Dronfield, Derbyshire

Description
Dronfield, a town, a township, and a parish in Derbyshire. The town stands on a branch of the river Rother, 6 miles S of Sheffield,and 6 NNWof Chesterfield, is a neat place, was known at Domesday as Dranefield, has a post, money order, and telegraph office under Sheffield, a station on the M.R., a town-hall, and a cemetery opened in 1877. A cattle fair is held yearly on 25 April, and a hiring for servants on 3 Nov., and a flower show early in September; it was formerly a market-town. The township includes the town, and extends into the country, and is governed by a local board of nine members. Acreage, 2589; population, 4166. The parish comprises the townships of Dronfield, Unstone, and Coal-Aston, Acreage, 6128; population, 6387. There is an extensive iron foundry, where the manufacture of hardware is carried on, and the district is famous for its coal. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Southwell; net value, £326 with residence. Patron, the Lord Chancellor. The church stands on an elevation near the village, is in the Early Gothic style, has a fine tower and spire, had formerly a chantry, and contains a brass of two priests of 1399, and a handsome stained east window put up in 1886. There are Congregational, Baptist, Wes-leyan, Primitive and United Methodist chapels; a grammar school, founded and endowed by Henry Fanshawe in 1567, for which a new building, with master's residence, was erected in 1867; the school is free to 36 poor boys of the parish. There are several charities. There is also a post office at Dronfield Woodhouse.