In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Castleton like this:
CASTLETON, a village, a township, and a parish in Chapel-en-le-Frith district, Derby. The village stands in a deep hollow, at the foot of Mam-Tor mountain, 6 miles N of Millers-Dale r. station, and 10 NE of Buxton. A steep and commanding eminence at it, upwards of 200 feet high, is crowned by the ruined castle of "Peveril of the Peak." This is supposed by some to have been preceded by a Saxon fort; by others, to have been built originally by william Peveril, a son of the Conqueror. ...
It passed from the Peverils in the time of Henry II.; was held by the Earl of Montaigne, afterwards King John; was given, in the time of Edward II., to the Earl of Warren; passed afterwards to John of Gaunt; and has belonged, since his time, to the duchy of Lancaster. The keep and portions of the walls still stand; they consist of massive masonry, 9 feet thick; and they present a most interesting specimen of the features of Norman architecture. The Peak cavern is adjacent, while all the other grand attractions of the High Peak region are near; and they draw hither great numbers of summer visitors and tourists. The village has a post office‡ under Sheffield, three chief inns, a church, a Wesleyan chapel, a Primitive Methodist chapel, an endowed school, and an excellent library. The church is partly early English, neat and in good repair; and has three interesting monuments to the mineralogist Mawe, the Rev. E. Bagshaw, and Micha Hall. Fairs are held on the third Wednesday of March, 21 April, the first Wednesday of Oct., and the third Wednesday of Nov.-The township includes the village, and extends over neighbouring mountains. Real property, £5,006. Pop., 771. Houses, 167. The property is much subdivided. Lead ore, fluor spar, mountain limestone, and other useful minerals abound. The working of lead mines long employed a large portion of the inhabitants, but, of late years, has been unproductive.—The parish includes also the township of Edale. Acres, 10,205. Real property, £8,156. Pop., 1,157. Houses, 243. The manor belongs to the duchy of Lancaster; and is leased by the Duke of Devonshire. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Lichfield. Value, £186. Patron, the Bishop of Lichfield. The vicarage of Edale is a separate benefice.
Castleton through time
Castleton is now part of High Peak district. Click here for graphs and data of how High Peak has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Castleton itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Castleton, in High Peak and Derbyshire | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/4029
Date accessed: 05th November 2024
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