Chesterfield

Chesterfield is a market town and local government district in Derbyshire, a county in England. It lies south of Sheffield, on a confluence of the rivers Rother and Hipper, and has a population of approximately 100,000. It is located at {{coor dm|53|34|N|1|25|W|}}.

Related Topics:
Local government district - Derbyshire - County - England - Sheffield - Rother - Hipper

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It received its market charter in the year 1204 from King John.

Related Topics:
1204 - King John

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Chesterfield benefitted greatly from the building of the Chesterfield Line - part of the Derby to Leeds railway (North Midland Line), which was begun in 1837 by George Stephenson. During its construction, a sizable seam of coal was discovered. This and the local ironstone were promptly exploited by Stephenson who set up a company to trade in the minerals.

Related Topics:
Derby - Leeds - Railway - 1837 - George Stephenson - Coal

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During his time in Chesterfield, Stephenson lived at Tapton House, and remained there till his death in 1848. He is interred in Trinity Church.

Related Topics:
Tapton House - Church

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Chesterfield is perhaps best known for the "crooked spire" of its Church of Saint Mary and All Saints. The twisted spire leans 9 feet 5 inches from its true centre. The twisting is probably the result of unseasoned timbers or insufficient cross-bracing, although there are other explanations: One is that the spire was so shocked to learn of the marriage of a virgin in the church that it bent down to get a closer look. Another is that a Bolsover blacksmith mis-shoed the Devil, who leaped over the spire in pain, knocking it out of shape.

Related Topics:
Spire - Marriage - Virgin - Bolsover - Devil

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The Channel Tunnel between England and France used boring machines manufactured in Chesterfield by the company Markham & Co., which no longer exists in the town.

Related Topics:
Channel Tunnel - Boring machine - Markham & Co.

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Famous people to come from Chesterfield include Baron Bowden, footballer Bob Wilson, glamour model Jo Guest and actor John Hurt.

Related Topics:
Baron Bowden - Footballer - Bob Wilson - Glamour model - Jo Guest - Actor - John Hurt

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Chesterfield is twinned with:

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• Darmstadt in Germany
• Troyes in Northern France
• Yangquan in the Shanxi province of China
• Tsumeb in Namibia.