Nunsfield House is located off Boulton Lane near to the Alvaston roundabout where the southern A6 road meets the Derby outer ring road. It is a grade 2 listed building.

We are told by Maxwell Craven in Derbyshire Life and Countryside, May 2003, that Nunsfield House was built as a private residence in 1828 by Mr Charles Holbrook formerly of St. Peter's Parish in Derby. Following the death of Charles Holbrook the property was occupied by various tenants one of which was a solicitor, Alderman W. Blews Robotham. The wife of Alderman Robotham was a great patron of the nearby Boulton St, Mary's Parish Church.  

In the 1930's Nunsfield House was acquired by Derbyshire County Council and used as a rates office and library. The childrens' library was located in a room in Nunsfield House but an outbuilding pictured below was used for the adult library. Another room within Nunsfield House is used by a very long established amateur radio group.  

In 1935 a decision was taken to build a parish hall for the local community. This is called the Jubilee Room and is located at the rear of Nunsfield House facing Boulton Lane. It still serves today its original purpose although ownership of  Nunsfield House, Jubilee Room and grounds passed into the hands of Derby City Council in 1996.

The origin of the name "Nunsfield" seems to be lost in the mists of antiquity but a reasonable guess would place the said Nuns' Field at one time in the ownership of Boulton St. Mary's Church. The church was built circa 1090 by the Sacheverell family who also gave land to the church so as to provide an income for its upkeep and the support of a minister. In 1271 the abbot of Darley set his sights on the acquisition of Boulton Church which he eventually managed to do after a long and bitter dispute. Boulton St. Mary's Church became a chapelry to St. Peter's Church in Derby which was already in the ownership of Darley Abbey.   

My guess is that the rent or tithes from the Nuns' Field were presented to the Convent at Darley to meet the obligations placed upon Boulton Church following its acquisition by St. Peter's. 

An extract of a legal document within the church archives reads:

And that moreover by grant of the said Abbot and Convent all the small tithes oblations and obventions to the Altarage formerly given and belonging to the said Chapel. And that the Chaplain should pay for the same yearly to the said Abbot and Convent 4/- of silver, the one moiety at the feast of Easter and the other at the feast of St. Martin saving to the Abbot and Convent entirely all other tithes of corn and hay of the whole Town of Bolton aforesaid.

View of the old adult library building in the grounds of Nunsfield House. Despite being rather small and of a somewhat forlorn appearance, the building served the local community very well and was extremely popular. Both the adult and childrens' library were transferred to a new building in 2004 within the main Alvaston shopping centre.

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Page last updated 18 July 2006