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Morley is situated approximately five miles north-east of the City of Derby, and is essentially a rural
area with just four working farms, along with the Broomfield Agricultural College and a relatively new golf course.
The village is comprised of a series of detached settlements namely: Brackley Gate, and the Croft, Almshouses Lane, The Smith, and Brick Kiln Lane and the Church Lane area. The name Brackley Gate is though to originate from the Brackley family of Horsley Park Gate who lived there in the seventeenth century.
This area includes disused stone quarries which were a source of employment for Morley men until about 1917. Brackley Gate's elevated position affords panoramic views over undulating countryside to the foothills of the Pennines.
The seventeenth century almshouses in SAlmshouses Lane, consists of six dwellings under one roof with each containing two tooms, half for the poor of Morley and half for the Smalley Parishioners. They were originally intended for 'six poor, lame, or impotent men'...though one assumes they didn't get too many applications for the latter! The Lane lies on the route of the ancient Portway which continues as a footpath over the field towards St Mattkew;s church.
Halfway between the two, the track deviates to avoid Morley's mysterious mound. Several historians have offered theories as to the mounds purpose...namely a defensive position, an obstruction of the Portway to encourage new roads to be built or the possible site of the 'Morlestone' mentioned in 1086 and still a meeting place in1300. The mound is now covered by trees and stands about 20 feet high topped by a five feet high diameter platford and was once surrounded by a moat.
The Smithy, as the name implies, was the area where the blacksmith plied his trade in what is now the Three Horse Shoes public house. His income was derived from both smithying and inn keeping.
The disused brickworks on Brick Kiln Lane are now in the keeping of the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and are an attractive haven for various plants, birds and animals.
Church Lane is thought to be the original centre of Morley, and it was here that the Lords of the Manor off Morley lived. The original Hall no longer exists, the only remaining evidence of this building being an archway inside the churchyard and adjacent to the mausoleum. The present Hall dates from 1837.
The church here has grown from one of early Norman times, for it is said that when the church was enlarged in the mid 12th and early 13th centuries these fine arcades were pierced through already existing walls. The tower, with a turret and a lofty spire, comes from a great rebuilding extending from 1380 to 1453 when the walls over the arches were raised for the clerestory, the aisles were rebuilt and lengthened into chapels and the chancel was made new.
The churchyard is lovely with old trees and with flowers in summer. The charming approach to it is by a sunken lane and the drive leading to the 18th century rectory (now a diocesan retreat house), crossing a slope which was once the village green.
The interior is of unusual charm, filled with soft light turned into sunshine by the clerestory windows. It is a place of lovely arches, low and round in the arcades, lofty and narrow in the tower, wide and pointed in the chancel. It has a wonderful portrait gallery in brass and monuments in stone of folk of long ago; and the walls of the north aisle are like a marvellous picture book with glass both old and new. There are four old piscinae, a fine old oak chest, and a charming window in the chancel, 600 years old and unglazed.
There is some excellent stained glass with much of it coming from Darley Abbey at the time of the Dissolution and can be seen in the north windows.
The ancient ceremony of 'Beating the Bounds' has been re-instituted over the past few years, though these days without the digging of holes into which youths were deposited head first! These days it is just a gentle walk.
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