[2] The parish paradoxically does not include the majority of the nearby built-up suburb of Walton, Chesterfield which is now within an adjacent unparished area of the borough.

The key route through the parish is the A619 road from Chesterfield through to Baslow, for access to the Peak District, running through the northern portion of the area.

[3] Being adjacent to the Peak District National Park, the composition of the parish is broadly similar, with clay, coal, ironstone, lead, limestone, and gritstone featuring in the geology of the wider area.

It rises through mudstones, sandstones and siltstone, making up the Pennine Lower Coal Measures Group formed between 319 and 318 million years ago during the Carboniferous period.

One suggestion is the land at nearby Harewood Grange within Ashover being farmed until 1537 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries by canons from Beauchief Abbey with the moor becoming 'Howley More' in the late 1500s,[10] and eventually ‘Holy Moor’;[11] another is it was named from Howley Corn Mill which was first recorded in late 16th century public records as ‘Holley Milne’ and later in the 17th as 'Holley More';[12] or through early Scandinavian settlers and the ‘Holy’ from Hangr or hoh leah (hill clearing) to which mor was added, of which there is a local hill spur.

The Holymoorside area was a part of Brampton with Wadshelf in 1086 AD at the time of Domesday, which was shared between the Derbyshire tenants-in-chief Ascoit (or Hascoit) Musard and Walter D'Aincourt.

[25] Much of the focus during medieval times was not in Holymoorside as it had not been established, with the scattered population in the south of Brampton then based around Doghole (Holymoor Road), Pocknedge and the Loads settlements,[26] which were all recorded as settled areas by the 15th century.

[27][28][29] Early industry included possible lead or iron smelting at Bole Hill[30] and charcoal burning pits[31] both in the Hallcliffe brook valley north of the Loads villages, but the area was particularly notable for a number of mills from the early 16th century, the first recorded for refining corn and eventually in the 17th owned by the Clarke family of Somersall Hall.

[33] The Cundy family for many years ran the main local milling operation as tenants, finally buying it when the Clarke estate was sold in 1824.

[26] Manlove was a generous local benefactor, who built homes for workers, a church, school and gave land for a recreation ground.

[41][42] The industrialist Manlove family at one point owned the house,[43] it was used as a children's home in the 1950s before being pulled down in the 21st century and apartments built in its place.

[51] Around 1388 the estate began to be passed in parts, hereditarily descended by Sir John de Loudham (of Lowdham) to Godfrey Foljambe.

[52] A replacement hall on the same site was a courtyard house dating from the early 15th century, and notably Mary, Queen of Scots was briefly held here in 1569 by English authorities as part of protective custody after her defeat at the Battle of Langside.

[38] Walton was a township in the wider ancient Chesterfield parish, it was in medieval times more extensive than now; the boundary being only a mile away from Chesterfield centre, terminating by what is now West Bars, extending southeast to Boythorpe and Birdholme, while to the south west following the River Hipper to the edge of Harewood Moor which was farmed by canons from Beauchief Abbey.

A farm, Grangewood was later recorded on the site by the 19th century, possibly reusing buildings before being demolished in the early 1970s and a modern housing estate of the same name built on top.

[54] Walton Lodge is a large country house dating from the 18th century south of the village, and is amongst an extensive and well-wooded park, it was a seat and property of Sir Joshua Jebb in 1842.

The early 1980s saw growth in Walton with new housing which meant the church was no longer big enough, a new build was commissioned and opened by the then Bishop of Derby in 1992.

In 1935, the southern area of Brampton parish comprising Chanderhill, the Loads settlements, Holymoorside and Holy Moor was transferred to Walton.

The housing stock is generally good based on 2011 census data, the main tenure comprised owner occupied (83% locally, 63% nationally), with other forms such as rented (both private and social) being relatively low.

[87] A village shop is at Holymoorside,[79] and petrol station combined with convenience store both at Ladywood, near Chander Hill,[73] and Walton along the A632 Matlock Road.

[88][3] Several interest groups exist in the community, predominantly at Holymoorside: There is an annual perambulating the bounds ceremonial walk of the perimeter of the parish, which is 14 miles long and visits boundary stones installed in 2000 to commemorate the millennium.

[104][105] The poem reads - High Over Low Years Millennium Over Our Record Stands In Derbyshire Engraved Within All Land These Obelisk Note.

[107] During the year the stones were erected there was also the Millennium celebrations which included the drinking of a purpose made beer called ‘Bardofel’s Brew’ see below.

[110][111] Whilst the stones were designed and erected in an attempt to mark the position of the parish at the point of the millennium there was also a short story written that gave an alternative account.

This story was a tale of local fairies who almost came to war due to the meddling of an evil giant called ‘Quarlerk’ but were brought back to peace with the help of a group of nine friendly spriggans who were turned to stone.

They all carved a victory for future time: Slew a giant and buried his massive feline, (who both lie shadowed under the field) and brewed festive beer and ate bread.

Smelted lead ran and poisoned the ground, But veiled Spriggans continued to surround The houses pouring forth their hearth-black smoke, Where dwelt those who drank beer and ate bread.

At Millenniums end, in mammons spring, When woods are despoiled and cellphones do ring And computer traders do peddle their wares And commuters all work with their stocks and their shares And Safeway bakes bread and Townes brew the beer.

At Millenniums end at Rogation in year, We’ll keep watch at the stones perimeter; Drink Bardofel’s brew and eat gingerbread.

[112] There are 18 locations of architectural merit throughout the parish with listed status all at Grade II, including notably:[113] Several other varied buildings types, mainly farmhouses, barns and other agricultural outbuildings, are featured.