About
Chesterfield Museum & Art Gallery explores the history and culture of this distinctive north Derbyshire market town, best known for the famous crooked spire of the Church of St Mary and All Saints — one of the most recognisable landmarks in the English Midlands. Located on St Mary's Gate in the heart of the town centre, close to the medieval market place where open-air markets have been held since 1204, the museum occupies a building that places it at the centre of Chesterfield's historic core.
The museum's collections span the full breadth of the town's history from prehistoric times to the present day. Archaeological material includes finds from the Roman period — Chesterfield lay on the Roman road network and a fort (Lutudarum) may have been located nearby — through the medieval period when the town grew prosperous from its market charter and the wool trade. The museum documents the granting of Chesterfield's market charter by King John in 1204, an event that established the commercial character that the town retains to this day with its famous open-air market, one of the largest in England.
The industrial history of Chesterfield and north Derbyshire receives thorough treatment, reflecting the area's transformation during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries through coal mining, iron and steel production, engineering, and the arrival of the railway. The town's position on the edge of the Derbyshire coalfield and at the gateway to the Peak District gave it a dual character — industrial to the east and rural to the west — that the museum explores with care and local knowledge.
The art gallery component houses a collection of fine and decorative art, with particular strengths in works by local and regional artists depicting the landscapes and communities of north Derbyshire and the Peak District fringe. Temporary exhibitions bring changing displays of art, history, and community-focused themes throughout the year.
The museum serves as a cultural hub for Chesterfield and the surrounding area, offering educational programmes, talks, and events that connect the town's heritage with its contemporary community. Its central location makes it an ideal starting point for exploring the historic market town and the surrounding Derbyshire countryside.
Categories:
Highlights
The Crooked Spire Story
The museum tells the story of Chesterfield's most famous landmark — the twisted spire of the Church of St Mary and All Saints, which leans dramatically and twists in a spiral that has fascinated visitors for centuries.
Built in the fourteenth century, the spire's distortion is generally attributed to the use of unseasoned lead and timber that warped under the weight and heat of the sun, creating a twist of approximately 45 degrees. The museum explores the various legends and scientific explanations that have accumulated around this extraordinary architectural anomaly, one of the most distinctive church spires in England and a symbol of the town recognised worldwide.
800 Years of Market Heritage
Chesterfield's market charter was granted by King John in 1204, and the town has held regular markets continuously for over eight centuries — making it one of the longest-running markets in England. The museum documents this remarkable commercial heritage with objects, photographs, and records that trace the evolution of the market from a medieval trading place dealing in wool, lead, and agricultural produce to the bustling modern open-air market that still fills the town centre several days a week.
The market place and its surrounding streets remain the commercial and social heart of Chesterfield.
Coal and Industry in North Derbyshire
The eastern fringe of Chesterfield sits on the Derbyshire coalfield, and the museum documents the profound impact of coal mining on the town and surrounding communities from the medieval period through to the closure of the last local pits in the late twentieth century. The displays cover the working lives of miners, the growth of mining villages, the engineering achievements of deep mining, and the social and economic consequences of the industry's decline.
Related industries — iron and steel, engineering, and the railways that transported coal and manufactured goods — are also represented in the collections.
Archaeological Treasures
The museum's archaeological collections include finds spanning thousands of years of human occupation in the Chesterfield area and north Derbyshire.
Roman material reflects the town's position near the Roman road network, while medieval finds illuminate the growth of Chesterfield as a market town following the granting of its charter. Prehistoric material from the limestone uplands to the west — the southern edge of the Peak District — includes items from burial sites and settlements that document early communities in this transitional landscape between the lowlands and the hills.
Collections
Chesterfield: A Market Town Story
The principal permanent gallery tracing the history of Chesterfield from its origins as a Roman-period settlement through the granting of the market charter in 1204, the growth of industry, and the modern town. Features archaeological finds, historical documents, photographs, and objects from the museum's collections.
Art Gallery
Displays of fine and decorative art with a focus on local and regional artists, Derbyshire landscapes, and changing temporary exhibitions that complement the permanent collection.
Current Exhibitions
No current exhibitions. Please check the museum website for updates.