Winterbottom (Barracuda Books 1991, ISBN 0 86023 484 3) and The Index of Probate Documents of the Ancient Parish of Glossop by Lee, Clarke & McKenna (Derbyshire FHS, ISBN 0947 964 26 6). There are several other publications about the history of Glossop and the surrounding area. The ones in my collection (in no particular order) are:

Publications on CD and DVD.

Derbyshire FHS publications and some of the others listed can be obtained from the Society. See the Publications Page at the DFHS Site.

Some of the publications listed are out of print but many can be obtained from the Heritage Centre and/or from bookshops in the town.

JiGraH Resources Publications on CD.

We have published three CDs containing old books etc about Glossop. These are:

The latter two CDs are published in partnership with Glossop Heritage Centre. Also published in partnership with the Heritage Centre is a CD copy of Morris & Co's Commercial Directory & Gazetteer of Ashton-Under-Lyne & District 1878 which covers places in Cheshire, Derbyshire and Lancashire, including Glossop and the surrounding area.

Other of our CDs which feature Glossop are:

Full details of these items can be found on our Mail Order CD Page for Derbyshire, from where they can also be purchased.

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Glossop Heritage Logo

Glossop Heritage Centre

Glossop Heritage Centre, Henry Street

In 1986 a group of local enthusiasts decided that it was high time for Glossop to have a base where all the historic background to the town could be put on public display for all to enjoy. Glossop Heritage Trust was formed and with financial grants from High Peak Borough Council and Derbyshire County Council a town centre property was leased to house exhibitions and displays, illustrating the rich historic background of Glossopdale and district. Glossop now has a Heritage Centre which attracts many visitors through its doors. Tourists, Historians, Researchers, School Parties and local inhabitants visit and express pleasure that this amenity is on hand for the benefit of everyone. Local artists and craftspeople also stage exhibitions of their work on a monthly basis, so offering them an outlet to display their work. So, if in Glossop visit the Heritage Centre and see the history of Glossop and other displays of interest, exhibited in a friendly and homely atmosphere.

What there is in the centre: maps and plans; historical trails; audio/visual presentations; informative sheets and booklets; photographs; old local newspapers dating back to the 1880's; souvenirs; authentic Victorian kitchen

Admission is free. Coach parties and school parties are always welcome and if informed beforehand the Centre can organise conducted visits. The telephone number is +44 (0)1457 869176.

Above information and graphics reproduced by kind permission of Glossop Heritage Centre.

Click on this link to go to Glossop Heritage Centre's own web site.

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I welcome any comments or contact from other researchers of 'my' names. To get in touch all you have to do is to click on send mail to Graham @ JiGraH.

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Last updated: 2 January 2008