Harthill, Derbyshire

Harthill is surrounded by the following local areas:

• Bakewell and Haddon Hall to the north
• Elton to the south
• Birchover and Stanton to the east
• Alport, Middleton and Youlgreave to the west.

The parish is roughly bounded by the various streams except in the south which follows the edge of Harthill Moor. This area lies in the central north of the Derbyshire Dales district and north west in Derbyshire county. The core of the hamlet is in the north of the parish, Other than private driveways and the B5056 road, there are two lanes within the whole of the parish. The settlement of Alport along its outer edge is considered to cross into the parish.^[5] Harthill is predominantly an agricultural area, interspersed by farms and occasional residential dwellings. It is recorded as being a deserted medieval village as it contained more residences in medieval times.^[6] Harthill is completely within the Peak District National Park.

Primarily farm and pasture land throughout the parish outside the sparsely populated areas, there are some small forestry plots throughout, with a stretch by Harthill Hall in the north, and more woodlands in the moor to the south. Limestone and lead feature in the geology of the wider area.^[5]

The rivers Lathkill and Bradford forms the parish boundary to the north and west, a tributary the Bleakley Dyke is to the south west. The Ivy Bar Brook is the east edge of the parish.

The parish can be hilly and undulating in places. The lowest point is along the east boundary along the Ivy Bar brook at ~133 metres (436 ft), The hamlet is 150–175 metres (492–574 ft), while the parish peak is along the south west boundary within Harthill Moor at 249 metres (817 ft).

Harthill was recorded in Domesday as Hortel and Hortil.^[7] It was alternatively known by the 1800s as Hartle.^[8] The prefix is from hart (deer).^[9]

This is evidence of Bronze, Iron and Ice Age human occupation in the parish, such as the Nine Stones stone circle, as well as the Derbyshire Portway which was a notable trading route possibly predating the Romans.^[10] Later features include Castle Ring camp which was a Roman fort, and a man-made tumulus, both within Harthill Moor. Harthill was two separate manors in 1066 at the time of the Domesday survey, one of which was held by Ralph FitzHubert.^[11] It later descended in the later 12th century to the family of de Herthill who have been presumed to have been related to FitzHubert.^{[citation needed]}

There was formerly a chantry chapel at Harthill, which was founded in the year 1259 by Richard de Herthill, on instructions from a papal bull from Pope Alexander II.^{[citation needed]} The minister of the chapel was appointed and supported by the dean and chapter of Lichfield. Records show the site may have been also used as a courthouse amongst a possible small village.^[12] The chapel was recorded as not in use by 1546 for religious purposes.^[13]

Harthill was listed in 1334 as associated to the nearby location of Winster together in the High Peak hundred for lay subsidy records. The Herthill family through marriage, along with several other estates, brought Harthill to the Cockayne family during the 14th century. Harthill Hall possibly dates to the Norman Conquest, but was substantially built in the 16th century.^[12] By 1577 Christopher Saxton's Derbyshire map only shows the hall with a park, and it is likely any remains of Harthill village lay beneath the hall and the remainder turned into parkland.^[6] Edward Cokayne sold Herthill in 1599, to John Manners whose family eventually became members of the Duke of Rutland. In 1891, the then Duke was being reported in journals of the time as being Lord of the manor, and with Major Michael McCreagh-Thornhill from Stanton-in-the-Peak were key local landowners.^[14] By the end of the 20th century, the hall had been substantially refurbished, many of its outhouses including the 13th century chapel converted to self-catering holiday accommodation.^[12]

As well as the regularised agricultural roles because of its rural location, primarily for pasture farming, the area has also supported lead mining with several sites throughout the parish, including Blythe mine and Broadmeadow, the present farm buildings being offices for the mining company in the 1800s.^[15] Other industries included lead smelting at Alport Smelt Mill to the very north of the parish alongside the Lathkill river, which was in use between 1845 and 1875 and the operations controlled by the Barker and Rose families.^[16][17] Remains include flues, furnaces, chimneys, slag heaps and other features. Quarrying of stone also took place in the vicinity.^[5] Flour was refined further south downstream at a millhouse, also utilising the river as a power source, the site in use since the 12th century.^[18]

There were 126 residents recorded within Harthill (and Alport) for the 2011 census.^[1] In the 2021 census, Harthill alone reported 48 residents.^[2]

Because of its small population, Harthill is managed at the first level of public administration via parish meetings, and so there is no parish council.

At district level, the wider area is overseen by Derbyshire Dales district council. Derbyshire County Council provides the highest level strategic services locally.