Monument record MDR5733 - Quaker burial ground and meeting house (site of), Breach Farm, Codnor Breach, Denby
Type and Period (2)
- FRIENDS BURIAL GROUND (Stuart - 1650 AD to 1710 AD)
- FRIENDS MEETING HOUSE (Stuart - 1650 AD to 1710 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Full Description
There is a disused burial ground situated here on the 1st edition 25" OS map of c. 1880. (1)
The Quakers have a small burial ground at Breach Farm, where they also formerly had a meeting house [1895]. (2)
The burial of a Quaker at Breach Farm is recorded in the Heanor parish register for 1707. (3)
We can assume the first burials were in 1700. The purchase of a hearse was agreed in that year. The last burial was in 1832. Neither the site of the Meeting House nor the burial ground are now owned by the Society [1959]. (4)
The Society of Friends was first established at Breach Farm in 1667 and the Monthly Meeting incorporated Meetings at seven surrounding villages. (5)
There is little doubt that the Friends used the farmhouse at first but later, maybe c. 1700, they used a separate Meeting House. This latter was almost certainly a stone building but details are lacking. It is not known when this building was demolished but, together with the burial ground, it was closed in 1834. There were 49 burials at Breach Farm between 1700 and 1710. (6-7)
The Society of Friends contrived to hold meetings in farm buildings at BREACH FARM until 1939. The Meeting House was said to have been a brick building which collapsed many years ago due to coal-mining subsidence. The site of the meeting-house was pointed out on the ground during the site visit [1959]. (8)
A fragment of brick walling, c. 1.5 m high, may have been part of the north wall of the Meeting House [1959]. The former interior is now cultivated as a small garden. The burial ground contains no inscribed grave-stones. Walling marked on 25" AM. (9)
The burial ground is overgrown but still preserved in an area of housing development [1966]. (10)
Sources/Archives (10)
- <1> SDR18789 Map: Ordnance Survey (OS). 1882. OS County Series, 1st edition, scale 1:2500 (c. 25" to one mile).
- <2> SDR3507 Bibliographic reference: Bulmer, T and Co.. 1895. History, Topography and Directory of Derbyshire. p 512.
- <3> SDR7534 Article in serial: Burton, R. 1898. 'A Few Notes on some Rectors and Vicars of Heanor, co. Derby.', Derbyshire Archaeological Journal. Volume 20. 18.
- <4> SDR8266 Unpublished document: Hughes, E T. 1959. Letter to Mr Hughes, the Secretary to the Society of Friends in West Bridgford.
- <5> SDR7462 Bibliographic reference: Information from Friends House, London.
- <6> SDR613 Bibliographic reference: Society of Friends. First Minute Book.
- <7> SDR7461 Unpublished document: Watkins, E. Information provided by E Watkins.
- <8> SDR6480 Bibliographic reference: F1 WW 03-NOV-59.
- <9> SDR6639 Bibliographic reference: F2 WW 03-NOV-59.
- <10> SDR6659 Bibliographic reference: F3 FRH 10-OCT-66.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SK 4105 4768 (47m by 41m) (Centred on) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | DENBY, AMBER VALLEY, DERBYSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (2)
- EDR786
- EDR972
Please contact the HER for details.
External Links (0)
Record last edited
Jul 9 2015 2:32PM