Description: The desmesne farm was the land farmed by or for the Lord of the Manor directly for his own purposes, hence it often was called a Manor Farm. The Lord also held his Manor Courts in some cases the court was held at the desmesne farm which would thus be call Court Farm. Within the curtilage of the old larger parish of Duffield, there are two farms, one called Courthouse Farm, the other called Manor Farm. Since Duffield Castle was the residence of Earl Ferrers, Lord of the Manor of Duffield until 1266, the close proximity of Courthouse Farm lying on the slopes of the Chevin, to the site of Duffield Castle, together with the name, add weight to the possibility that this might have been the desmesne farm. First owners of Court House Farm are the Norman family. Early Duffield records show several generations of the Norman family as owners. John Norman passed down Court House Farm to his brother Daniel Norman in 1800. Daniel passed the farm to his sister Ellen, who then passed it to her son, Daniel Norman Watson. The Chevin Golf Course sits on part of Court House Farm today. Sources: The Illustrated History of Duffield by W.R. Watson, Derbyshire Record Office