 Cowley is mentioned in the Domesday book as belonging to Henry de Ferrers and being worth ten shillings.Henry was given a large number of manors in Derbyshire including Doveridge, Breaston, Duffield and Hartshorne.The name Cowley has been described as coming from two Old English words, "col" for coal or earlier charcoal and "leah" for clearing, suggesting "the charcoal burners' clearing".