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Chesterfield
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The famous Crooked Spire of Chesterfield

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The approach to Knifesmithgate, Chesterfield

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The Royal Oak, Shambles, Chesterfield

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Chesterfield Town Hall

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Historic Market and market hall

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Another view of the 'twist' in the Spire at Chesterfield

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Bolsover Castle near Chesterfield

Location: n/a
County: Derbyshire
Telephone - please mention Let's Stay Peak District: Chesterfield Tourist Information Centre (brochures etc): 01246-345777
Activities:
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Attractions:
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Heritage Sites
Shopping

Area Guides:
Chesterfield


Details: Chesterfield holiday accommodation, tourist and town guide including Chesterfield hotels, pubs and more.
- The historic market town of Chesterfield is situated about 5 miles from the Peak District's eastern boundary and has a population of around 100,000. This interesting and attractive town is easily overlooked when visiting the Peak District but is well worth a visit.
Click here for holiday accommodation and places to eat and visit in Chesterfield

Rachel Cummins discusses the towns highlights...

As the largest town in Derbyshire, Chesterfield has much to offer the visitor, including a lively and colourful market, a 14th century church with a famously twisted spire, a large, attractive Victorian park, a museum, a grade 2 listed Victorian theatre and a newly built shopping area.

Chesterfield is not a town just for the tourists, it’s a very busy, working town and as such it’s not all chocolate box, picture postcard stuff! However, there is plenty to see and do around the town and the cobbled centre of Chesterfield, overlooked by the 19th century Market Hall, is bustling and pleasing to the eye, with lots of attractive, higgledy-piggledy buildings adding to the charm.

The cobbled area of Market Place and New Square is home to Chesterfield market, the heart and soul of this attractive, busy town. The market has been going since at least 1165, and used to be situated near the church but moved in 1220’s to the site where it still is today.

On market days up to 250 colourful and varied stalls sell everything from food, to clothes, china, flowers and much more. Monday, Friday and Saturday are the all-important market days, with a flea market on Thursdays.

On market day, the stalls are covered with a myriad of differently coloured, ragged canopies, which from the top of the sloping market, overlooking the stalls, look very pretty. The Thursday flea market is especially worth visiting and, if you dig deep enough, you’re very likely to discover some excellent finds. There is a very good handbag and shoe stall, and lots of bric-a-brac, book, and jewellery stalls, too.

The handsome Market Hall has been refurbished recently and offers meat, fish, cosmetics and many other stalls too. It is shut for a half-day on Wednesday.

Just off Market Place, you’ll find a grid of narrow streets that forms what is known as The Shambles. This area used to be the butchers quarter of the market, and today there are a number of small shops and cafes down here.

The oldest pub in Chesterfield is also to be found in The Shambles, The Royal Oak, where the board outside claims “It was first mentioned as an inn in 1722, formerly being a rest for the Knights Templar, a band of Crusaders”.

Chesterfield is probably most widely known, if not for the market, then certainly for the Crooked Spire, the 14th century church with a 228-foot, twisted pinnacle. The symbol of the Crooked Spire of the Church of St Mary and All Saints is synonymous with Chesterfield. Finished in 1360, it is the largest church in Derbyshire and can be seen from all around Chesterfield, and at night it is fog lit to a dramatic effect.

There are many funny and strange myths surrounding the reason for the twisting of the spire, one legendary explanation goes like this: A magician persuaded the Bolsover blacksmith to shoe the Devil. Shaking with fear, he drove a nail into the Devil’s foot. Howling in pain, the Devil took flight towards Chesterfield.

Skimming over the church, he lashed out in agony, caught the Spire and twisted it round! Another popular myth is that the Spire was amazed to hear of a virgin marrying in the church, and twisted around to see for itself! The boring truth is said to be something to do with the wood used, or the fact that there is no cross to brace the structure.

Tours around the church and up the tower are recommended, and its open all year round Monday – Saturday, 9 – 5pm (9 – 3pm Jan & Feb). Admission is free to the church, but for tower tours it’s £2.50 for adults, £1 for kids. Telephone the Verger to organise group tours on 01246 206506.

Queen’s Park - re-opened in 2005 after extensive re-furbishment...

Built to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee, Queen’s Park opened in 1893. The large park is home to a cricket ground, and has a boating lake with ducks, two park areas with swings, slides and roundabouts, a leisure centre with swimming, tennis, squash, gym and more, a running track, a bandstand, and a children’s railway – plenty to keep you entertained.

The park is extremely pretty and great to take the children to on a sunny day. Brass bands are often playing on the bandstand on Sunday afternoons in the summer.

Chesterfield Museum and Art Gallery
The history of Chesterfield is explored at the Museum, near the Pomegranate Theatre. The ‘Story of Chesterfield’ is the theme of the museum and there are many ancient artefacts and exhibits to tell the story of Chesterfield’s growth and progress from the Roman times, including an exploration of the town’s connection with George Stevenson, father of the railways. The art gallery shows works from local artist Joseph Syddall. Open Monday – Saturday (closed Wednesdays) 9 – 4pm. Admission free.

Pomegranate Theatre
This grade 2 listed, proscenium arch theatre seats 546 people and shows amateur and professional plays, comedy nights and more. It’s a very attractive theatre, which was built in 1879 as the Stephenson Memorial Hall as a tribute to George Stephenson (the inventor of the steam train). The theatre used to be a cinema, and then it became Chesterfield Civic Theatre, before finally becoming the Pomegranate in 1982. A claim to fame came in March 1958 when, as a young Assistant Stage Manager, Diana Rigg made her stage debut in The Passing of the Third Floor Back by Jerome K Jerome.

Shopping in Chesterfield
The Vicar Lane Shopping area built in 2000 is the newest addition to the Chesterfield shopping experience. Around Chesterfield, as well as the market, there are major clothes stores like Marks and Spencer, Topshop, BHS, Next, Boots and more, and there are smaller independent shops too.

Facilities
Bank: All the big banks
Shops: Many
Pubs: Lots of pubs and restaurants


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Another Peak District Tourist Guide listing created by Let's Stay Peak District - Tel: 01629 640 640.