Monument record MDR5409 - Area of Medieval Town, Chesterfield
Type and Period (1)
- TOWN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Full Description
SK 3871 Chesterfield, Area of Roman and Medieval Town. The area marked represents the documented area of the Medieval town within which is encompassed the area of the known Roman forts around St. Mary's Church. (1)
A map of Chesterfield as surveyed by William Senior in 1637 can be projected back to provide a picture of the medieval street pattern, a pattern which had been modified by the creation of a new market place. At the heart of the original medieval town lay the parish church and an adjacent market place on its northern side, at the junction of the main roads entering the town from the north, west and south. Chesterfield appears to have prospered during the 12th century, initially as a market centre and then as a borough. At some point during that time a larger market area was required. The chosen site lay to the west of the original core, a choice which would have avoided disturbing existing property while providing the town with an exceptionally large open market place, although some alteration to the town plan was necessary. Exactly when and how the new market place was laid out is not yet absolutely certain, but it may have been created as early as the 1160s and certainly before 1199. It was surrounded by tenements or burgage plots, those on the southern side running back to the Hipper and those on the northern side running up to Saltergate. With the creation of the new market place and its designation as a borough, Chesterfield was able to consolidate its position as the second most important town in the county from the 12th century onwards. (2, 3)
Sources/Archives (3)
- <1> SDR13532 Bibliographic reference: Riden P. 1984. History of Chesterfield.
- <2> SDR19942 Article in serial: Riden, P. 1977. 'The origin of the new market of Chesterfield', Derbyshire Archaeological Journal. Volume 97, pp 5-15.
- <3> SDR19606 Unpublished document: Stroud, G. 2002. Extensive Urban Survey: Chesterfield. Archaeological Assessment Report..
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SK 38 71 (895m by 1056m) (Approximate) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | CHESTERFIELD, CHESTERFIELD, DERBYSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (5)
- EDR3578
- EDR3479
- EDR3643
- EDR3510
- EDR3659
Please contact the HER for details.
External Links (0)
Record last edited
Feb 4 2015 11:26AM