Moor End Farm

Moor End Farm, Alfreton Road

This farmhouse was probably built in the mid- 19th century by the Harpur Crewe family (of Calke Abbey). There was a dairy farm here, tenanted by George Garrett and his family. He lived there with his wife Mary and ten children. He left the farm to his son Thomas on condition that those of his children who had not married could continue to live there. Five of them did so into old age - along with Tom, his wife Rosetta and their nine children. When Tom died, Rosetta, continued to run the farm with help from her youngest son, Ernest. When Rosetta died in 1918 the Garretts sold up.

When the last of the Harpur Crewe line (Sir Vauncey) died, the farm, was sold to Henry and Nellie Bailey in 1925. They lived there with their daughters Marjorie and Joyce (both widows) until 1953 when they retired. The farm became known locally as “Baileys Farm”.

Kenneth and Mabel Downing purchased the farm in 1953. In 1968 the orchard had 4 houses built on it (now Old Barn Close). A new farmhouse was built further up Morley Lane in 1969 and the original farmhouse (now 206 Alfreton Road) was sold in 1971 to Bill Greenwood (of the Bleach Mill) and occupied by his mother.

The Little Eaton Bypass (the A38) was constructed between 1974 and 76 and the land to the north of the road, together with the new farmhouse became Cuckoo Wood Farm, owned by Kenneth and Mabel’s son, Simon Downing.

In 1990, after further development, the original farmhouse was bought by the present owners, Steve and Rosalind Newton, who still live there.