Norton, Derbyshire

Description
Norton, a village and a parish in Derbyshire. The village stands 1 1/4 mile SE of the river Sheaf, at the boundary with Yorkshire, about 3 miles from Heeley station on The M.R., and 4 S by E of Sheffield, and is a pleasant place. It has a post office under Sheffield; money order office, Meersbrook Bank; telegraph office, Heeley; has a good inn, is a seat of petty sessions, and the monthly meeting-place of a local farmers' club. The parish contains also the hamlets and constablewicks of Norton Lees, Greenhill, Bradway, Little Norton, Backmoor, Maugerhay, Hemsworth, and Woodseats. Acreage, 4420 of land and 17 of water; population, 5477. The manor, with Norton Hall, belongs to the Goodliffe family. Norton House, the Oaks, Grange House, and Chantry Grange are chief residences. The manufacture of scythes, sickles, law-files, and nails is carried on. Population of the ecclesiastical parish of St James, 1155 ; of Norton Woodseats, 4158. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Southwell; net value, £558 with residence. The Church of St James is a large and handsome building in the Late Norman and Perpendicular styles, and was completely restored in 1881-82; .has a tower, several stained windows, and contains a tablet to Sir Francis Chantrey, and several other monuments. There are Wesleyan, New Connexion, and United Free Methodist chapels, a cemetery under the control of a burial board, a school at Maugerhay endowed by Sir Francis 'Chantrey, R.A., and considerable charities. Sir Francis 'Chantrey, Bishop Geoffry Blythe, and Bishop John Blythe were natives. Norton Woodseats was formed into a separate ecclesiastical parish in 1874. The church at Norton Lees was erected in 1877, and consists of chancel, nave, and bell-turret. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Southwell; net value, £280. Patron, the Vicar of Norton.