Rattle, Derbyshire
Encyclopedia
Rattle is a hamlet
in the English
county of Derbyshire
. It is part of the village of Ashover
. This portion of the village was the centre of stocking frame
working in Ashover and probably derives its name from the noise made by the machines.
The frames were owned and operated by individual families who converted the top floors of their already cramped cottages to accommodate the large, complex machines. Raw materials, such as silk
or cotton
, where obtained from a local entrepreneur. He would then collect the finished stockings and pay the machinist a piece rate, usually very low.
In the 18th century and 19th century, most of the cottages then existing in Rattle housed at least one spinning or weaving frame. Today, the only surviving 'weaver's cottages' are at the junction of Chapel Hill and Hill Road.
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. It is part of the village of Ashover
Ashover
Ashover is a village in the English county of Derbyshire. It is in the North East Derbyshire district of the county. It sits in a picturesque valley, not far from the town of Matlock and the Peak District national park. The centre of the village is a conservation area. The River Amber flows through...
. This portion of the village was the centre of stocking frame
Stocking frame
A stocking frame was a mechanical knitting machine used in the textiles industry. It was invented by William Lee of Calverton near Nottingham in 1589...
working in Ashover and probably derives its name from the noise made by the machines.
The frames were owned and operated by individual families who converted the top floors of their already cramped cottages to accommodate the large, complex machines. Raw materials, such as silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
or cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
, where obtained from a local entrepreneur. He would then collect the finished stockings and pay the machinist a piece rate, usually very low.
In the 18th century and 19th century, most of the cottages then existing in Rattle housed at least one spinning or weaving frame. Today, the only surviving 'weaver's cottages' are at the junction of Chapel Hill and Hill Road.