Chesterfield and District Civic Society has produced this list of some of the best-known thoroughfares and back alleys in our town, and the often long-forgotten background to their names.
Society chairman Philip Riden said: “The names of streets, whether they have existed since the Middle Ages or whether they have been devised in modern times, can throw a great deal of light on the history of a community, in Chesterfield as in any town.
"Also in Chesterfield, as elsewhere, some old names have disappeared, but remain clues to the past.”
"Also in Chesterfield, as elsewhere, some old names have disappeared, but remain clues to the past.”
![There was another manorial corn mill in Chesterfield, owned by the deans of Lincoln, although confusingly the lane leading from near the parish church to the mill was called Bishop’s Mill Lane. Most of this road disappeared when Corporation Street was built (by the council, as its name implies) in 1870 to provide a more impressive route to the new Midland Railway station.](https://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjVmNGNhNzE5LWI5YTgtNGIwNC05MzQ4LWU5MjgyOWZlNGFlNjowNWVkYWIxNS1jMWIwLTQ2YTgtODlhYS1lYTViMDFkOTNiMTc=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
13. Corporation Street
There was another manorial corn mill in Chesterfield, owned by the deans of Lincoln, although confusingly the lane leading from near the parish church to the mill was called Bishop’s Mill Lane. Most of this road disappeared when Corporation Street was built (by the council, as its name implies) in 1870 to provide a more impressive route to the new Midland Railway station. Photo: Jon Cooper
![Chesterfield can claim one unique name which has survived unaltered for centuries. No other town has a Gluman Gate, which apparently means ‘street occupied by gleemen’ (or minstrels). It has nothing to do with glue, even though glue is a by product of tanning, and Chesterfield had several Medieval tanneries.](https://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOmQwYWZkYmEwLTBkY2UtNGEzMS04ZTZkLWU4MWQwOWI5MDI2OTpjZThmZDcxMC1iYTEwLTQzMjItYTM2My0zZDNmN2EwODk5OWU=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
14. Gluman Gate
Chesterfield can claim one unique name which has survived unaltered for centuries. No other town has a Gluman Gate, which apparently means ‘street occupied by gleemen’ (or minstrels). It has nothing to do with glue, even though glue is a by product of tanning, and Chesterfield had several Medieval tanneries. Photo: Brian Eyre
![At the western end of the Market Place, New Square is an 18th Century name for what was previously called Swine Green, presumably because it was where pigs were sold.](https://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOmNiODFjMDUwLTgxZTktNGY2Yi1iNDQ2LTQ0YmUzZGUxMWNkODo5MGM5M2JlOC02NjQwLTQwMDgtODlhNS01YWRmYmE3M2E0MjU=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
15. New Square
At the western end of the Market Place, New Square is an 18th Century name for what was previously called Swine Green, presumably because it was where pigs were sold. Photo: Anne Shelley
![Station Road hasn’t led to the station since 1870. Mr Riden said: "In the Middle Ages it was called Behindhand because it ran behind the houses on one side of St Mary’s Gate. Lots of towns have a Station Road, but how many have a Behindhand? This is another lost name that might be restored."](https://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjg2ODAyODJkLTQyYzktNDg3Ny1iMjg2LWU4ZDViNDhhMGMxYTplNDQ0ZDk3ZC04ZDBjLTRhNTUtOWE2Yy1jY2M0ZjI5MTdmMzY=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
16. Station Road
Station Road hasn’t led to the station since 1870. Mr Riden said: "In the Middle Ages it was called Behindhand because it ran behind the houses on one side of St Mary’s Gate. Lots of towns have a Station Road, but how many have a Behindhand? This is another lost name that might be restored." Photo: Brian Eyre