FROM MORAVIA ...TO OCKBROOK

DENIS EARDLEY continues his alphabetical stroll around some of the highlights of Derby and district with the letters N, O and P

OCKBROOK

THERE are two distinct parts to Ockbrook. The old settlement where Occa, an Anglo-Saxon, and his people built their homes in the sixth century on the banks of the brook from which the village derived its name. Alongside it is the Moravian Settlement, a product of the 18th century, with its delightful terrace of red-brick Georgian buildings and attractive church approached up a tree-lined path.

In 1739, when visiting Nottingham Ockbrook farmer Isaac Frearson stopped in the market place to listen to the Rev Jacob Rogers speak. He was so impressed that he invited him back to preach at Ockbrook. The offer was quickly accepted, and Rogers preached a sermon to the village in Frearson’s barn. Although an Anglican, Rev Rogers was very much influenced by the Moravian way of life.

The Moravian Church was founded in 1457 in Bohemia, and was based on simplicity in life and worship. Persecution followed and became so severe that in 1722 many followers fled from Moravia and other states to Saxony near the present-day border with Poland, where Count Zinzendorf granted them sanctuary.

They established the Moravian Church from their base in Saxony and sent out missionaries to America and the West Indies. They also spent time in London, and the message spread in this country.

After overcoming many obstacles, mainly due to local opposition, a congregation of the Moravian Church was established in Ockbrook in 1750. Some locals did not like the idea of a new church and they did considerable damage to the building during construction.

Despite this, two years later the church was opened on land bought from Frearson. During the latter part of the 18th century, Ockbrook became the centre of the Moravian Church in England.

The Moravians were hardworking, highly disciplined people with strict rules. They attended to the basic medical needs of the community, built schools and opened a shop and attended to the spiritual needs of the people.

Across the access road, opposite the Single Sisters’ House, are the so-called Houses on the Hill, which is where the first houses of The Settlement were built. The Manse and the Moravian Church are both Grade II listed buildings, and the centre of the village is a designated conservation area.

OSNABRUCK SQUARE

When you leave the Market Hall at Derby by the doors at the south-eastern end you enter Osnabruck Square. It was named after Derby’s twin city in Germany. A stone pillar in the centre of the square announces that the German city is 500 miles away. Osnabruck was founded in 780AD, and has many historic buildings and, like Derby, is close to beautiful countryside.

PECKWASH MILL CHIMNEY Peckwash Mill is located by the River Derwent northeast of Allestree. There was a working corn mill on the site in the 13th century. By the 17th century, the mill had turned to paper production, but also continued to grind corn until 1793. Following the building of the brick chimney in 1895, a local man obtained a permanent injunction preventing the emission of smoke. This resulted in the business going into liquidation.

PRIDE PARK The vast expanse of railway land, now known as Pride Park, became derelict after it fell out of use. It was badly contaminated and required extensive redevelopment, which took over 10 years to reclaim. During the last 20 years, Pride Park has developed into one of the most important business and commercial property destinations in the region.

OSMASTON Osmaston was once a tiny village. In the 17th century it was in the hands of the Wilmot family who built and lived in Osmaston Hall. In 1888, the Midland Railway bought the house and part of the estate for £90,000. It turned the house into offices and laid a rail siding almost to the front door. The northern part of the park was used to accommodate the carriage and wagon works.

OLD GRAMMAR SCHOOL, ST PETER’S STREET It is not known when Derby School was founded, or who it was founded by. It is first mentioned in a Darley Abbey charter in 1146. Shortly after the dissolution of the monasteries, a charter was passed, in 1554, for a free grammar school to be built in Derby. As a consequence, the Tudor building in St Peter’s Churchyard was erected and used as a school for three centuries.

PICKFORD’S HOUSE (NOW A MUSEUM) Pickford’s House was built by eminent architect Joseph Pickford between 1769 and 1770 for his occupation. The façade was designed to impress clients who might well only see the front of the house. For those who entered the premises, they would find the hall richly decorated with ornamental plasterwork and probably be taken into the house’s finest room, the saloon.

PEAR TREE This suburb derived its name from Pear Tree Farm before the land was sold off for development in the 1800s and the house demolished. Pear Tree and Normanton Railway Station was opened in 1890 and Thomas Ley’s Vulcan Works stood next to the station, before demolition in 1986. The main landmark in Pear Tree for many years was the Baseball Ground.