Chesterfield is situated just 24 miles from Derby to the North where the rivers Rother and its tributary the Hipper meet. The first thing that greets visitors and which stands out as a landmark is the Church with its crooked spire dating back to the 14th century.
Chesterfield is a market town with some striking archaeology. The town still holds a market three days a week ( Mon, Fri and Sat ) and this is one of the largest open air markets in Britain. Until the 1980’s coal mining was the main economy of the town. There is virtually no trace of coal mining left and many companies in Chesterfield have either downsized, closed or moved away. The biggest employer in the town is now The Royal Mail with its admin department based here.
Chesterfield is a pleasant enough town to walk through and experience on a weekend but it lacks the investment needed to transform it. With some impressive but neglected Tudor style buildings along its main streets visitors will notice the peeling paint and rotten window frames in many of the buildings. Mainly chain stores and charity shops the town has the infrastructure to be much more and to develop as a tourist attraction.
This historic town is certainly worth a visit and is an ideal stop over or rest stop for anyone visiting the nearby Peak District.
For photos of Chesterfield click here or view on You Tube
Leave a Reply