Entry from the “History and Gazetteer of the County of Derby”, 1829 by Stephen Glover.
ABNEY, (Habenai) is a small village and township seated in a deep valley, amidst high mountains, in the parish of Hope, and in the hundred of High Peak. It contained, in 1821, 23 houses, as many families, and 143 inhabitants. Twenty families are employed in agriculture, and three in trade. The township contains 1323 acres, 1 rood, 17 perches of gritstone land, which is divided between Humphrey Bowles, esq. and the Earl of Newburgh ; viz. Abney ancient enclosure, consisting of 512 a. 3 r. 11 p. is the property of Mr. Bowles ; and Abney Grange ancient enclosure, consisting of 189 a. 1 r. 35 p. is the property of the Earl of Newburgh, except about 14 a. 1 r. 35 p. belonging to Mr. Bowles. Abney common, unenclosed , is 621 a. 0 r. 35 p. and belongs to the above named nobleman and gentleman, in right of their ancient enclosures ; the annual estimated value is £687. 10s. The tithe belongs to the dean and chapter of Lichfield. This township is under the constablery of Eyam, and is governed by a headborough.
In Habenai Swain had one carucate of land to be taxed. Land to one plough. It is waste. D.B.
At the Doomsday Survey this manor belonged to William Peverell; in the reign of Edward II. to the family of Archer; at a later period to a branch of the Bagshaw family, who sold it to the Bradshaws, in which family it remained nearly two centuries, when it passed by marriage to the Galliards of Edmonton, in Middlesex; the sister and co-heiress of the latter brought it to the late Charles Bowles, esq. of Sheen, in Surrey, and it is now the property of his son, Humphrey Bowles, esq.