Fairfield

It was once a chapelry in the parish of Hope in Derbyshire, but at one time it was a town in its own right, complete with its own town Hall, which still survives today on Old Post Road and remains there for use of the public, and also complete with its own town council.

A census was taken in 1811, 1821 and 1831 and the population of the chapelry returned at 482 inhabitants. It remained an urban sanitary district, being governed by an authority who was responsible for various public health matters such as providing clean drinking water, sewers, street cleaning etc, until 1894.

In the early 19th century, it was recorded that 'excellent round course has been formed where horse races take place.' It is also known that race meetings were held at a place called 'Newton 'ith Willows,' where there was a specially made stand visitors.

Lying just north of Green is St Peters, a mediaeval parish church. It is an Anglican church and historic building. lying on the edge of Fairfield, a traditional church serving the needs of the people of the Church of England parish. Today the Church welcomes first timers to the established group of church members, offering a warm welcome for those interested in knowing more about Christianity. The services try to meet the needs of both the congregation and the diverse community in which they live.

William de Gretton was instrumental in building the first chapel in Fairfield which was founded in 1260 by the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield. The legal documentation is still in existence today in the British Museum and it explains that 'the village of Fairfield is so distant from its Parish Church of Hope, in winter time when the rain, snow and the bad weather abound in those parts that they cannot attend church without peril of their bodies.'

In 1595 Thomas Dakin, of Bailey Flatt, Green Fairfield and others, petitioned Queen Elizabeth the first for the provision of the Minister to the chapel, to bring assistance with restoration of the church building, which had fell into a poor state of disrepair. The people of the town made the case in support and requested that an almshouse be built for six poor men who lived there. The grant was given and the town changed its name to the Perpetual Chapel Of Fairfield, and that 'in future and for ever there may be and shall be six discrete and honest men of Fairfield, shall be governors of the chapel and almshouses.' This established the governors who are still involved with the appointment of incubents today.

Over the years the church has had various improvements such as adding a chancel and organ chamber, a new vestry and South door porch in the 1880s and a new organ was installed in 1893. In the early 1900s a painting of a cherub was found hidden in the enclosed parts of the ceiling which is thought to have been part of the mediaeval Madonna scene and was probably concealed during the persecution under Queen Mary 1553 to 1558. It is still on display in the church today.