Perlethorpe Village floods.

 

Above: January 2014.

In late September, 2013, it was already apparent that the River Meden's water level at Perlethorpe Bridge had risen significantly, and was stagnating rather than flowing. By January, 2014, the condition had worsened dramatically. Whereas the river runs freely through Budby, Thoresby Lake, and alongside the  picnic area, it clearly becomes a problem when it reaches Perlethorpe Village.

Understanding absolutely nothing about the cause, I assumed that a lack of dredging in previous years had accounted for the problem. But no. I am informed that subsidence caused by mines beneath Thoresby Estate may be the issue. Whatever the cause, one wonders if the solution might call for significant changes to that part of the village if the water remains. Would that mean the sad loss of, or change to the current bridge? Time will tell.

Above: March / April 2018.
Ater the rainy weeks the fields between the old post office and the village have the appearance now of an actual lake.

Above: May 2022.
 The fields slightly north of Perlethorpe Village, alongside the A614, resemble a Louisiana USA swampland.

Perlethorpe Environmental Education Centre. Perlethorpe School part 5. Video.

 

 Perlethorpe Environmental Education Centre, former Perlethorpe Primary School. Video 2007. For more about the history of this school see links in the sidebar.

Above: Perlethorpe Environmental Education Centre, December 2024.

Home Farm, Perlethorpe Village.

 

Above: Home Farm (2007) looks almost identical to the way it did sixty years previous. The post box is a later addition, made necessary when Perlethorpe village post office closed down.

During the 1920s the villagers would take their own milk cans to the farm for their morning and afternoon milk. The dairy maid worked from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. milking the cows and making the cheese and butter. Thoresby Hall was sent daily fresh supplies. In 1936 Frank Cooper was in charge of the farm, and for long after it was sometimes referred to as Cooper's Farm.

During the post war years of the 1950s, when education extended opportunities for employment beyond the estate, young people deciding to stay, might work on the farm, the Woodyard, or for the Forestry Commission. A growing number were tempted by the wages of Thoresby Colliery at Ollerton.

In the early 1960's Maldwyn Fisher was in charge of Home Farm, succeeded in 1963 by John Roberson who died in 1975, after which John Orr took over.

Above: On the outer wall to the right of the Home Farm arch was the communal box from which the villagers in the 1950s / 60s would collect their bundle of newspapers and comics. This was a typical pocket money duty for many Perlethorpe schoolchildren, who would eagerly await that day in the week when the family bundle contained favourites such as "T.V. Comic" with Muffin the Mule, or “Eagle Comic”. The box was still there in 2007, but the railings we had to climb up to reach it were not.

Above and below: The rear of Perlethorpe Home Farm 2015 and 2022.

A central Dutch Barn once occupied this area, but burnt down in the early 1960s. There was also a pigsty here, which was removed in 1964.

River Meden, Thoresby Estate.

 

 Above: The River Meden as it passes Thoresby Hall (2018).

 The River Meden, called the River Medin as late as the 16th century, winds a picturesque course from where once stood the stone Mills and cottages of Warsop, through Budby, before being dammed to form Thoresby Lake, and then continuing its journey through Thoresby Estate to Perlethorpe, soon after which it merges with the rivers Maun and Poulter. It was this reliable source of water which must have attracted Saxon and probably earlier Viking settlements in the area.

Above: The River Meden's winding journey through Thoresby made several small bridges necessary. The above photograph (1984) shows the view from atop Perlethorpe Bridge.

 

Above: There was once a mill on the side of this river, next to Home Farm, and powered by a water wheel. In 1875 one George Mawson started work there. This is long since gone, but the region still retains small lock gates which help control the flow. In 1862 the mill was described as having two grey millstones, two French buhr stones (said to produce a superior wheat product), and a Gorse Bruising Machine, the latter of which rendered a gorse bush into a palatable thorn-free food supplement for horses and cows when mixed with chopped hay or straw during those months when green forage might be thin on the ground. Dairymen were also of the opinion it made the milk richer and tastier.

Above: We know from records, and Leonard Knyff’s painting of 1705, that a straight canal once led from the very first Thoresby Hall, through the Mill, and on to the Kennels. The relationship between that canal and the Meden itself, remains very hard to ascertain. However, long since abandoned lock gates can still be viewed in the nearby field, weather permitting.

Perlethorpe Post Office.

 

Perlethorpe Post Office also served as the only shop in Perlethorpe, and was situated in Meadow Cottage, the other side of the River Meden, on the road leading out of the village. In 1940 Mrs Dawson ran the post office. By 1995 she was succeeded by Mrs Blanshard. Mrs Blanshard had been the infants’ teacher at Perlethorpe School between 1910-1919, but retired to look after her husband who had been demobilized from his injuries in World War 1.

Mrs Blanshard would collect the letters from Perlethorpe Village's only post box on the wall to the right of the door. She would then use sealing wax to secure them inside a large brown post sack, this procedure being a veritable treat for the children who would stand transfixed at the sight and smells of her ritual. My sister and I were regular customers at the post office, spending our pocket money on both note books and sweets. The dull brown note books were threepence, whilst the glossy red ones accounted for the full sixpence, and nothing left over for “sweetie cigarettes”.

Children's sweets would be weighed out from the large glass bottles behind the counter, whilst a "Fry's Five Boys" advert on the wall above, heralded the post war arrival of pre-packaged confectioneries. "Sugar Pigs" (literally a large block of sugar shaped like a pig) were very popular, as were the new Lucky Bags which concealed a secret toy. In this way the children of the 50's would keep the dental profession in business for decades to come!

Perlethorpe Post Office closed down in May 1999, when the final postmistress to work there, Sue Rose, resigned. It remains a residential property. The old letter box is still in the wall, unused, and replaced by one next to the farmyard arch.

Perlethorpe Village part 2.

 

Above: This schoolboy drawing from 1964 was made from the bedroom window of number 3, Village Green, Perlethorpe, and shows some features such as the street lamp and railings around the smaller green which have long since disappeared. The arch of Home Farm is clearly visible, and the white building in the centre is White House. In the late 1930's Head Keeper Frank Bebbington lived there; in 1940 the game keeper Mr Carey; and in the late 1950's / early 1960's Mr Carter. The small green on the bottom right of the drawing stands in front of the red brick bungalows built c.1950 (not shown), and this green was the location for the village flag pole. The road leaving the picture on the left is Jackson's Hill.

Above: 2 Radleys Lane, Perlethorpe, c. 1953. Note the garden walls are not yet completed.
The redbrick buildings constructed around the Village Green c.1950 are those most associated with the name of Perlethorpe today. They were built for the exclusive occupancy of those employed on Thoresby Estate's three main industries: Farming, Forestry, and the Woodard. The village green was established at the same time as the houses were built, and was not a feature before then. Electricity had been supplied to Perlethorpe just prior to their building, and wireless sets (radios) depended upon rechargeable accumulators.

There were never any shops in Perlethorpe apart from the local Post Office near the Kennels, which supplied most goods. During the 1930's a Co-op van with a huge shoe on its roof would visit the village in the hope of collecting boots for repair, but most households did their own. In the 1940's Mr Fillingham from Wolesly would arrive on a horse and cart, selling basic household goods such as candles. In the 1950's I personally remember a large Library Van the size of a removal truck would park in the village, and then proceed to Three Gables, at the Woodyard, so the residents could step into the back of it and choose their reading matter from the well-stocked shelves.

Above: I well remember, during the early1950s, how a small Bush television set in the front room of 2 Radleys Lane played black & white host to the Lone Ranger, and later on how Independent Television introduced "Murray mints, too good to hurry mints" and "Hoover beats as it sweeps as it cleans" adverts.

Read more about Perlethorpe Village Hall Social Club on THIS LINK.

Perlethorpe Village part 1.

 

Above: Map of 1774.

The early history of Perlethorpe, situated within Thoresby Estate where the A614 (Blythe Road) crosses the River Meden, is made slightly more complicated by the fact it was once governed and owned as a region in its own right, entirely separate from Thoresby.

In Saxon times this area belonged to two Saxon chiefs, Thurston and Ulmer. After the Norman Conquest, as was the fate of other lands in the region, Torp (Perlethorpe), became the joint property of the King and Roger de Busli, who also gained lands such as nearby Clumber, whilst Thuresbi (Thoresby), became the property of the King.

The origin of Perlethorpe’s name is subject to debate. “Thorpe”, an Old Norse name meaning ‘dependant settlement’, clearly suggests it started life as a Viking settlement, but Perle is more troublesome. In Old and Middle English that means “rush of water”, particularly apt considering both the River Meden and the River Maun converge close by. However, before the printing press established common spellings, and information relied on the spoken word as much as the written, the village was recorded variously through the centuries as Peureltorp, Peuerelestorp and even Peuerellingethorp. During the reign of Henry III, William de Peverel the younger had some interest in Torp and it was once assumed the “Peverelthorp” prefix was due to him. Most researchers discount that notion today. By the 18th century the common name for the village was Palethorpe. (“Pale” can mean “an area enclosed by a boundary”, adding even more to the debate).

In 1831 Palethorpe (Perlethorpe) had a population of 89 people living in 14 houses. That's an average of 6 to a house. The oldest buildings in the village today date from the mid-19th century, and were often originally in pairs. A typical example of this is Rose Cottage.

Above: The original Rose Cottage, not the nearby restaurant which took its name, stands a little further up the A614 from White Lodge. 19th century Thoresby Estate records refer to the property as Rosedale Cottages. In 1851 it was the home of Perlethorpe Village miller, J. Chamberlain. In 1862 the estate's milkman Thos Day lived in one cottage, whilst Henry Dodd occupied the other. By 1864, Dodd had moved on and been replaced by miller Robert Budd. In 1947, Rose Cottage was still divided into two properties, one being occupied by carpenter / joiner William Craig and family, later to become foreman at Thoresby Estate’s Woodyard.

Above: White Cottages at the end of Radley's Lane, were occupied in 1862 by John Radley and Joseph Sills Batten. In the 1960's the two properties merged to become the Chaplain's House.

Above: Home Farm Lodge.

Above: The Almshouses stand opposite Home Farm, and were built in 1894 by the 3rd Earl "for the benefit of the old labourers on Thoresby Estate". This implies such elegant properties were perhaps intended for those retiring from their labour? Certainly by the 1950s they were occupied by still active workers from the farm and the Woodyard, such as Jack Kenyon.

Each house in Perlethorpe had its own brick built soft water tank to contain the rain which was then drawn up from underground via a hand pump. Starting in 1860 the 3rd Earl Manvers ensured all the houses in Perlethorpe underwent any necessary repairs, and had all the thatched roofs replaced with slate. At the turn of that century a water mains was laid through the village from Boughton water works, and in the 1920s / 30s a steam roller kept the pre-tarmac roads in order. In 1947 Perlethorpe Village was supplied with electricity, and the building of the red brick houses around a new village green soon followed.

Read more about Perlethorpe Bridge, 1847, on THIS LINK.

Perlethorpe Primary School part 3.

 

Above: Mr Peter Pierpont stages a joke photograph with the pupils outside the side entrance to the school, c.1960, with Mrs Morgan in the rear. Left to right: Colin Turnbull, Janet Carter, Barry Fretwell, Billy Craig, unknown, Ian Gordon Craig, Patricia Tully, Theresa Tully, Geraldine Mountjoy, Unknown, Unknown, Linda Fisher, John Dew, Simon Morgan, Susan Tully, Eric Fretwell, Alan Wignall, David Dewhurst. Teachers are Peter Pierpont and Mrs Morgan. Corrections can be made via the comments box.

 Renovations to Perlethorpe School were completed in 1959. During the course of those renovations the children attended lessons in the Village Hall, 100 yards down the road, which had been built in 1957.

Mr Peter Pierpont took over as Headteacher in January 1961, with Mrs Morgan in charge of the juniors. The dinner lady was Mrs Langstaff. Peter Pierpont (no relation to the Pierreponts) was possibly the first male schoolteacher Perlethorpe had employed. His outgoing nature, and slightly boisterous attendance at Village Hall socials, whilst the children got involved with Twist dance competitions, is something I well remember. Examination results for the 11+ in 1961 show standards of education were high with the majority of the applicants going on to grammar school. Mr Pierpont died in 1963.

Peter Pierpont was replaced by C. Alan Bollans in April 1964, whilst Mrs Morgan continued to teach the juniors.

 Above: Mr C. Bollans with a group of school children outside the school grounds in front of Perlethorpe Church, c.1962.
Left to right: Alan Wignall, unkown, unknown, Janet Carter, David Dewhurst (rear), unknown, Brian George (rear), Eric Fretwell, William Craig jnr. (hand on lama), John Dew, Simon Morgan, unknown. Teacher is C. Allan Bollands. Corrections can be made via the comments box.

Above: Class of c. 1964 / 65.

 I am thankful to ex-schoolmate Eric Fretwell for this school photograph. The teachers are Mrs Morgan and Mr Bollans, but most of the pupils’ names eluded us. If anyone can fill the gaps, do leave a comment.

Left to Right: Yvonne Graham, Gordon Hodgkinson, Valerie Johnson, Unknown, Unknown, John Dew, Unknown, Unknown, Simon Morgan, Eric Fretwell (Back), Nicholas Almond, John Wignall, Unknown (Front), Alan Wignall (Back),
Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, David Dewhurst, Nigel Dew, Brian George, Brian Lupton, Unknown, Janet Carter (Back), Unknown, Michael Roberson, Dawn Johnson, Jonathan Bollans, Unknown. Update: The 4th boy on front row with tie is Mark Beard, girl with hair band and coat is Elizabeth Beard, between and behind them is Robert Beard.

In December 1984 the decision was made to close the school, which by then had a total of only 16 pupils. Headmaster C A Bollans left in July. His service towards all aspects of the life of Thoresby Estate was notable, and when the school closed he continued to serve the estate, working in the art gallery, organising his beloved cricket team, and much more. Mrs Morgan became the school's final Headmistress for just one term, presiding over only 4 pupils.

Above: Perlethorpe Primary School 1985, one year after its closure. The arch window on the left was originally the doorway where Mrs Bruce stood and rang her bell in the 1950's.

Perlethorpe Church of St John the Evangelist.

 

Above: Church of St John the Evangelist, Perlethorpe. The low surrounding wall pre-dates the current building. Below: Centenary plate.

Perlethorpe Church of St. John Evangelist, was built in 1876 by Sydney William Herbert Pierrepont, 3rd Earl Manvers, at a cost of £17,000. A memorial to the Earl can be found on the inner north wall. Designed by Anthony Salvin, the church stands across the road from Perlethorpe Church of England School (now Perlethorpe Environmental Education Centre). Some features within its grounds are said to date from the previous church, such as the "dwarf boundary wall" (1861), and gas street lamp (c.1861) by the western gate, several of which once illuminated the path leading to Thoresby Hall, the route the Duke and Duchess’s carriage would take when attending service. (Note: The gas lamp seen in the photograph has been removed).

Above: In the early 1900's the 4th Earl and Countess Manvers would arrive at these gates in a carriage drawn by a white horse. After the service the Countess would find out from her Estate Agent which of the village's children were missing. She herself would then visit those families in her carriage to ascertain how poorly the child was, before instructing the manager of Home Farm to send that family fresh milk, eggs and butter, whilst providing hot soup direct from Thoresby Hall.

As early as 1904 very extensive repairs were made necessary to the church due to the poor construction methods used in the walls. Bonding stones had not been placed across the cavity in the walls, and the infill of rubbish there was causing serious decay. As the decades passed and mining subsidence occurred, the strain caused by the six bells in the tower was also a cause for concern. In 1952 five of these bells would go to West Bridgford.

Above: The present entrance to St John's is the lychgate, on the south of its grounds. This was added in 1922 as a memorial to those men from Thoresby who fell in World War 1. (Budby village organised their own large cross). This lychgate was designed by A. Gleave, Nottingham, but the work was carried out by Thoresby Estate, and the carving by Tudsbury, Edwinstowe.

Above: Sunday School classes were held in the area to the left as one entered. To encourage Sunday School attendance in the 1950's the children would receive attendance stamps. These richly coloured illustrations of passages from the Bible were then stuck inside small albums. Miss a week, miss a stamp!

Above: Water colour painting of Church of St John the Evangelist, Perlethorpe, by Reverend “Pa” Barton. This was done on the inside cover of a prayer book he gave to my elder sister in the early 1950s. He did this for children attending his Confirmation classes.

In 1951 Reverend Barton, took over the Parish. He had been Principal of the Theological College in Newfoundland and his study was brim full of fascinating artifacts from this distant land, which engrossed the imagination of every child who stood patiently in his study awaiting his entrance so communion classes could begin. Nicknamed "Pa", Mr Barton lived in a house by The Kennels until 1968, before retiring to move to Oban, Scotland.

In 1956 Bill Langstaff stoked the boilers at the church, succeeded in 1959 by Jack Kenyon, a plumber at the Woodyard who lived in the Almshouses. Perlethorpe Church's weather cock was removed in 1960 as a safety precaution. That same year school headmaster Mr Pierpont (no relation to Pierrepont) took a small group of the older boys from the school (including myself), across the road and out onto the tower at the base of the spire to experience the view. Such was the quality of education at Perlethorpe, always enriched by unexpected little initiatives

 Below: The Dukes' Graves, oil painting by Ian Gordon Craig.

Thoresby Park bridges.

 

Above: 19th century engraving showing the Green Bridge leading to Thoresby Hall.

Above: Green Bridge, originally called Stone Bridge, but renamed due to the grass which covers its path, has retained much of its beauty. This bridge was originally sited further upstream, its elegant design clearly intended for lightweight carriages, coaches and pedestrians visiting the original Thoresby Hall. But it presented what was considered an unflattering end-on view of the building. So Charles (Meadows) Pierrepont, 1st Earl Manvers, in consultation with landscape gardener Humphrey Repton, moved the bridge to its present location. The actual bridge was relocated, and not simply rebuilt. However, when the third Hall was built further uphill to the north, and mechanised vehicles replaces carts and horses, it became impractical to use as a regular route.

Above: Pierrepont Bridge, designed by Wilkins, an architect from Cambridge, stands near Budby Castle (originally called William Castle) and strides the western tip of Thoresby Lake where the River Meden leaves Budby. In its prime, one could stand there and see Kingston Island, with Thoresby Hall beyond, and even the spire of Perlethorpe Church in the distance. Not designed for heavy mechanised traffic, but stout enough to serve as a route for the boat crews, and later on the Clerks of Work who resided at the Castle. Today its ironwork railings and other features are long since gone.

Above and below: Referred to on this c.1913 postcard (and still today) as Thoresby Bridge, this was originally named 7 Ton Bridge. It linked the present Thoresby Hall with Perlethorpe Village, and the main roads beyond. As the name implies, it was designed to support the heavy mechanized vehicles of the 20th century, including those used by the military in two World Wars when soldiers were billeted on the Estate. 7 Ton Bridge did however close down during the 1980's as ownership of the Hall changed, and the maintenance of certain properties on the Estate changed with it. Today it only allows access to the estate's own official vehicles. However, pedestrian access is now possible (2024) so visitors to the estate can use the nearby picnic area.

Above: May 2025. Repairs and renovations.

Below: Perlethorpe Village bridge over the River Meden, 1986. Perlethorpe bridge was built in 1847, with one of it piers being rebuilt in the early 1980s. It is a grade 2 listed building.