Brackenfield

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Brackenfield






Statistics
Population:	189
Ordnance Survey
OS grid reference:	SK409651
Administration
Parish:	Brackenfield
Non-metropolitan district:	North East Derbyshire
Shire county:	Derbyshire
Region:	East Midlands
Constituent country:	England
Sovereign state:	United Kingdom
Other
Ceremonial county:	Derbyshire
Historic county:	Derbyshire
Services
Police force:	Derbyshire Constabulary
Fire and rescue:	{{{Fire}}}
Ambulance:	{{{Ambulance}}}
Post office and telephone
Post town:	ALFRETON
Postal district:	DE55 9xx
Dialling code:	01629
Politics
UK Parliament:	North East Derbyshire
European Parliament:	East Midlands

Brackenfield is a village and civil parish in the North East Derbyshire district of Derbyshire, England.

The village is about 5 miles east of Matlock and 4½ miles north-west of Alfreton. It is also close to Clay Cross. Set in farming country, the village is located around a large village green. The parish of Brackenfield includes much of the attractive Ogston Reservoir.

Brackenfield was originally known as Brackenthwaite, which probably meant "a bracken clearing". The suffix -thwaite is unusual in this part of the county, as it is commonly associated with more northern areas. It is of significance etymologically as it seems to point to the existence of a small colony of Norsemen or Norweigans, separate from the incursion of the Danes. The village later became known as Brackenfeld, and then Brackenfield.

The parish of Brackenfield was originally a township of nearby Morton. It was divided from it in 1758. The parish has the smallest population of all parishes in the North East Derbyshire district. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 189, however in the 19th century it was around 350.