Chesterfield Market

Chesterfield is a historic market town best known for the Crooked Spire Church of Saint Mary and All Saints. At over 650 years old and standing at 228 feet high, this church would be impressive even without its unique spire, but the fact it ‘leans’ 9 feet and 6 inches from its true centre makes it truly one-of-kind.

Many tales have formed over the years as to why the spire twists the way it does. The most popular theories include everything from a fire to lightning to even the devil himself, although the most probable cause likely has something to do with the 32 tonnes of lead sheeting used to replace the lighter wooden shingles from the original build.

The scenery around Chesterfield is hard to beat, with vast, green expanses sprawling in every direction. The breath-taking Linacre Reservoirs, Ashover heathlands and Hardwick Estate make for great backdrops to any walk and just a few examples of the beauty that this area offers.

The open air market in the town has been trading for over 800 years and hosts a range of speciality markets including the weekly flea market and monthly artisan, vegan and record fairs. There is also a Young Persons’ Market twice yearly where the younger generation get to become traders for a day.

Chesterfield has a lot to offer when it comes to entertainment with a Grade II listed theatre, a 10 screen cinema and a Games Quarter with everything from escape rooms to VR gaming stations. There is also a modern leisure centre in the heart of the town with 2 swimming pools, squash courts and a state-of-the-art gym on the edge of Queen’s Park – one of Chesterfield’s largest green spaces with its own play area, sandpit, café, miniature train and cricket grounds. These grounds are some of the country’s loveliest and host the highly popular Chesterfield Festival of Cricket.

This thriving town is always a hive of activity with the many events that take place here throughout the year including the and 1940’s market and the Christmas Lights Switch On. There is always something to get involved with that’s suitable for all ages and interests.

The area is currently undergoing a big change with the multi-million-pound Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield project which will transform the look, feel and flow of the town centre. From New square through to Corporation Street, improvements will continue to be made over the year, including the refurbishment of Stephenson Memorial Hall which is home to Chesterfield Museum and Pomegranate theatre. Whilst both of these are currently closed as part of the work, the museum team remain active in the community with pop-up events and a full theatre programme is being hosted at the Winding Wheel.