New book highlights Wingerworth Hall, Stubbing Court and parish's industrial history

David Edwards, an expert on Wingerworth history who lived in the parish from the 1960s until recently, has spent many years writing the book.

Dr Edwards’ work is being published by the Derbyshire Victoria County History Trust VCH Trust, whose editor Philip Riden, an honorary fellow at Nottingham University, said the book will “be a fitting tribute to both David’s devotion to his community and his scholarship.”

One of the highlights in the book, is a detailed account of the Hunloke family of Wingerworth Hall. They owned most of the land of the parish from the 16th century until the estate was sold in 1920. A few years later Wingerworth Hall was demolished, although the fine wooden panelling from one of the rooms survives in a private house in Dallas (Texas). There is also a full history of the other large house in the parish, Stubbing Court, from medieval times down to the present day.

Although mainly an agricultural community until after the Second World War, Wingerworth also has a long industrial history. Coal was mined in the parish from at least the 16th century until recent times; iron was smelted on various sites from the Middle Ages until about 1816; and stone was quarried at Bole Hill from the early 19th century until the 1980s. In the second half of the 20th century Wingerworth was the home of one of Europe's largest coke-making plants, which has since disappeared.

Other aspects of the community’s heritage are not forgotten, with religious history, local schools, social history and local government, alongside other landowners, also covered.

The History of Wingerworth will be launched at a free event at the parish church at 7.30 on March 1, when Philip Riden will give a talk about the village’s history and the 200-page illustrated hardback book will be on sale for the first time.

A History of Wingerworth, priced £20, will also be on sale in Chesterfield at Waterstone’s or by mail order from the Derbyshire VCH Trust via https://derbyshirevch.org/our-publications (additional postage will apply).