Bradbourne in Derbyshire is an ancient village situated 4 miles north east of Ashbourne off the A5056 and stands high on a ridge between the valleys of Bradbourne Brook and Havenhill Dale, enjoying some fine views. It was recorded in Domesday as Bradeburne, meaning broad stream, and having a church and a priest. At domesday it belonged to Henry de Ferres. A corn mill once stood in Bradbourne, built into the hillside in 1726. It lies crumbling and forgotten on a sharp bend on the B5056. Today Bradbourne is known for it's ancient church, Elizabethan Hall and the old Parsonage.

The Parish church of All Saints is essentially Norman with later additions but contains fragments of Saxon work in the north side of the nave. The church was given to Dunstable Priory in 1205, when four monks were sent to serve it and it's three chapelries at Tissington, Brassington and Ballidon, a system that continued for more than 300 years until the dissolution and then under the protestant church of england until Tissingtion and Brassington became seperate parishes around 1860. These days the parish of Bradbourne and Ballidon shares a team vicar with Brassington.

The large unbuttressed tower is Norman and the carving of the south doorway is a rich example of late Norman sculpture. Inside is an unusual 17th century mural painting, an Italian early 17th century painting of the Adoration of the Shepherds and the east window has a good early example of 19th century stained glass.

Bradbourne church

Bradbourne cross

Bradbourne Hall

The churchyard contains a Saxon cross shaft, dated approx 800, and containing a scene of the crucifixion. Originally the incised shaft would have been topped with a cross. These crosses were set up at places where people first gathered to celebrate mass, hear the gospel preached and where the dead were brought for burial in the shadow of the sacred symbol. This one was used as squeeze style into a nearby field for a number of years before being recognized and replaced in the churchyard. The old parsonage stands next to the church, a mixture of different styles and materials built in three different ages.

Bradbourne Hall, a greystone Elizabethan building with three gables, was once the home of the Buckston family. It was probably built by Henry Buckston or his son george who died in 1631, possibly on the site of a much older building. The Buckstons moved to Sutton on the Hill in the early part of the 19th century and the building was tenanted out. In 1929 an extension was added by the then owner L.W.Hodson. It remains a private residence.

A new village hall was built in 1992. Bradbourne with it's population of around 100 inhabitants is still a farming community as it had been for centuries.