DESCRIPTION

The earliest known reference to Ashbourne is on a Dark Age map (410-870) of the county in the possession of the Ordnance Survey, when it is given as 'Aescburna'. It was quite a considerable settlement even at that period.

The present church is mainly Early English with later additions of the Decorated and Perpendicular periods. The chancel and transepts were built about 1220 and the church consecrated and dedicated to St. Oswald in 1241. The spire which measures 215 feet to the weathercock was badly damaged by a gale in 1698 and has had to be repaired twice in the 18th century and again in the 19th. On this last occasion, in 1873, the vicar, the Rev. E.M. Moore, placed the weathercock in position himself, being drawn up by a pulley. The main entrance gates adorned with skulls date from 1700 and were set back a few feet from their original position in 1958, during road-widening. Many gravestones were also removed at this time. The details from them were recorded by the workmen and are listed amongst those given here.

The peal of eight bells was cast in 1815 by William Dobson of Downham, Norfolk. There is a tradition that they are 'Those Evening Bells' of the poet Thomas Moore, who lived at nearby Mayfield 1813-17. The Registers begin in 1538, but those prior to 1604 are early 17th century copies, and many years are missing before 1655.

Ashbourne suffered Plague epidemics in 1594 and 1605. There were 62 deaths on the latter occasion, and special sermons were preached. The vicar's sermon book survives in the British Museum (Harleian Ms. 663). Those who died are said to have been buried between the E. end of the chancel and the almshouses, and the ground never reopened for further burials.

Notable families of the area whose memorials are within the church are the Cokaynes, Bradbournes and Boothbys. Thomas Banks carved the marble figure of Penelope Boothby who died aged 5 years in 1791. She is said to have been able to speak in four languages which are inscribed on her tomb. Her monument has become famous, and Francis Chantrey is said to have made sketches of it when designing his Sleeping Children, now in Lichfield Cathedral.

LIST of SURNAMES from the Inscriptions

ADCOCK	ADDERLEY	AL(L)COCK	ALLEN	ALLENBY
ALLSOP	ANDERSON	ARCHER	ARMSTRONG	ARNOLD
ASHBURNE	ASHTON	ASTBURY	ASTLE	ATKIN(S)
ATKINSON	ATTERBURY	AUSTIN	AVERY	BACON
BACON	BADDER	BAGNALD	BAGULEY	BAILEY
BAILEY	BAIMBRIDGE	BAINBRIGGE	BAKER	BALDY
BAMFORD	BAMFORTH	BANYARD	BARKER	BARNES
BARNESDALL	BARNWELL	BARTHOLOMEW	BASS	BATES
BATH	BAYLISS	BEARD	BEARDSLEY	BEBBINGTON
BECKET	BEDFORD	BEEBY	BELCHER	BELFIELD
BELFIELD	BELL	BELL	BENNETT	BENT
BERESFORD	BICKERTON	BILLINGE	BINGHAM	BIRCH
BLACK	BLADON	BLAKE	BLAKISTON	BLOOD
BLORE	BLUNT	BOAM	BODELL	BODEN
BOOTH	BOOTHBY	BOOTHOUSE	BORGH	BORROWS
BOSWELL	BOSWORTH	BOTHAM	BOTT	BOYDELL
BRADB(O)URNE	BRADBURY	BRADDOCK	BRADLEY	BRADSHAW
BRAMBLES	BRAMWELL	BRAN	BRANDRETH	BRATBY
BRECHAM	BRIDDON(EN)	BRIGGS	BRINDLEY	BRINSLEY
BRISTOL	BRITTON	BROADHURST	BRONDESTON	BROUGH
BROUSTER	BROWN	BROWNSON	BUCHANAN	BUCKSTON
BULL	BUNTING	BURBAGE	BURBURE de	BURFORD
BURGESS	BURNET	BURTON	BURTON	BUTCHER
BUXTON	BYTHINGE	CADE	CADWALLER	CALLOW
CALLOW	CANNELL	CANNER	CANTRELL	CARRINGTON
CARSON	CARTER	CARTWRIGHT	CATT	CAVENDISH
CHADFIELD	CHADWICK	CHAMBERS	CHAPLAIN	CHAPMAN
CHARLES	CHARLESWORTH	CHAWNER	CHAWORTH-MUSTERS	CHEADLE
CHELL	CHILD	CLARK(E)	CLEMITSON	CLOWES
COATES	COCAYNE	COLCLOUGH	COLEMAN	CONNELL
COOK(E)	COOPER	COPE	CORBISHLEY	CORDEN
CORSET	COURTMAN	COWLISHAW	COX	COXON
CRICK	CROMPTON	CUNNINGHAM	D'ABRIDGECOURT	DADE
DAKIN	DALBY	DALE	DALTON	DAVENPORT
DAVIS	DAWSON	DE BURBURE	DEAN	DERBY
DERBYSHIRE	DESBOROUGH	DEVILLE	DICKSENSON	DISMORR
DIXON	DOBREE	DOWDESWELL	DOWNES	DOXEN
DOXEY	DREW	DUFFIELD	DUNCOMBE	DUNNICLIFFE
DUXBURY	DYOTT	EATON	EATON	ECCLES
EDENSOR	EDGE	EGLINGTON	EL(L)A(E)BY	ELLAM
EMERY	ENTWISLE	ERRINGTON	ESSEBURNE	ETCHES
ETCHES	ETHERINGTON	EVANS	EYRE	FARMER
FARROW	FAULKNER	FEARN	FELTHOUSE	FERNI(Y)HOUGH
FILSTEAD	FIRMSTONE	FISHER	FITZHERBERT	FLETCHER
FOGG	FOOTE	FORD(E)	FOSTER	FOULKS
FOX	FOXON	FRANCIS	FRANK	FREEMAN
FRENCH	FRITH	FROGGATT	FROST	FURBER
GALLIMORE	GARNISS	GEE	GEPPMA	GERRARD
GERROM	GERVIS	GETTLIFFE	GIBBONS	GIBBS
GIBSON	GILBERT	GILMAN	GINEVER	GINNIS
GLASSBROOK	GLOVER	GLOVER	GO(O)DWIN	GODDARD
GOLDSBY	GOODALL	GOODMAN	GOODREAD	GOSSARD
GRAHAM	GRATTON	GREAVES	GREEN	GREGORY
GRIME	GRINDEY	GRUNDY	GUADO	HACKET
HALES	HALL	HALLIFAX	HAMBLETON	HAMILTON
HAND	HANDLEY	HARDE(R)N	HARDING	HARDSTAFF
HARDY	HARGREAVE(S)	HARLAND	HARLING	HARLOW
HARRIS	HARRISON	HART	HATSHORNE	HAUKE/HAWKE
HAWKSWORTH	HAWLEY	HAWTHORNE	HAYCOCK	HAYNES
HAYTHORNE	HAYWOOD	HEATHCOTE	HELER	HELLABY
HEMSWORTH	HENSTOCK	HEPWORTH	HERP	HIGSON
HILL	HILTON	HINGE	HOBSON	HOGG
HOLBROOK	HOLEHOUSE	HOLLAND	HOLLAND	HOLLINS
HOLLINSHEAD	HOLLIS	HOLMES	HOLYOAK	HOOD
HOOWARTH	HOPPS	HORNE	HOROBYN	HOUGHTON
HOULTON	HOUSLEY	HOWARD	HOWELL	HUCKAM
HUDSON	HUDSON	HULL	HUNT	HUNTLEY
HURD	HURD-WOOD	HURT(E)	HUTCHINSON	HYLLE
INGLISS	INSLEY	ISLE	JACKSON	JEACOCKE
JELF	JENKINSON	JOBSON	JOHNSON	JONES
JOULE	JOURDAIN	JOWETT	KEIGHTLEY	KEMP
KENNEDY	KENWORTHY	KEYIAM	KINGSTON	KINNEBROOK
KINNERSLEY	KIRKLAND	KITCHEN	KNIVETON	KNYVETON
LAMB	LAMMIN	LAND	LANE	LANGFORD
LANGTON	LEASON	LEE(S)	LEEKE	LEGGITT
LEGRICE	LEIGH	LEIGHTON	LENTON	LEVER
LEWIS	LIGHTFOOT	LINDSAY	LISEMORE	LISTER
LITTLETON	LITTON	LOCKER	LOWNDES	LUCAS
LUMBARD	MACBEAN	MACLEAN	MADGE	MAINWARING
MANN	MANSFIELD	MANSON	MANTON	MARPLE
MARROWE	MARSDEN	MARSH	MARSHALL	MARSTON
MARTIN	MASSEY	MATHER	MEAKIN	MEE
MELLOR	MELTON	MELVILLE	MIDDLETON	MIDLANE
MIERS	MILBOURNE	MILLATE	MILLIS	MILNES
MILNHOUSE	MILWARD	MITCHELL	MONTGOMERY	MOON
MOORE	MORLEY	MORRIN	MORRIS	MOTTRAM
MOULT	MOUNTFORT	MURRAY	McGREGOR	NEAL
NEEDHAM	NEW(E)NHAM	NEWERK	NEWTON	NICHOLSON
NIELD	NOBLE	NOON	NORTHAMPTON	NORTHCLIFFE
NUTTALL	O'BRIEN	OAKDEN	OLDFIELD	OLIVER
OLLERENSHAW	ORME	OSBORN(E)	PAGE	PALMER
PANE	PARKER	PARKES	PARKIN	PARKINSON
PATTERSON	PEACE	PEACH	PEACOCK	PEARSON
PEGG	PETERSON	PHIL(L)IPS	PHIPPS	PIDCOCK
PITT	PLANT	PLOWMAN	POLLARD	POOLE
PORTER	POTTER	POWELL	POYNER	PRATE
PRATT	PRINCE	PROBERT	PURDY	PURGAVIE
PYM	RABY	RADFORD	RAWLINS	RAWLINSON
READ	RECKLESS	REDFERN	REEVE	REYNOLDS
RICHARDSON	RIDDLESDEN	RIDLEY	RIGBY	ROBERTS
ROBIN	ROBINSON	ROE	ROLINSON	ROOSE
ROPER	ROSE	ROWLINSON	ROYLANCE	ROYLEY
RUDGE	SA(U)NDERS	SACHEVERELL	SADDER	SALLARY
SALT	SANDERS	SANSUM	SELLERS	SELVEY
SHARPE	SHARRAD	SHAW	SHIMMELL	SHIPLEY
SHORE	SILCOCK	SILVESTER	SIMM(S)	SIMPSON
SINFIELD	SKELLERN	SKELLON	SKEVINGTON	SKINNER
SLATER	SMALLEY	SMEDLEY	SMITH	SNELSON
SOLLORS	SOWTER	SPALDEN	SPAULDER	SPENCER
STANDBRIDGE	STAPYLTON	STEVENSON	STOKE(S)	STONE
STREET	STUBBS	SURTAS	SUTHERLAND	SUTTON
SWINDELL	SWINSCOE	SYMONS	SYMS	TANNER
TANTUM	TARLTON	TARR	TATE	TAYLOR
TEMPEST	THOMPSON	THORN(E)LEY	THORPE	THRUMLEY
TITTERTON	TOMLINSON	TOOGOOD	TOWNSEND	TRACKER
TRAIN	TRAVIS	TRENDELL	TUDBALL	TUNNICLIFFE
TUNSTALL	TURNBULL	TURNER	TURVILLE	TWELLS
TWIGG(E)	TYHILL	UPTON	VERNON	VILLE
WADE	WAIN	WAINWRIGHT	WALHOUSE	WALKER
WALLIS	WALTER(S)	WALTON	WARD	WARDLE
WARIN	WARNER	WARREN	WARRINGTON	WATSON
WEBB	WEBSTER	WELCH	WELLETON	WELLS
WESTHORPE	WETHERALL	WETTON	WHEELDON	WHETTON
WHILLOCK	WHISTON	WHIT(T)AKER	WHITE	WHITELOCK
WHITHAM	WHITING	WHITTINGHAM	WHITTLE	WIBBERLEY
WIGGIN	WIGLEY	WILDSMITH	WILKIE	WILKINS
WILLIAMS	WILLIAMSON	WILSON	WINT	WINTERS
WINTONIA	WISE	WOOD	WOODHEAD	WOODHOUSE
WOODINGS	WOODWARD	WOODYATT	WOOLLEY	WRIGHT
WYCHE	WYKEHAM	WYNNE	YENDLEY

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