The Chapelry of Boulton
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it seems to have been jointly served together with Alvaston by one minister. In 1650, the Parliamentary Commissioners thus report:-
"Bolton a chappell reputed a member of Peters but hath beene long united to Alvastone, the vicarall tythes worth five pounds per annum and fitt wth Alvastone to be united to Elvastone."
It does not, however, seem that the alienation of the glebe land-which passed from Reeve and Cotton to the family of Burdett-remained unresisted ; for in 1684 it was found that Joseph Cope, clerk, had been for seven years chaplain of Boulton ; and that the messuage, land, and tithes were of the yearly value of £15 and upwards ; and that the small tithes arising in Boulton, and belonging to the chapel (?to the vicar of S. Peter's), were of the yearly value of £3; and that Sir F. Burdett had for ten years received the rent and profits of the same messuage, lands, and tithes ; and that Joseph Cope had for seven years taken all the small tithes due within Boulton ; and that Sir F. Burdett should pay to the said Joseph Cope, £105, upon the 5th of October then next, in the chapel of Boulton, for the profits for seven years.*
Boulton technically became a benefice in 1730 by augmentation from Queen Anne's Bounty, which made the then curate a perpetual curate.
The dedication of this church or chapel has not been hitherto known, but but we have found it more than once described in the Darley Chartulary as the chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The church now consists of nave, north aisle, south porch, and chancel, having been recently enlarged. Mr. Rawlins' notes, taken in 1824, give the dimensions of the nave as 34 ft. by 18 ft. 10 in. and of the chancel 21 ft. 3 in. by 13 ft. 4 in. In 1840 the church was extended twelve feet to the west, repewed, and generally repaired at a cost of £483 8s. 10d. In 1871 it was again enlarged and restored by the addition of a north aisle, a north chancel vestry, and the substitution of a comely bell-turret on the west gable for the mean wooden box that was placed there in 1841. Previous to the latter date, as we find from a drawing of Mr. Meynell's there was a diminutive four-sided slated spire on the west gable. The various alterations of this last restoration cost £1083 13s. 4d.
The south doorway, within the porch, is of Norman date. It
*From papers kindly lent me by Rev. E. Poole, vicar of Boulton and Alvaston.
15 March, 2004