| Administrative History | The manor of Elvaston was granted to the Stanhope family by Henry VIII. The Stanhopes had their main estates at Elswick (Northumberland) in the thirteenth century, moving to Nottinghamshire in the fifteenth century, moving to Nottinghamshire in the fifteenth century. John Stanhope was one of the principal royal commanders at the battle of Stoke (Nottinghamshire) in 1487. At the dissolution of the monasteries, Michael Stanhope, son of John, obtained extensive grants of monastic lands, including Shelford, Lenton and Elvaston. Michael was knighted soon after the accession of Edward VI, and became a member of the party of the Lord Protector, the Duke of Somerset, who was married to Michael's half sister. Stanhope shared in Somerset's fall in 1549, was put on trial for conspiring against the life of the Duke of Northumberland and executed on 26 Feb 1552.
Sir Michaels' grandson, Sir John Stanhope (d 1611) married in turn, Cordelia Alington and Catharine Trentham. Sir John's son Philip (created Earl of Chesterfield in 1628) inherited Shelford and Bretby, whilst John's second son, John, inherited Elvaston.
During the Civil War Sir John Gell, governor of Derby sent a force of soldiers to search royalist Elvaston for arms, though this did not prevent Dame Mary Stanhope marrying Gell five years later in 1648. Although it was said he wed her only to destroy the glory of her husband and his house William Stanhope (d 1756), great grandson of Dame Mary, was created Baron Harrington in 1730, and in 1742, Viscount Petersham and Earl of Harrington. Charles Stanhope, 3rd Earl of Harrington (1753 - 1829) continued his family's military tradition, serving in the American War of Independence. He was later Ambassador to Berlin and Vienna and Constable of Windsor Castle.
The 4th Earl, Charles (1780-1851) attained a reputation as a dandy and Regency buck, whilst the 5th Earl, Leicester, (1784-1862) had a distinguished military career in India and spent time with Lord Byron in Greece. The 8th Earl, Charles Augustus (1844-1917) was an enthusiastic engineer and was probably responsible for the elaborate Victorian garden at Elvaston.
In addition to Elvaston Castle, the Earls of Harrington held Gawsworth Hall near Macclesfield (Cheshire) and Harrington House, near Charing Cross (London). In 1883 the family estate consisted of 4,569 acres in Derbyshire, 8,138 acres in Cheshire, 196 acres in Durham, 38 acres in Northamptonshire and 3 acres in Leicestershire. |
| Custodial History | They were deposited in Derbyshire Record Office in September 1969 by a London solicitors via the British Records Association. |