The following history of the parish is taken from History, Topography
and Directory of Derbyshire by T. Bulman & Co., 1895.
Boulton contains about 900 acres. The rateable value, population,
etc., are included with Alvaston. The manor of Boletune (Boulton) was given by the
Conqueror to Ralph Fitzhubert. Shortly afterwards it came into the possession of the
Sacheverels, one of whom endowed the chapel with rents to the value of 12s. per annum. Sir
V. Harpur Crewe, Bart., is the present lord of the manor, but the Earl of Harrington
claims the right of the Derwent fishery in Boulton as well as Alvaston.
The village is coufusedly intermixed with Alvaston. The church which
is dedicated to St. Mary, was formerly a chapel subject to St. Peter's, Derby. In 1271 Sir
Robert de Saheverel, put forth a claim to parochial independence for the church of
Boulton, founded by his ancestors. The claim was resisted by the abbot of Darley, rector
of St. Peter's, and a jury of twelve freemen was empanelled to try the case. Sir Robert
agreed to relinquish his claim in consideration of twenty marks to be paid to him by the
abbot. It was further agreed that Sir Robert was to nominate the chaplain, who should have
for his support three oxgangs of land, nine sellions of land, 12s. rent, and the small
tithes. These endowments were confiscated by the Crown at the Reformation, and granted to
two laymen; and thenceforth the chapels of Boulton and Alvaston were served by the same
minister until 1884.
The church was enlarged and repaired in 1840, at a cost of £483. In
1871 a north aisle and vestry were added, and other alterations made, at an expense of
£1084. The ediface now consists of chancel, nave (with bell turret), north aisle and
south porch. The door within the porch is of Norman date and a narrow deeply-splayed
window, belonging to the same period, was removed when the north aisle was added, and
rebuilt in the vestry. In the pavement near the pulpit are several old encaustic tiles
that were found during the same alterations in 1840. The nave and aisle are fitted with
open benches of pitchpine to accommodate 250, and the chancel with choir stalls . There
were formerly a few alabaster sepulchral slabs in the church, but these were used at the
restoration in 1871 in the construction of the present pulpit. The eagle lectern, a
handsome piece of work in brass, is a memorial of Mr. William Burnside. On the wall of the
nave is a brass to the memory of the late Rev. Richard Poole, 49 years vicar of Boulton
and Alvaston, who died in 1884. The living is a vicarage in the gift of Mrs. Blews
Robotham, worth £160 per annum, derived chiefly from 67 acres of glebe, and held by the
Rev. William Lilley. The great and small tithes were redeemed by allotments of land,
awarded in lieu thereof at the enclosure of the common in 1802.
Newton is a rising village which has sprung into existence during the
past few years. A Mission Hall or Church has been erected by Mrs Blews Robotham, at
a cost of £1,200, to accommodate 250 persons. The font is the old Norman one that
formerly stood in the porch of Boulton Church. There are also chapels belonging to the
Congregationalists and the Methodist New Connexion. A board School was built in 1890, at a
cost of £2,690. There are two departments, mixed and infants, having a total
accommodation for 300 children.
The village of Newton is now called Crewton.
