Clay Cross
![[Clay Cross in 1870]](cx1870.jpg)
Here is a link to Multimap centred on Clay Cross:
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Predominantly an industrial town it is set on the A61 six miles south of Chesterfield,occupying a commanding position on a high ridge between the valleys of the rivers Amber and Rother.
In the past, the prosperity of the town was built on coal, but the mines have long since closed, to be replaced by engineering and iron works.
George Stephenson, who with his son Robert, built the world's best known railway locomotive, the Rocket, was the man who developed Clay Cross in the last century. It was while cutting the Clay Cross railway tunnel that he discovered a rich seam of coal and iron deposits and exploited these finds, forming the Clay Cross Company which still exists today as part of the Biwater Group.
Clay Cross company began as George Stephenson and Company in 1837. Stephenson was driving a railway from Leeds to Derby and five miles from Chesterfield came to Clay Cross Hill with scattered homesteads and a collection of stone houses grouped at a cross roads on the Derby to Sheffield Turnpike road, now the A61, in Norman, Saxon and Norman times called Rycknield Street. This street ran from Burton, through Derby, northwards and is traceable through Ambergate, Pentrich, South Wingfield, Higham, Clay Cross to Chesterfield, and on to Templeborough near Sheffield in Yorkshire.
The driving and completion of the tunnel through Clay Cross Hill began the growth and development of Clay Cross. Work commenced on 2nd February 1837 and six shafts were sunk along the route where the few houses were situated, providing twelve faces for the labourers to tunnel, in addition to the two ends. Boring through a hill full of wet coal measures provided a vast drain for the water which had to be pumped away, and at each shaft huge fires were kept blazing to provide ventilation and enable hundreds of workers to work at night.
The oil and ironstone measures discovered whilst driving the tunnel prompted George Stephenson to found a company in 1837, and George Stephenson and Company built houses for the tunnel navvies and later, as they sank colliery workings, for the miners and their families. Some 400 houses were built, and by 1846 the population of the area had reached 1,478; an ironworks with steam engines for blowing, pumping and hauling kept some 600 men employed.
As the company prospered so did the town grow, listing by 1857 some 2,278 inhabitants.Schools were provided by the Company, also shops, chapels and a church. A Mechanics Institute was one of the features of educational interest by the Company. On 12th August 1848 George Stephenson died at Tapton House Chesterfield, and on his death his son Robert succeeded to his father's position, later severing his connection with the Company, which then became Clay Cross Company, taking its name from the developing township of Clay Cross. During these early days of development the growing town was virtually governed by the Company, and the area was known as Clay Lane; a Local Board took over the administration in 1878. By 1894 Clay Cross Urban District Council was established.
Clay Cross stands some 12 miles south of Sheffield and 5 miles south of Chesterfield.Southwards from the town is Alfreton about 6 miles, whilst the city of Derby is 18 miles away.12 miles to the east is Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. The adminstrative centre of North East Derbyshire is situated at Matlock 6 miles to the west of Clay Cross.
Now the largest settlement and centre for the south of the area, the town, with its busy shops and Saturday market, has new social and educational centres, library, sports amenitites, including a swimming pool and sports complex with both indoor and outdoor facilities at Sharley Park.
The church was built in 1851 in the Early English or Gothic style on land given by George Stephenson & Company. It had no spire, a stone slab roof, was lit by candles and heated by a large stove just inside the south door. In 1857 the 70ft high Broach spire was completed with stone from Bole Hill, Wingerworth. Gas lighting was added in 1859, an organ in 1864 and a pulpit in 1867. The peal of six bells was installed in the tower in 1874 and in 1879 a stained glass window was fitted in memory of William Howe.
In 1885 the eagle lectern was given by the Houldsworth family who were coal miners. The stone roof was replaced with green Westmorland slate in 1896 and the following year the east window was fitted. 1831 saw electric lighting installed and in 1953 the organ was moved from the side chapel to the balcony. General repairs had to be carried out in 1986 and carpets were fitted, and in 1993/4 the roof was completely renewed. In 1995 a new organ was installed in the north east corner of the church and plans drawn up to show how the church could best be used in the future.
Open seven days a week. Indoor facilities include two swimming pools, one with a hoist for disabled people, sports hall, squash courts, fitness suite, sunbed rooms, cafeteria/restaurant and bar. Outdoor: two crown bowling greens, cricket, football, tennis; in addition there is a camping and caravan area.
One of the most recent of all Britain's railways and in fact the last British narrow gauge passenger line of any length, the Ashover Light Railway arrived on the scene in the nineteen twenties with the minimum of publicity, and departed without any fuss a quarter of a century later. Its comings and goings through the beautiful Amber valley went by largely unnoticed,for it was a local railway more concerned with mineral traffic than passengers.
For more information on all aspects of this railway I would recommend the book "The Ashover Light Railway" by K.P Plant published in 1987 by The Oakwood Press, Headington,Oxford (ISBN 0 85361 350 8 )
Last updated May 1999
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