English: Wigwell Grange and dastardly murder Scene of a murder in 1863. George Townley murdered Elizabeth Goodwin who lived with her 80 year old grandfather at the Grange.She had met Townley in Manchester and after several meetings they became engaged. During the summer of 1863 she had second thoughts and wrote to Townley breaking off the engagement. After an exchange of letters she agreed to meet Townley at Wigwell.

On the day of the meeting they spent some time in the house before being seen to walk through the grounds and into the road,where Townley stabbed her in the throat with fatal consequences. He admitted the offence and was held at the Old Lock Up in Wirksworth prior to his trial at Derby Assizes later in the year. A plea of insanity was put forward. He was found guilty, but the judge wrote to the Home Secretary who granted a respite, while enquiries were made into his sanity. The sentence was eventually commuted to life imprisonment.

The trial created quite a lot of interest as both people involved were members of the gentry. But when the verdict became known there was an uproar, the national press were outraged by what seemed an injustice. It appeared Townley had been able to avoid being hanged, as a result of privilege and a private enquiry. This so-called injustice did not last for long, as in February 1865, he committed suicide at Pentonville prison.