ROWSLEY is a village, township and parish, formed 30 Oct. 1860, from the parishes of Bakewell, Darley, and Youlgrave, with a station on the Ambergate and Manchester section of the Midland railway, 5 ½ miles from Matlock, 3 ¾ south-east from Bakewell and 149 from London, in the Western division of the county, hundred of High Peak, Bakewell parish, union, petty sessional division and county court district, rural deanery of Bakewell, archdeaconry of Derby and diocese of Southwell: it is situated near the junction of the rivers Wye and Derwent, the former being crossed by a modern stone bridge of two arches, and the latter by an ancient bridge of four arches. The water supply is derived from small reservoir at Peak Tor, the property of the Duke of Rutland. The church of St. Catherine, consecrated in 1855, is a building of stone consisting of chancel, north aisle, south porch, and a turret containing one bell, formerly belonging to the old chapel at Haddon Hall: the north aisle and a mortuary chapel were added in 1859: the latter contains a monument to Catherine L. G. (Marlay), 1st wife of the present Duke of Rutland; she died 7 April, 1854: a new vestry was erected in 1896 by the Duke of Rutland, and a lvch gate was placed in the churchyard in 1897 by Robert W. M. Nesfield esq. J.P. There are 200 sittings. The register dates from the year 1855. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £165, with residence, in the gift of the Duke of Rutland, erected in 1857, and held since 1884 by the Rev. Edward Chinery Parmenter M.A. of Jesus College, Cambridge. The charities amount to about £4. This district is noted for the manufacture of grindstones, and building stone of excellent quality is quarried here. Stanton Woodhouse, an ancient mansion in the Elizabethan style, situated on an elevation and commanding a considerable view, is one of the seats of the Duke of Rutland K.G., G.C.B., P.C.; the park is extensive, and contains some fine old timber. The Duka of Rutland K.G., G.C.B, is lord of the manor and sole landowner. The soil is grit and sand; subsoil, gritstone and gravel. The chief crops are principally grass. The area of the township is 679 acres of land and 21 of water; rateable value, £2,114; the population of the township in 1891 was 301, and of the parish 512.

Church of England School (mixed).-A substantial building, erected by the Duke of Rutland in 1840, for 150 children; average attendance,140.