Thursday 25 November 2010

The Eyre Arms, Calver


Yesterday, I ate lunch with my family at this pub in Calver Sough, Derbyshire. It's a popular place, nestling under the towering gritstone heights of Froggatt and Calver Edges.

The pub is named after the Eyre family, who originally came to Britain with William the Conqueror in 1066 and, by the time Edward I came to the throne in 1239, had settled in the small village of Hope, north Derbyshire.



By medieval times, the family were Lords of a number of manors in Derbyshire and in Tudor England they held catholic enclaves at Hassop, Hope, Chesterfield and Hathersage. It was the Eyre family who were responsible for the building of St Michael & All Angels at Hathersage, after Sir Robert returned from the battle of Agincourt around 1381, and his house, North Lees Hall was the inspiration for Charlotte Bronte's Thornfield in the novel Jane Eyre.

During Elizabethan times, an Eyre was even High Sheriff of Derbyshire. 

But it is at Hassop, three miles south of Calver, where the Eyres are most remembered, especially in the magnificent Hassop Hall, now a high quality hotel and restaurant, I have eaten there once, on a very special occasion, but today, we were happy to be at the pub.


5 comments:

  1. You know how to get my attention - a pub!. I have always wondered about the North Derbyshire connections with Jane Eyre and always assumed that the setting was Hathersage. There's a pub I must visit.

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  2. Looks like a nice place. I'll have to look it up the next time I'm in Derbyshire.

    PS: Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving (tomorrow) - the biggest shopping day in the US all year. The sales are insane and sometimes people get trampled to death. :(

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    I'm thankful today for all of the questions you ask me about stuff and that I can tell you about black Friday and s'mores.

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  3. This is stunning. Hassop Hall coming soon? I just gotta see that!

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  4. Fascinating history in your area

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  5. Thank you: I am a relative of this family :) and live in Manitoba Canada
    1Robert Eyre
    2Ralph
    3Ralph
    4Richard
    5Ann who married Jerome Blythe
    6Frances Blythe who married Thurston Kirk
    7Gervase Kirk (e)Gervase Kirk Married 1596 Dieppe France Elizabeth Goudon
    B-1568 Greenhill North Derby England Huguenot maiden in Dieppe French woman

    Londan Middlesex England

    D-Dec 17 1629 Parish Church

    Burried Dec 22 1629 Allhallows Bread St

    Londan Middlesex England

    simple inscription on the tomb in St. Aldate's plainly tells us that his heart went out at times to his old Derbyshire home,
    Gervase went to Londan to try his fortune as a Merchant. He succeeded and became one of the most distinguished citizens in Londan.The Company of Merchant Adventurers of London
    8David Kirke, Sir David (1597-1654?) knighted by Charles I in 1631 for capturing Samuel Champlain and returning him to England; given patent for all lands between 46E and 52E N. in 1637; occupied the Mansion House in 1638; imposed taxes and rents on houses and fishing places; established taverns [at Ferryland?]; died in prison [in the Klinck?] "at the suit of Lord Baltimore" in 1654;A Canadian National Historic Site which recognizes the first governor of Newfoundland, Sir David Kirke. Kirke was instrumental in forming one of the colony's first permanent settlements.


    his wife Kirke, Lady Sara wife of Sir David Kirke; Planter at Ferryland in 1639; became head of household about 1651; widowed in 1654; Ferryland planter in 1661; Ferryland planter and boatkeeper from 1673 to 1677; operated five boats at Ferryland in 1675; three boats,Lady Sarah Kirk is considered by many to be North Americas first entrepreneur arrived in Newfoundland in 1638. Successful merchant on the English shore. There is an award for woman entrepreneurs for woman who have shown outstanding technolgical innovation and cooperate leadership.

    9David Kirk III Mary Kirke/Benger



    10David Kirk Mary Finlay (Barb Dale)



    B-September 10 1789 Ballymena Antrim Ireland B-March 2, 1792

    D-1843 Leeds Ontario Toledo Cem D-1861 Kirkton Ontario old Methodist Cem Perth Ontario



    11John Kirk Uretta McGee

    B-March 1 1816 Ballymena Antrim Ireland B-1823 Kitley Twp Ontario

    D-Dec 30, 1909 Hamiotta MB D-Nov 15, 1905 Hamiotta MB

    Married Dec 3, 1840 Leeds Ontario



    12David Kirk Married March 4 1889 Sara Shier Conn

    B-184 Kirkton Ontario Kirkton Ontario B-1852 Odeltown La Prairie Co Quebec

    D-1930 Nov 25 Hamiota MB D-1948 Oct 1 Hamiota MB

    (see Shier and Switzer family)



    13 Florence Kirk March 16 1892 Married Nov 18 1908 Daniel Delois Orth January 14, 1880 Dundas Ont



    14 Alberta Orth married Garnet Ferguson



    15 Alice Ferguson married John Ireland



    after all that you have me, youngest daughter ME in Manitoba Canada

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