Smisby

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Smisby


Smisby's church of St. James. The church was originally dedicated to Saint Wystan of Repton and is mentioned in a charter of 1271.[1]
Smisby (Derbyshire)
Smisby

Smisby shown within Derbyshire
OS grid reference SK3419
District South Derbyshire
Shire county Derbyshire
Region East Midlands
Constituent country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town Ashby de la Zouche
Postcode district LE65
Dialling code 01530
Police Derbyshire
Fire Derbyshire
Ambulance East Midlands
European Parliament East Midlands
UK Parliament South Derbyshire
List of places: UK • England • Derbyshire

Coordinates: 52°46′N 1°29′W / 52.77, -1.49

Smisby is an ancient manor, a civil parish and small village in South Derbyshire. It is four miles (6 km) from Melbourne and near the Leicestershire border[2] and the town of Ashby de la Zouch.

The octagonal lockup in Smisby.
The octagonal lockup in Smisby.

Contents

[edit] Early history

Smisby is mentioned as Smidesbi in 1086 in the Domesday Book,[3] which states[4] under the title of "The lands of Nigel of Stafford": [5]

”In Smisby, Edwin had two carucates of land to the geld. There is land for 2 ploughs. There is now one plough in demesne and three villans have one plough. There is woodland pasture half a league long and six leagues broad. TRE[6] worth 40 shillings now twenty shillings.“

[edit] Notable residents

  • Hannah Bailey, an early emigrant to New Zealand, was born here. She befriended the Maoris after marrying the Rev. Charles

[edit] Ivanhoe

Within 200 metres of the village is a spot where a tournament was held that was described by Sir Walter Scott in his novel Ivanhoe. In chapter seven the text reads

The scene was singularly romantic. On the verge of a wood, which approached to within a mile of the town of Ashby, was an extensive meadow, of the finest and most beautiful green turf, surrounded on one side by the forest, and fringed on the other by straggling oak-trees, some of which had grown to an immense size. [7]

This quotation is attributed to a visit Scott made to Coleorton Hall to visit Sir George Beaumont. They visited Smisby and climbed a now-demolished watchtower. Scott noted that a flat area towards Ashby Castle, but within Derbyshire was reputed to be the place where ancient jousting tournaments had taken place.[1][8]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Smisby local site accessed 28 December 2007
  2. ^ Smisby at Genuki accessed 28 December 2007
  3. ^ Smisby is spelt Smidesbi in Domesday.
  4. ^ Domesday Book: A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 2003. ISBN 0-14-143994-7 p.753
  5. ^ Nigel of Stafford held a considerable number of manors including several in Derbyshire given to him by the King. In addition to Smisby they included lands in Stapenhill, Swadlincote, Ingleby, Ticknall and Foremark, as well as Ravenstone, Donisthorpe, Oakthorpe and Trangesby in Leicestershire).
  6. ^ TRE in Latin is Tempore Regis Edwardi. This means in the time of King Edward before the Battle of Hastings.
  7. ^ Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott accessed 27 December 2007
  8. ^ Ordnance survey map 1880-1890

[edit] External links