Chesterfield will commemorate its role in the birth of the world’s railway system and connection to George Stephenson thanks to a grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The Derbyshire town’s Holy Trinity Church has been awarded £240,600 to launch a project honouring George Stephenson, the ‘Father of Railways’, who lived the last 10 years of his life in Chesterfield and is buried in the church.
The project comes in the 200th anniversary year of George Stephenson’s steam-powered Locomotion No.1 carrying out the first passenger service, considered the birth of the modern railway.
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The funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, plus addition funding support from EMR, Cross Country Rail, Raymond Ross Fund, Graysons Solicitors and Holy Trinity itself will allow for the expansion of the site’s role as a visitor destination and educational hub.
Plans include the transformation of Holy Trinity’s community room into a dedicated visitor facility, the creation of new interpretation materials highlighting Stephenson’s influence on Chesterfield and railway engineering, and a series of events and celebrations to mark Railway 200.
The funding will also allow for more educational and engagement activities for schools and visitors, volunteer and learning opportunities to equip people with heritage and research skills, and a focus on sustainable transport and the future of the railway engineering.
As well as celebrating Stephenson’s life and career, the project will highlight Chesterfield’s wider industrial history, including the Victorian expansion of the town, the development of the Clay Cross Company, the town’s role in railway and coal mining history, and the 40th anniversary of the Miners’ Strike.
Reverend Jilly Hancock of Holy Trinity Church said: “We are delighted to have received this generous support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players and our funding partners, we can now ensure that George Stephenson’s story and Chesterfield’s rich railway heritage are celebrated and shared with future generations.”
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