Chesterfield Train Station

Chesterfield is a delightful market town just south of Sheffield and is the second biggest town in Derbyshire, second to Derby.

Originally a Roman fort on the periphery of the Roman Empire, the settlement grew and was granted a Market Charter by King John in 1204. Queen Elizabeth I granted a new charter to the town at the end of the sixteenth century.

The arrival of the railway in the 1830s also revealed the mineral wealth beneath the area, and this provided a significant boost to the local economy for many years. Since the closure of the mines in the 1980s, the pits have been restored as walking and biking trails, making the local countryside more accessible than ever before.

The Sheffield to Chesterfield route is less than a fifteen minute journey. Other popular routes to Chesterfield include Wakefield to Sheffield which only takes about forty-five minutes. If a journey from the coast to the Peak District appeals to you, then Bristol to Chesterfield is only two hours thirty minutes away.

Things to do in Chesterfield

It should be no surprise that a town like Chesterfield has a rich industrial and engineering history. George Stephenson himself brought the railway line to the town. Tunnel boring machines were built here, including the one used to construct the Channel Tunnel.

If being underground is your idea of fun, then Creswell Crags, a limestone gorge which provided shelter for stone-age inhabitants, might be just what you need.

Prefer something a little more modern than a cave? The stately homes and castles around Chesterfield are well worth a visit. Hardwick Hall in Hardwick is a classic example of Elizabethan architecture, while the magnificent 17th-century Bolsover Castle and grounds are only a twenty-minute drive from Chesterfield Station.

Enjoy more local history by taking part in the annual Medieval Fun Day which hosts events all around the town. There is also the Steam Rally and Chatsworth Country Fair which takes place in Chatsworth Park. 2022 also saw the town hosting a 1940s market day which included period singers and competitions. Another interesting local curiosity is the crooked spire of the Church of Saint Mary and All Saints. You can find out for yourself the reason for its shape upon your visit.

For art lovers, Chesterfield offers the Pomegranate Theatre on Corporation Street and the Winding Wheel on Holywell Street. The Chesterfield Symphony Orchestra plays at the Winding Wheel three times a year, so be sure to check their next performance dates when you are in town.

The Vicar Lane Shopping Centre is home to dozens of popular stores and less than a ten-minute walk from Chesterfield Train Station. Meanwhile, the Pavements Shopping Centre boasts dozens more and is next door to Chesterfield's open-air market. Did you know that this market is one of the oldest in the country, while the Flea Market is on track to become one of the largest in the UK.

Chesterfield is a historic market town with history all around and minutes from major cities and the ancient countryside of the Peak District National Park. What more reason do you need to book a ticket with CrossCountry?