Duffield Frith

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Duffield Frith was, in medieval times, a wooded area of Derbyshire, bestowed upon Henry de Ferrars (or Ferrers) by King William. From 1285 it was a Royal Forest with its own Forest Courts.

It extended from Duffield to Wirksworth and from Hulland to Heage. Most of it became the ancient parish of Duffield, which contained the townships of Hazelwood, Holbrook, Makeney, Milford, Shottle, and Windley, and the chapelries of Belper, Heage, and Turnditch. The chapelry of Belper was built by the Duke of Lancaster for the use of the foresters.

The area had been noted for centuries the quantity of deer, mostly fallow, but there also wild boar. There were also wolves, at least until the end of the thirteenth century. The chief hunting-seat was Ravensdale Park, between Windley and Hulland, today listed as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. It was visited by King Edward I between 1290 and 1293 and, later, by Edward II .

In 1266, the manor and forest of Duffield was confiscated after a rebellion by Robert de Ferrars, against King Henry III and passed to his son, Edward Duke of Lancaster.

The records of the Duchy of Lancaster have many references to Duffield Frith, including, in 1314, a great larder at Belper, where the venison of the deer was salted down for winter use, and a large cow-house stood in the lower part of Shottle (Cowhouse Lane, listed by the Post Office as "Cowers Lane").

It was a valuable source of timber. Orders are recorded, in 1375 for the delivery of oaks to the Carmelite Friars of Nottingham, the Dominican Friars of Derby, and the Abbott of Darley for building purposes. In September, 1405, King Henry IV ordered the chief forester to supply twelve timber oaks towards the repair of Duffield church, and in 1411 to deliver to the tenants of Duffield enough wood for shoring Duffield Bridge (near the present Bridge Inn) while it was rebuilt - using, no doubt, stone from the ruins of the castle.

Duffield Frith continued to be in the hands of the Crown until the time of Charles I. It had been reduced considerably in size, and in the reign of Elizabeth I it is said to have been thirty miles in circumference.

In the 17th century many disputes arose as to the conflicting rights of the Crown and the commoners which culminated in 1643 in the inhabitants forcibly throwing open all the enclosures in Duffield - or Chevin Ward, including Shottle Park. All this part of the old forest so seized remained common until 1786, when 1,500 acres were enclosed by Act of George III.