CHESTERFIELD is an ancient corporate and market-town, and parish, in the hundred of Scarsdale, 150 miles from London, 48 miles from Manchester It is a large but irregularly built town, pleasantly situate between two rivulets, the Hyper and Rother, in the beautiful and fertile vale of Scarsdale, and is the second considerable town in the county of Derby. The town of Chesterfield now stands over a Roman site that in turn stands on top of an Iron Age fort. In Domesday, the town was known as Cestrefeld meaning open field, and its early prosperity was largely a result of its role as a market town, which served the whole of the north east of Derbyshire. Chesterfield is  famous for the Crooked Spire on the Parish Curch of Saint Mary and All Saints. Apart from the Crooked Spire, Chesterfield is still famous for its outdoor market, one of the largest in the country, which is held on Monday, Friday and Saturday - with a flea market on a Thursday.

 Situated just 3 miles from eastern boundary of the Peak District national park, Chesterfield is not only a medieval market town with a history and treasures of its own, it is also an ideal base for holiday makers wishing to explore the wonderful Derbyshire countryside.
The most famous attraction of Chesterfield is the amazing Crooked Spire of the St.Mary’s and All Saints Church.
The Spire reaches 228 feet and is a well known highly visible landmark
Chesterfield has managed to retain some of its medieval streets and buildings which attract visitors far and wide.
There are narrow streets off the Market Place leading to the Shambles and the Butchery quarter.
The newest addition to the town is the Vicar Lane Shopping Centre which was opened in 2000.

To the south of the town centre is Queen’s Park which was built to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee.
It has a cricket ground and boating lake and also houses the towns largest leisure centre.
                                                        
The town has many leisure attractions including several golf courses, fitness centres, all-weather tennis club, cinema complex, go-Karting to mention a few. It is also home to the Chesterfield Football Club, better known as the Spireites.

There are plenty of restaurants to choose from in the town centre which cater for all tastes. There is also a thriving night life in Chesterfield which has some excellent wine bars, traditional pubs and trendy night clubs. If you prefer a more cultured evening at the theatre, Chesterfield has the Pomegranate theatre; a grade 2 listed Victorian arch theatre which hosts both professional touring and amateur productions.

The town is a central location for excellent communications either by road, rail or coach. The main motorway M1 is approximately 10 miles away which makes commuting to any part of the country very easy. Sheffield is 11 miles north of Chesterfield and easily accessible via the A61. There is also a direct rail link to London St Pancras from Chesterfield station, which leaves on a regular basis throughout the day. Chesterfield coach station is situated on New Beetwell Street which has both local and national services.

Airport accessibility is good with East Midlands Airport approximately 40 minutes away and Manchester airport about 1hr 30 minutes away. There are also domestic flights more locally from Sheffield and Doncaster

Another very famous attraction to Chesterfield is its close proximity to the Peak District National Park. It is renowned for its outstanding beauty and largely unspoilt scenery

Hardwick Hall: Like a huge glass lantern, Hardwick Hall (owned by the National Trust) dominates the surrounding area - a magnificent statement of the wealth and authority of its builder, Elizabeth Countess of Shrewsbury or 'Bess of Hardwick'. Designed by Robert Smythson, the house is remarkable for being almost unchanged since Bess lived here, giving a rare insight into the formality of courtly life of the Elizabethan age.There are outstanding collections of 16th Century embroidery, tapestries, furniture and portraits. Walled courtyards enclose fine gardens, orchards and a large herb garden, and the surrounding parkland contains rare breeds of cattle and sheeps  

Chesterfield Market : Markets are held every Monday, Friday and Saturday with an flea market every Thursday and a farmers' market on the 2nd Thursday of every month.Markets have been held in Chesterfield since at least 1165 when the Sheriff of Derbyshire recorded an amount of £1 2s 7d from the market at Chesterfield, but the town's Market Charter wasn't granted until 1204. Today the market has grown to be one of the biggest in the country and, every year, hosts events that have guaranteed it a place at the heart of Chesterfield.

Bolsover Castle: A romantic residence built by Sir Charles Cavendish in 1612 and completed by his son William. Marvel at the outstanding craftsmanship everywhere - the rich panelling, elaborate fireplaces and painted ceilings. Enjoy the glorious enclosed garden, step into the magnificent indoor riding school and be enlightened by the audio-tour and the interactive model of the castle.

Chatsworth: Chatsworth is one of Britain’s best loved historic houses and estates, offering something for everyone to enjoy, from famous works of art and the spectacular fountains in the garden to the finest shopping, food and drink and many miles of free walks. The home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire is set in the magnificent landscape of Derbyshire’s Peak District National Park, and is seen in the recently released film of ‘Pride and Prejudice’.

Ogston Reservoir: Ogston Reservoir is owned and managed by Severn Trent Water and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Apart from the Reservoir there is a variety of other habitats including farmland and woodland, boasting many species of birds, including spring and autumn passage migrants. It has gained a reputation as one of the premier inland sites in the country to watch and record gull's at roost during the winter months. There is a public hide overlooking the Reservoir in the West Bank Car Park.

Linacre Reservoir: There are 3 reservoirs at Linacre, built between 1855 and 1904 and, between them, they hold more than 240 million gallons of water. The reservoirs are surrounded by fields and bluebell woods.There are several trails around the Linacre Reservoirs. The paths are well edged and you can make up any length of walk you like. Part of the trail around the Upper Reservoir crosses the water on a boardwalk - parents with children should take care as it has no railing.In spring, the woods aound the reservoirs are carpeted with bluebells and they were, at one time, coppiced - information boards explain how coppicing worked. You can find many oak trees, along with beech, alder (which likes to keep its feet wet), larch and pine.

Chesterfield Canal  : Chesterfield Canal was surveyed by James Brindley and opened in 1777 to link Chesterfield to the River Trent at West Stockwith. For its time it was a magnificent engineering achievement, covering 46 miles and including a 2,880 yard tunnel and one of the earliest examples of a large staircase of locks. The Canal was a successful trade route but, with the development of the railways in the 19th Century, boat traffic began to decline. In 1907 the Norwood Tunnel collapsed, cutting off the Derbyshire section of the Canal. Thanks to the work of the Chesterfield Canal Trust, a 5 mile section of the Canal has been restored and reopened from Chesterfield to Staveley. .The Canal towpath - the Cuckoo Way - is open to walkers and cyclists, and it forms the southern spur of the Trans Pennine Trail.

Queens Park: ParkBuilt to celebrate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, the Park opened in 1893. It was recently refurbished, with help from a lottery fund grant, to its full Victorian glory.It has a cricket ground, boating lake, minature train, a play area for young children and another for older children. Sit and listen to a local brass band playing on the Victorian Bandstand on some Sunday afternoons during the summer. 

Barrow Hill Roundhouse Railway Centre , Barrow Hill Roundhouse was built in 1870 as a maintenance centre for steam locomotives. Engines were repaired, watered, coaled and turned around here. This required a turntable with lines of track called 'spurs' set around it. The name roundhouse originates from the conical roof that these buildings used to have. In the 1860's the roundhouses grew larger and lost their conical roofs but kept their name. When the age of steam drew to a close, many roundhouses were shut down and demolished. However, Barrow Hill became an engine shed for the diesel locomotives used to move coal from the local mines. It was closed in 1991 by British Rail and was due to be demolished. Thanks to a local Society set up to save it, Barrow Hill remains the only operational roundhouse in Britain. Today, Barrow Hill Roundhouse Railway Centre houses one of the largest collections of diesel, electric and, of course, steam locomotives in the country. It holds several open days during the year and has special events at Christmas

Derbyshire Peak District National Park  Britain’s first National Park, just 4 miles from Chesterfield town centre, is home to some of England’s best scenery and hundreds of miles of footpaths.A land of contrasts, from the summit of Kinder Scout and the steep millstone girt Edges in the Dark Peak, to the limestone valleys and drystone walls of the White Peak. Follow gentle riverside footpaths, explore the moors on horseback or cycle through the countryside on traffic-free trails and quiet lanes. Explore the history and heritage of the Park, discover the wealth of wildlife - and don't forget your camera because the views are stunning