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From Saxon times the arable land of a manor was usually split into three fields, one of which was allowed to lie fallow in turn. Free tenants each had a strip in both of the other two for their crops: Winter Corn; and Spring Corn or Peas. Each strip was usually approximately 22 yards long by 22…
 The new wind turbines that have been erected by Severn-Trent at their treatment works in Spondon are not the first wind powered structures in the village.A mill is mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086. Part of the entry for Spondon reads:-“14 villagers and 2 smallholders, a Priest and a…
The Order of St Lazarus was founded at Jerusalem about 1130, and a hospice was set up outside the city gates.  Its purpose was to look after lepers; not all lepers: just the Knights who had caught the disease during the Crusades.  The question “Who was St Lazarus?” is ore difficult to…
Bob Mee’s memories of Spondon House School I left in 1954 and I still remember to this day I was in Class 4S which was the top class with Mr Davies. On my last day he walked into the classroom and said that the headmaster Mr Walton wanted to see me.Now what I had I done wrong?I walked into the…
Guy Brighouse wrote:The changing face of derbyApril 9th 1980Mr and Mrs Ranby started their business (now Debenhams) in one of the small shops in the top picture.  In he 1890’s they came to Spondon, to the house which is now the “Crown Club” on Nottingham Road, he was confined to a wheelchair…
Guy Brighouse wrote in 1987:John Holbrook, in his will of 1889, left £200 each to his nephews Henry, John, William, Peter, sons of his late brother, also Townend Cottage (pictured below) (Sawpit Lane/ West Road) to Emma Elson and M.A. Elson and to Fanny Barton, 5 cottages, no’s 30,32,34,36 and 38…
Spondon Will. Benjamin, Alice, Rosa and Mirabel Sims, were the children of Mrs Alice Sims of Springfield farm (1899).  Mrs Alice Sims was a Miss Meakin, the Meakins had been farmers in Spondon since before the enclosure Act (1780/90).  Ben Sims married the only daughter of Mr Joseph…
Stone – death announcementHollybrook was on the corner of Moor End until that road was widened in 1962.  He was a retired farmer, he farmed Burrowood, off Dale Road house now demolished.Burrowood manor bought by Fitzherbert’s family during reign of William and Mary 1689/1702.  3 branches…
Guy Brighouse wrote in 1987: The Marl from the Pit was used in local brickyards.  I remember Mr Edward (Neddy) Wheatley telling me he remembered it being worked.  He died in early 1930s aged 82.He also told of the Whitsuntide Village walks, when as a member of the local Cow Club he led a…
Marriage of Mr. T. Shaw and Miss Sinfoil.A pretty wedding took place on Tuesday in the Parish Church, Spondon, the bride being Miss Mary Sinfoil, only daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Charles Sinfoil, of "Charnwood" Spondon, and the bridegroom Mr. T. Shaw, eldest son of Mr Shaw, Breadsall. The ser­vice…
The Celanese factory was built towards the end of the 1st World War.  It was essential that new housing was built for its workers.  The Co-op built houses on Derby Road and Merchant Avenue.  Celanese also built houses for its staff.  In the 1930s bungalows were built on Lodge…
In 1990 we commemmorated the burning of Spondon in 1340 with "Spondon Aflame".  It involved the whole village.  First there was a naming and a logo competition, this logo then being used by the Post Office for first day covers.  There was a mediaeval market held in specially closed…
Huntley Avenue was built during mid to late 1930s and was extended in 1984/7.  A small building estate was added from Badger Close to Chaffinch Close.  During that time it extended access to Bill Peat’s Planting”, a small wood which was planted by Billy Peat, who was a local butcher and…
Town Street ran from the corner of West Road down in front of the old vicarage, until a new road was cut in about 1816, from the Derby Road up past the Parish Church, linking with both Moor Street and Locko Road, which was then called Stanley Highway.Chapel Street was The Hollow until an Arminian…
There were three events which affected life in Spondon.   In 1839 the railway came, and the new school opened.  Education became compulsory in the 1890s.  The third event in the 1890s was the election of the Parish Council.  This brought the end of the Vestry Meetings which…
Henry Fowler (later Sir Henry) came to live at the Homestead in 1912 when he was appointed Chief Mechanical Engineer to the Midland Railway at Derby. He quickly became involved in local life, particlarly the Church, where he ran a young men's Bible class, and he organised various sporting…
The Romans invaded England from 50BC onwards, strengthening their hold until around 350AD, then began to withdraw their forces until around 400AD, when other invading forces started to arrive, and were not strongly opposed.  This lead to two main forces, the Saxons from the south of Germany…
Little is recorded of the early days of settlement in Spondon.  At the time of the Domesday Survey in 1068 we know that there was a church, a priest and a mill.  Spondon was one of the many manors given to Henry de Ferrars by William I.  As part of his Spondon Manor he also held…