Mickleover
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mickleover | |
  Mickleover shown within Derbyshire |
|
| OS grid reference | |
|---|---|
| District | Derby |
| Shire county | Derbyshire |
| Region | East Midlands |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | DERBY |
| Postcode district | DE3 |
| Police | Derbyshire |
| Fire | Derbyshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| European Parliament | East Midlands |
| List of places: UK • England • Derbyshire | |
Mickleover is located 2 miles west of the city centre and is the most westerly village of the City of Derby in the United Kingdom. The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book when it was owned by Burton Abbey[1]. At the time of the Doomsday Survey, 1086, Mickleover was known as Magna (the Old English version of this is Micel) Oufra. Magna, in early Latin means Great; Oufra coming from Anglo Saxon Ofer, flat-topped ridge. The oldest parts of the village now are located along Uttoxeter Road (B5020). The resident population of Mickleover ward in 2003 was 13,528[2]. The current population is estimated to be in excess of 18,000[3]
Maxwell Craven is a well known Derby Historian has a book "The Illustrated History of Derby Suburbs".[4] Page 100 onwards describes the history of Mickleover illustrated by photographs going back to the beginning of the 20th century. After a brief history of Mickleover, this book- "Portait of a Village" [5] visits the major streets of the old village and describes their development, amply illustrated by excellent photographs.
Although described as a village, Mickleover is now one of the largest suburbs in Derby and is still expanding due to ongoing housing developments. House prices in areas of Mickleover are amongst the highest in Derby.
Though many of the homes in Mickleover are owned by the more affluent citizens of Derby, the rising crime rate for this suburb continues to be a major problem. The fact that crime in neighbouring areas, such as Mackworth, has dropped dramatically adds to this concern. Many put this down to youths of less affluent families from neighbouring areas causing trouble within Mickleover. There is a large 24 hour Tesco in the middle of the village. Mickleover Court Hotel is popular with commuting business representatives as well as travelling sports teams, notably football teams playing against Derby County.
Construction of the £5.2m Mickleover bypass (A516/A38) began in April 1972, and it was opened on February 19, 1975.
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[edit] Railway history
The railway line which passed through Mickleover (the station was about 1 mile from the centre of the village, entitled Mickleover for Radbourne) originally formed part of the Great Northern Railway's cross country route from Grantham to Stafford and was opened in April 1878. It ran from Grantham on the East Coast Main Line via Nottingham Victoria, over the famous Bennerley Viaduct (which still stands today) and Derby Friargate Station. This section of the Great Northern Railway, also known as the Friargate Line, (for further history about this now closed railway see Derby Friargate Line), was built as a rival to the already established Midland Railway which at the time had a monopoly over Derby, Nottingham and the surrounding areas.
At Egginton Jcn. it joined the Derby to Crewe line of the North Staffordshire Railway which it left at Uttoxeter to journey on to Stafford.
Mickleover station lay on the Derby - Egginton section.
Although most of the line was closed to passenger traffic in December 1939, Egginton station didn't officially close until 3 March 1962 and Mickleover station remained open until 3 February 1964. The final passenger train left Friargate on 5 September 1964 and the line then closed throughout to passenger traffic on 7 September 1964.
Freight remained as did the through excursion traffic but eventually Friargate Goods closed on 4 September 1967. There used to be a dairy at Egginton from where milk was transported to London.
The section between Egginton Jcn. and Friargate was then acquired by the Train Control Group of the BR Research Division, as a suitable test track[6]. It was singled between Friargate and Mickleover, but in 1973 the line was cut back to Mickleover since the eastern end of the track bed had been earmarked for the new A38 trunk road. Thereafter the line was used as a test track until 1990 when the A50 by-pass was built over the trackbed and the line was closed and lifted.
Today Mickleover and Egginton stations survive, Mickleover is a private residence and Egginton is the HQ for a Payroll Company. The route of the line is now a cycle track and nature path with little to indicate its former status.
[edit] University campus
Mickleover itself now houses a small campus of the University of Derby which in 2007-2008 will make way for nearly 700 new homes. The campus was formerly the Bishop Lonsdale College of Education, run by the Church of England (Derby Diocese). In late 2007 a new scout hut for the 166 Mickleover Scouts will also be on the site of the University Campus (Derby Campus).
[edit] Schools in Mickleover
Mickleover has a number of primary schools. Mickleover Primary, Silverhill Primary and Ravensdale. There are two secondary schools, Murray Park, which also borders the edge of Mackworth, and goes straight onto D block in Derby College. Many residents of Mickleover, however, attend John Port School, one of the best state schools in the country or rather Littleover Community School which can be difficult to obtain a place because of high demand.
[edit] References
- ^ Domesday Book: A Complete Transliteration. London: Penguin, 2003. ISBN 0-14-143994-7 p.744
- ^ Nomisweb.com
- ^ [1]
- ^ The Illustrated History of Derby's Suburbs by Maxwell Craven, published by The Breedon Books Publishing Company, 1996, ISBN1 85983 031 5.
- ^ Portrait of a Village, Mickleover by Margaret Welling, 1997, The Breedon Books Publishing Company, ISBN 1 85983 033 1.
- ^ Mickover Test Track Page
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