Chesterfield is famous worldwide for the crooked spire of the medieval Church of St Mary and All Saints, which is visible for miles around and has become a symbol of the town, but there is much more to explore in this historic Derbyshire town. Chesterfield received its charter as a market town in 1204 and a large open-air market is still held in the cobbled marketplace around the Victorian Market Hall. Its medieval street plan is still evident in the centre of the town around the narrow streets, known as the Shambles. The town’s wealth is also displayed in its elegant Georgian shopfronts. The Industrial Revolution gave a significant boost to the town’s fortunes and although little can be seen today of the rich coalfields surrounding the town, several Miners’ Welfare Clubs and housing built for the coal mining community remain. Although the more extreme plans for rebuilding the town in the 1960s were resisted, modern architecture is represented in the shape of the courthouse and several unusual churches. Chesterfield in 50 Buildings explores the history of this fascinating Derbyshire town through a selection of its most interesting buildings and structures, showing the changes that have taken place over the years. The book will appeal to all those who live in Chesterfield or who have an interest in the town.
