Nottinghamshire 
ContentsGateford Constablewick has a small village of its own name on the Sheffield road, 2 miles north-north-west of Worksop, and several scattered houses. It comprises about 1,100 acres of land, belonging principally to John Machin Esq. of Gateford Hill. A handsome stone mansion, half a mile north of the village, occupies the site of the ancient residence of the Lascells family. Raymoth is a large farm belonging to John Machin Esq., and the Duke of Newcastle has an estate here, and the owners have the manorial rights of their own property.
Hagginfield is but a small hamlet and constablewick, having only 850 acres of land belonging to the Dukr of Newcastle, 2 miles west-north-west of Worksop. It is crossed by the River Ryton and the canal, and has on its eastern side a fine bed of clay, which makes excellent bricks. and on its western verge is plenty of good limestone, and also the noted freestone quarry and Limekilns, called Lady Lee.
Osberton and Scofton are two lordships, forming a joint constablewick, and lying on opposite sides of the River Ryton and the canal, from 2 to 5 miles east of Worksop. They are both the property of George Savile Foljambe Esq. of Osberton Hall, an elegant modern mansion, with a portico of four Ionic pillars, supporting a highly ornamented architrave and pediment. The country around is very romantic, and is richly clothed with wood, a large portion of which has been planted by the present owner, who charitably supports a school at Scofton, on the north side of the Ryton, for the education of 20 poor children. In the hall is a valuable museum, consisting of a complete collection of British birds, several cases of foreign and geological specimens &c. &c., also a carving in alabaster representing the Assassination of Thomas-à-Becket, which is the original altar piece of Beauchief Abbey, near Sheffield. Another antique relic which the visitor will find here is a Roman altar, that was found some years ago at Littleborough. The east front of the hall opens upon a spacious lawn, shut in on one side by a noble boundary of oak, and on the other by a screen of thriving planations.
The two lordships comprise 3,841 acres, of which 1,592 are in Osberton. Chequer House, at the eastern extremity of the latter, is partly in Babworth parish, and is intersected by the Great Northern Railway, which has a small station here. Scofton was the property of the late Robert Sutton Esq., of whom it was purchased about 50 years ago by the late F.F. Foljambe Esq., who pulled down the hall. In 1833, Mr Foljambe erected a small neat church of stone, with a tower. It is situated in the pleasure grounds, a short distance from the hall, and is substantially seated with oak benches, and has a richly carved oak pulpit. The east window is beautifully ornamented with stained glass, containing the various arms of the family, from the Plantagenets to the present proprietor. The Rev. William Bury is the incumbent curate.
Shireoaks, 2½ miles west-north-west of Worksop, is a manor and chapelry, which had its name from an ancient oak that stood many centuries on the spot where the three counties of Nottingham, York and Derby converge. A fine thriving young oak occupies the site of the original tree, which is not remembered by any person now living. The Duke of Newcastle is the sole owner. William de Lovetot gave this lordship to Worksop Priory, but at the dissolution of the religious houses, Henry VIII granted it to Robert and Hugh Thornhill, together with Gateford and Darfould, for the yearly rent of 13s 4d. From the Thornhills it passed to the Hewitts, with whom it remained till Sit Thomas Hewitt disinherited his daughter for marrying against his will, and bequeathed this estate to his godson, John Thornhaugh Esq., for the term of his life, after which it passed to the Rev. john Hewitt, rector of Harthill, who built and endowed here a chapel of ease in 1809. in the following year he sold the Shireoak estate to the Duke of Norfolk who, after the death of of Mr Hewitt, pulled down the ancient manor house, except a small portion of the walls, fitted up as a dwelling by r Froggatt. Since the Duke purchased the estate, much of its fine timber has fallen a sacrifice to the woodman's axe.
The chapel is a neat stone edifice, consisting of a nave and chancel, with an octangular tower, surmounted by a cupola. The Rev. William Senior Salman M.A. is the chaplain, and the Duke of Newcastle the patron, in consideration of his paying £10 a year to the vicar of Worksop, agreeable to the original settlement made by the Duke of Norfolk. The endowment consists of £90 a year. A national school was established in the chapel vestry in 1841, and 26 children attend. Shireoaks contains about 850 acres, and is crossed by the Chesterfield canal and the Ryton rivulet. The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire railway has a small station here.
White's Directory of Nottinghamshire 1853
© Copyright C.R.G. Henly 1998