This week I spent a few days visiting friends in Sheffield, and included a day out in the beautiful Peak District, in perfect autumn weather. See my photos in this Facebook album. During this day I paid a brief visit this week to my ancestral home. No, not the one in this first picture, which is Chatsworth House, Derbyshire, although I greatly enjoyed walking around its grounds. But the house I have in mind dates from the same period. The first house at Chatsworth was built in 1552, but the current house dates from around 1700.
The house I really want to talk about here belonged to and was probably built by my ancestor Arnold Kyrke, and an inscription “AK 1559” gives its approximate date. This house, Whitehough Hall, is not far from Chatsworth, at Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire, and is also surrounded by the beautiful scenery of the Peak District. The house is now known as The Old Hall Inn, and offers meals and accommodation. But it was closed when I was there, during the day, so I cannot offer any recommendation except to say that it is a beautiful spot.
A cousin of my father’s researched our family line and proved our descent from Arnold Kyrke, although not directly from the colourful characters mentioned in the history of the inn. So, although my recorded genealogy is neither as long nor as illustrious as that of my fellow blogger Jeremy Pierce, I can trace it back through 14 generations:
- Peter (1955-)
- John (1907-1995)
- William (c.1870-1948)
- Thomas (1835-1908)
- Peter (1805-1875)
- Henry (1783-1848)
- Thomas (1750-1811)
- Thomas (1707-??)
- Thomas (1679-??)
- Thomas
- Thomas (1623-??)
- Arnold (??-c.1640)
- Arnold (??-1622)
- Arnold (builder of Whitehough Hall)
Indeed I have names for a few generations even before that, although no other details.
Perhaps the Kirks have come down in the world a bit, for this rather more ordinary house should soon be my home. But then I am not concerned, for this one is more than adequate for my needs as a single man, and my true home is not on this earth but is my inheritance from my heavenly Father.
Well, well! Almost bumped into you then! Spent Tuesday through Friday at a friend’s house in Holmfirth, just above High Peak!
Was in Castledon in the Hope Valley on Wednesday, and passing through Glossop for an evening meal. Narrowly avoided Chapel-en-le-Frith!
Go well!
Indeed! I was also in Castleton on Tuesday, on the way back to Sheffield, just a day before you. Now back in Essex.
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I dont know how involved you are with the Kyrke Genealogy, but I too researched it just a little and would appreciate your take on my findings. I have attached to the link to my findings.
Susan, thanks for the comment. It seems that you are related to me, but only very distantly. Is your Palin family anything to do with the infamous Sarah Palin? So are we related to her, or her husband, as well?
I haven’t done any more research on this myself, but a cousin of my father’s did a few decades ago, and discovered the link with David Kyrke. But I don’t think he had any more information about that branch of the family. I am descended from a branch which remained in Chapel-en-le-Frith until the mid 19th century and then moved to Workington, Cumbria and later to Stockton, Co. Durham, where they owned iron and steel works. I mentioned in another post a Peter Kirk from a previous generation who was in that same business.
A few years ago I was in touch with a Kirk Society run by another distant relative, but the only link to this that I can now find dates back to 2002 and simply refers to another link which is now dead.
In 2010 I revisited Whitehough Hall to show it to my wife. This time the bar at the Old Hall Inn was open and we were able to look inside and buy coffee. I was tempted by the real ale but we had a long drive ahead. We didn’t get into the oldest part of the house, which is the guest accommodation.
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