"People often ask where in the UK I am from and I tell them I was born and raised in Derbyshire and lived in a very small village just outside the market town of Ashbourne. When I say small, the number of residents is around the 300 mark and the school I went to had a total of 32 children – in the whole school – across 7 year groups. In my class was Brian, Jonathan, Daniel and Tim those where the boys and Wendy and myself. Yes just 6 of us in our class. So as you can see, I had a very small village upbringing.
I was raised by my Mum, Gran and Great Gran, 4 generations living in two cottages next to each other in the center of the village.
In 1984 I founded the first Sunday School in the parish located first at “Bradley Church of England School” which later moved to Bradley Church - (All Saints Bradley) and in 1985 I became Ashbourne Carnival Queen and served the town of Ashbourne for a year in civic duties."
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History
Bradley was mentioned in the Domesday book of 1086 as belonging to Henry de Ferrers. The village was assessed being worth twenty shillings (a fall, having been valued as worth £2 in 1066), and having a taxable value of 1 geld unit. The village is recorded as having 17 households: 6 of which were smallholdings
In 1891 Kelly described the village as "an agricultural parish and picturesque but scattered village" of 2,374 acres. The soil is described as "chiefly gravel and clay", with the main crops grown being hay, wheat, barley, oats and turnips. The population is recorded as 227 and the rateable (tax) value of the village given as £2,945
Village landmarks
All Saints' Church and Bradley Hall
The village's parish church is dedicated to All Saints. Primarily constructed in the late 14th century, but incorporating some earlier work dating back to Saxon times, it has an unusual layout with an aisleless nave and chancel, and no tower.
There is the upright remains of a Saxon cross in the grave yard and Oliver Cromwell's men desecrated the church in the Civil War and all wooden carvings were destroyed.
In 1891 the church was described as "an edifice in the Decorated style of the early 14th century, consists of a small chancel and nave under a single roof, south porch and a wooden turret at the west end containing 3 bells, two of which date from 1722, the tenor being undated”
The 18th century wooden bell-turret was removed and one of the bells is attached to the rear wall.
The church was substantially renovated in the 19th century. The church contains several graves and monuments belonging to members of the Kniveton, Byrom and Meynell families, who had formerly resided at Bradley Hall opposite the church...
To here more about Tina's Story and the village where she grew up and the 3 women who raised her, you can book Tina for a Tea and Talk Series including Life at the Times of Downton Abbey, where Tina tells the story of Gladys Wooley, the scullery maid at Bradley Hall and how her story shaped Tina's family.