Dronfield

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Dronfield
Coordinates: 53.3024° N 1.4664° W
Population	21,330
OS grid reference	SK355785
District	North East Derbyshire
Shire county	Derbyshire
Region	East Midlands
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	DRONFIELD
Postcode district	S18
Dial code	01246
Police	Derbyshire
Fire	Derbyshire
Ambulance	East Midlands
UK Parliament	North East Derbyshire
European Parliament	East Midlands
List of places: UK • England • Derbyshire

Dronfield is a town in northeast Derbyshire, England, and is situated between Sheffield and Chesterfield on the River Drone. It lies on the B6057 (Chesterfield Road and Sheffield Road) and the A61 passes through it, where it is called the Unstone Dronfield Bypass. It covers an area of 3,457 acres and is served by Dronfield railway station. Nearby are the villages and hamlets of Unstone, Holmesfield, Barlow, Apperknowle, and Hundall. Dronfield also has easy access to the Peak District National Park.
Dronfield is an ancient market town that existed before the 1086 Domesday Book.

Contents 1 Geography 2 History 3 Landmarks 3.1 St. John the Baptist Parish church 3.2 Peel Monument 3.3 The Cottage 3.4 The River Drone 4 Demographics 5 Economics 6 Present Day 7 Notable Residents 8 See also 9 References 10 Twinning 11 External links

[edit] Geography

[edit] History

Dronfield is an ancient market town, in existence before the 1086 Domesday Book, which grew around various industries, the most widespread of which was coal mining. Its name is thought to mean the open land where there are drones (male bees). Notable buildings in the town include several 16th and 17th century houses. These include the town's library (formerly a manor house), a grammar school (now The Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School) which was established in 1579 through a request in the Will of Henry Fanshawe which was implemented by his nephew Thomas Fanshawe, and a 15th century building long used as a barn with a king post roof. Its 12th century St. John the Baptist parish church exhibits a fine 138 foot spire.

In 1662 Dronfield was granted a market by Charles II, but in the 18th century, due to the nearness of Sheffield and Chesterfield, the market went into decline and ceased to exist.

Dronfield's population has increased dramatically in post war years from 6,500 in 1945 to its current size mainly as a dormitory community for workers from the nearby city of Sheffield, which has in the past attempted to bring the town within its own boundaries. Today it comprises three increasingly suburban communities, Coal Aston, Dronfield, and Dronfield Woodhouse. Town centre shopping is well served by car parking, the main shops, civic amenities and sports centre with swimming pool lying conveniently in the upper town around the Civic Centre.

Dronfield Woodhouse once boasted a status of being the largest privately owned housing estate in Europe when it was first built in the 1970s.^{[citation needed]} During the same decade, on October 16th 1975, the A61 £6.5m five-mile Dronfield-Unstone Bypass was opened running through the westerly side of the town to allow easier access for travel between the larger populated areas of Sheffield to the north, and Chesterfield to the south. It ran straight through the Gosforth estate.

The town's football ground, located next to the Coach and Horses pub, is now home to the world's oldest football team, Sheffield F.C..

[edit] Landmarks

[edit] St. John the Baptist Parish church

Built in the 12th century, St. John the Baptist's is built following the style of early Gothic architecture and is located on Church Street. Its spire can be seen from most of Dronfield.

[edit] Peel Monument

The Peel Monument, situated on the town's High Street, was built in 1854 out of gritstone as a tribute to Sir Robert Peel to commemorate his repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846. This monument serves as pivotal in Dronfield's image.

[edit] The Cottage

Near to the Peel Monument on High Street, is a 16th century house known as 'The Cottage'. It is believed that is was once owned by Lord Byron (1788 - 1824), though there is no proof that he was a Dronfield resident.

[edit] The River Drone

The River Drone runs through Dronfield.

[edit] Demographics

[edit] Economics

[edit] Present Day

The town's weekly local newspaper publishing is called the Dronfield Advertiser.

Newly added to the town's publications is 'The Dronfield Eye', which is a monthly magazine, free to all in the Dronfield community. It features local news and events, while providing advertising for many local businesses.

www.dronfieldonline.co.uk is a locally run website, providing information online for the Dronfield Community. It has a wealth of information about the area including links to local clubs and associations, information on schools, property,local news and events provided by and for the people of Dronfield. The site also has a full business directory and fully supports local business and enterprise.

Notable events are the annual Dronfield gala and the Dronfield Woodhouse and Coal Aston well dressings which are held in July.

The Dronfield 2000 Rotary Walk is a 14.5 mile circular walk that circumavigates the town.

The leisure centre is next to the Civic Centre. The Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School on Green Lane is in the top five schools in Derbyshire, although average for the UK.

[edit] Notable Residents

[edit] See also

• List of places in Derbyshire

[edit] References

[edit] Twinning

• Sindelfingen, Germany - home of Mercedes-Benz.

A park in Dronfield Woodhouse was renamed after Sindelfingen to celebrate this partnership in the early 1990s.

[edit] External links

• Dronfield Town Council
• Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School Site
• Short synopsis of Dronfield
• Dronfield Rotary Club
• St John the Baptist Church, Dronfield
• Sport Dronfield at Gosforth Fields
• Dronfield Rugby Union Club
• Stan's Guide to the pubs in Dronfield
• Dronfield directory
• Dronfield Community Website
• The Dronfield Round Walk