| Administrative History | The Littleover estate of the Findern family passed with the marriage of their heiress, Joan Findern, to Chief Justice Harpur, who built Littleover Old Hall. The younger son of this marriage, Sir Richard (d1635), inherited Littleover. In 1754 this line of Harpurs died out and the property passed to Samuel Heathcote IV (1724-1784) of Derby. It remained Heathcote property until the late 19th century. In 1890 Littleover Old Hall and estate were sold to Edward McInnes who built a new house on the site. This is now Derbyshire Fire and Ambulance Service Headquarters.
The Pastures, Littleover, was built in the late 18th century by Josias Cockshutt II. He was the son of Josias Cockshutt (1690-1762) of Kegworth, Leics., and Mary Twistleton and himself took the surname Twistleton by royal licence in 1801. Josias Cockshutt II extended The Pastures as least twice in the early 19th century. His only child, Mary, married Bache Heathcote II and in 1826 Cockshutt Heathcote (1793-1885) inherited The Pastures. He altered the house and landscaped the grounds, but by 1832 was in financial difficulties. He then sold the property in 1840-1841 to Sir Seymour Blane. 38 years later, in 1878, The Pastures was sold again to Sir Abraham Woodiwiss and eventually became a hospital.
The Harpur papers are of special interest for the family correspondence and wills, 1663-1754 (D6104/5) and for the surveys of their lands in Twyford and Stenson, 1696-1711 (D6104/6). The Heathcote papers also include references to inherited Yorkshire and Lancashire estates, some sold in1806, and to another estate in Osbaston, Leicestershire, sold in 1829. Family correspondence, chiefly financial, dates mostly from the time of Samuel Heathcote IV (1759-1784), Bache Heathcote II (1793-1885) and Cockshutt Heathcote (1793-1885). It is limited in quantity, but there are genealogical papers and pedigrees relating to the Heathcotes and related families, together with a few diaries and journals chiefly mid 19th century. |
| Custodial History | These papers were donated to Derbyshire Record Office by a private individual in October 2003. |