Stretton en le Field, Derbyshire Genealogy

England Derbyshire



Parish History
Stretton en le Field St Michael is an Ancient Parish which was historically part of Derbyshire but since 1897 has been wholly in the County of Leicestershire. Other places in the parish include: Oakthorpe and Donisthorpe.

STRETTON-EN-LE-FIELDS (St. Michael), a parish, in the union of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, hundred of Repton and Gresley, S. division of the county of Derby, though locally in the W. division of the hundred of Goscote, county of Leicester, 5 miles (S. W.) from Ashby; containing, with part of Oakthorpe hamlet, 354 inhabitants. The parish is situated on the road from Atherstone to Burton-upon-Trent, and contains about 1000 acres of very rich land, mostly arable; and a neat and pleasant village. Sir John Robert Cave-BrowneCave, Bart., is lord of the manor. The Hall, a handsome mansion, occupies a picturesque and romantic situation, with fine views of the country around. The living is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £9. 10. 5.; patron, Sir J. R. Cave. The tithes have been commuted for £235; there is a glebe-house, and the glebe contains about 50 acres. The church has a spire, and stands on elevated ground.

From: A Topographical Dictionary of England (1848), pp. 246-250. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=51314 Date accessed: 17 April 2011.

This church is unusual in that it has had little 19th century restoration other than the addition of the timber-framed and stuccoed chancel. This was possibly because the Cave Browne family, who were lords of the manor at that time, also supplied the three rectors for the church covering the whole century. It seems they were not so zealous about worship and also neglected the building. However, the spire was replaced in 1889 and further restoration took place in 1911.

Little maintenance took place in the 20th century and the church became dilapidated. In 1986 it was placed under the Churches Conservation Trust, and the restoration project began under the direction of Leicester architect Roger Keen.

Civil Registration
Birth, marriages and deaths were kept by the government, from July 1837 to the present day. The civil registration article tells more about these records. There are several Internet sites with name lists or indexes. A popular site is FreeBMD.

Church records
Leicester Record Office has deposited registers Stretton en le Field Bap 1638 - 1981 Marr 1638 - 1970 ( banns to 1974) Bur 1636 - 1812 The parish was in the county of Derbyshire until 1897 when it became part of Leicestershire

Lichfield Record Office has deposited Bishop's Transcripts Bap 1662-1871 Mar 1662-1837 Burials 1662-1871Missing Bap/Bur 1849-1857

Include here information for parish registers, Bishop’s Transcripts and other types of church records, such as parish chest records. Add the contact information for the office holding the original records. Add links to the Family History Library Catalog showing the film numbers in their collection

Census records
Include an overview if there is any unique information, such as the census for X year was destroyed. Add a link to online sites for indexes and/or images. Also add a link to the Family History Library Catalog showing the film numbers in their collection.

Poor Law Unions
Ashby de la Zouch Poor Law Union, Leicestershire

Probate records
Records of wills, administrations, inventories, indexes, etc. were filed by the court with jurisdiction over this parish. Go to Derbyshire Probate Records to find the name of the court having primary jurisdiction. Scroll down in the article to the section Court Jurisdictions by Parish.

Maps and Gazetteers
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 * England Jurisdictions 1851
 * Vision of Britain

Web sites
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