| Ockbrook | |
|---|---|
 Queens Head | |
  Ockbrook Location withinDerbyshire | |
| Population | 7,335 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | SK424360 |
| Civil parish | |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Derby |
| Postcode district | DE72 |
| Dialling code | 01332 |
| Police | Derbyshire |
| Fire | Derbyshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament | |
| |
Ockbrook is a village in theErewash district, in the county ofDerbyshire, England. It is almost contiguous with the village ofBorrowash, the two only separated by theA52. Thecivil parish isOckbrook and Borrowash. The population of this civil parish at the 2011 Census was 7,335.[1] Ockbrook lies about 5 miles (8.0 km) east ofDerby.
There is evidence of human activity in Ockbrook as far back as theMesolithic period (~8000BC) in the form of twobifacial cores of flint. A smallgreenstone axe head attests toNeolithic activity (4000 - 2500BC, but no archaeological evidence has yet been discovered ofBronze Age activity in the village.[2] From theIron Age (800BC - AD43) there is a variety of evidence obtained during the excavation of aRomano-British aisled building at Littlehay Grange Farm between 1994 and 1997. This includessherds of Ancaster Breedon scored ware andAylesford-Swarling Pottery, a Group A one-piece brooch, an Iron Age coin of silver dating to between 40 BC and 10 AD, and an Iron Age ring headed pin or spike.[2]
Evidence of occupation during the Roman period (AD43 - 410) includes the sites of three farmsteads, one of which has been excavated. From these it appears that the fortunes of the area at that time mirrored those of nearbyDerventio (Roman Derby), with a boom starting during the 2nd century AD followed by abandonment at the end of the 4th century.[2]During the earlyDark Ages, Ockbrook was part of the Kingdom ofMercia. According to theAnglo-Saxon Chronicle, this was founded in 560 byCreoda, one of whose followers may have had the personal nameOcca.[2] It was this Occa (anAnglo Saxon) who established Ockbrook in the 6th century on the banks of a small stream, the Ock.[2]
During the ninth century, theDanes invaded and swept through large swathes of England until fought to a standstill byAlfred the Great. The country was partitioned as a consequence c874 and Ockbrook, being east ofWatling Street (the present dayA5) would have been in theDanelaw. This period is attested to by two place names, The Ridings and Carrhill, which derive fromDanish. Despite frequent skirmishes between Danes and the English hereabouts, the Danelaw survived until 1066 when, according to theDomesday Book, the manor was held by Toki (probably aDane).[2] The entry reads:
"...In Ockbrook Tochi had fourcarucates of land (assessed) to thegeld, land for four ploughs. There are now tenvilleins and twoBordars having three ploughs and four rent paying tenants rendering 14 shillings. There are five acres of meadow, woodland forpannage oneleague in length and half a league wide. InKing Edward’s day worth £4 now 40shillings belonging to theBishop of Chester...".[2]
By 1086 the manor had been transferred either to the extensive holdings of Geoffrey Alselin or to the Bishop of Chester (according toDomesday), both of whom wereNorman. c1130 it was divided between two sons of Sir Ralph Halselin whence half descended to theBardolfs ofWormegay (who sold it to the Foljambe's c1420) and half to Serlo de Grendon who granted it toDale Abbey. At theReformation, these shares were largely broken up amongst thefreeholders, notably the Battelles, Harpurs, Keyes (ofHopwell) and Wilmots (ofChaddesden).[3]
In 1750 theMoravian Church established asettlement here, one of only three remaining in the country. This was on the edge of the old village and separate from it. The buildings areGeorgian red brick and two of them, the Manse (1822) and the chapel (1751–1752) aregrade II listed.[a] From the early 19th century,middle-class families fromDerby andLong Eaton took advantage of the fragmented landowning pattern to acquire land and build elegant villas.[3] Also during this period, work diversified to include four silk glove makers, four shoemakers, and a straw bonnet maker.[4]
In more recent times, extensive new housing developments have turned Ockbrook into a commuter dormitory for Derby.
History of cricket dates back to the mid nineteenth century, where a match report was recorded between Ockbrook and "Sawley Club" in 1843.[5]Ockbrook & Borrowash Cricket Club moved to the current ground on Victoria Avenue in 1898. In 1999, Ockbrook & Borrowash CC became the first champions of the newly formed Premier Division of theDerbyshire County Cricket League;[6] the top level for recreational club cricket in Derbyshire, England, and is a designatedECBPremier League. The club has continued to gain high acclaim and has since added a further 5 Championship ECB Premier league titles to its tally: 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011, and 2014.[7][8]
Ockbrook Football Club.[9]
Borrowood Golf Club was founded in 1902 as a 9-hole course. It was laid out on farmland south of Borrow Wood Farm between the villages of Ockbrook and Spondon. The club closed in the early 1950s.[10]
Thearea of the village is 1,730 acres (700 ha).[3]
Thepopulation growth figures includeBorrowash[3] Source:Email from Census Customer Services.
| 1801 | 1811 | 1821 | 1831 | 1841 | 1851 | 1861 | 1871 | 1881 | 1891 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 827 | 934 | 1,203 | 1,634 | 1,765 | 1,763 | 1,506 | 1,633 | 1,938 | 2,166 |
| 1901 | 1911 | 1921 | 1931 | 1941 | 1951 | 1961 | 1971 | 1981 | 1991 |
| 2,567 | 2,807 | 2,969 | 2,971 | 3,373 | 3,775 | 5,278 | 7,107 | 7,436 | 7,092 |
| 2001 | 2011 | ||||||||
| 7,331 | 7,335 |
This list ofstreets is taken from Street list fromStreetmap.co.uk
The quickest route between two points in the village is often via agitty. These were originally footpaths through fields. They have survived the encroachment of housing by mutating into high walled or fenced alleyways between the buildings and gardens of the new (and old) developments.
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Numerousfootpaths start at the village boundary (often as the continuation of a street or gitty) and lead over the fields to neighbouring villages,Hamlet_(place) and farms.
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OS =Ordnance Survey.OS sheets useRoman numerals, so L = 50.
This list is incomplete.
Destinations from Ockbrook | |
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| Other | |
