Sir William Hotel, Grindleford

Which Sir William is this Inn named for? One early contender would appear to be the hill itself where it is sited, which is mentioned in Eyam parish records:

“Elizabeth, wife of John Trout. She dyed upon the Moor near unto S^r William (a place so called) coming from Tideswell Market in a snow”, dated 4th February 1691/2.

Other contenders are Sir William Cavendish, and Sir William Bagshaw of the Wormhill family. Opinion seems to be the latter when it was re-named from ‘The Commercial’, early in the 20th century.

(Commentary provided by Rosemary Lockie)