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Darwin House
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Erasmus DARWIN, one of four sons was born on the 12th December 1731 at Elston Hall, near Newark, Nottinghamshire.
His father, a lawyer, retired on inheriting Elston Hall. Erasmus was educated at Chesterfield, then St. John's College, Cambridge and the Medical School at Edinburgh University.
In 1756, Erasmus set up a medical practice in Lichfield. In 1757, Erasmus married Mary (Polly) HOWARD and in 1758 moved into a house (now known as Darwin House) in Beacon Street on the corner of Cathedral Close. They had three sons; the youngest Robert DARWIN was to become the father of Charles Darwin. Erasmus lived there until 1781.
Erasmus lived in Derby for the last 20 years of his life, dying on the 18th April 1802 at Breadsall Priory.
Darwin House is a medieval timber-framed and 17th-century brick building. Erasmus and his wife moved into the house in 1758. By about 1761 the west range had been built over the ditch around the Close. After 1784 the earlier buildings were replaced by the surviving eastern portion of the house.
Darwin House became a Grade I listed building on the 5th February 1952. It is now a museum and visitor centre open to the public. Darwin House, with exceptions, is open to the public from 1st April to 31st October and there is an entry charge. All public parts of the building have wheelchair access and comfort facilities for less mobile people.
If you visit Easmus Darwin House on the second Monday of the month or the fourth Thursday of the month, you could round off your day by joining the Burntwood Family History Group at one of our evening meetings |
Breadsall Priory
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