Ilkeston town is situated in the Erewash Valley, 9 miles N.E of Derby and 8 miles N.W of Nottingham. It is the third largest town in Derbyshire.

Standing on a hill, this former mining community was mentioned in Domesday when it was known as Tilchestune. The pits have closed in Ilkeston but it still a busy industrial town, whose many industries include engineering,hosiery, lace and fabrics, electronics, plastic and food distribution. A history of the town's industrial past is told in the Erewash Museum, housed in a fine Georgian building in the High Street.

Despite it's industrial outlook, parks, trees and flower beds are a feature of the community and there is some pleasant countryside around the towm.

Ilkeston holds weekly markets on Thursdays and Saturday's and every October there is a 3 day Charter fair, first started over 700 years ago and now perhaps one of the largest street fairs in the country and well worth a visit.

St Mary's Church dates back to around the year 1200, but little is left from this period apart from the 3 East piers between the nave and the South aisle. The nave was doubled in length when the church was enlarged in 1909-10 by P. H. Currey, and the tower was rebuilt in a new position. It contains a rare and remarkable early 14th century stone screen. There is a well preserved effigy of a cross-legged knight, presumed to be that of Nicholas de Cantelupe, who died in 1272. The Cantelupes were lords of the manor in the 13th century.

Opposite the church is the Town Hall, a modest barogue brick building of 1868. It was extended in 1974. Another interesting building in the market place is large red brick Carnegie Library, built in 1904 by Hunter and Woodhouse of Belper, with it's decorative Art Nouveau stone panels between the small windows under the eaves.

Sport is well catered for in Ilkeston, with an 18 hole golf club just south of the town. Cricket is played at the Rutland Recreation Ground, so called, because the Dukes of Rutland once owned much of the land here. It has a football team and a rugby team. A swimming complex known as the Victoria Park Leisure Centre is situated in Manner Road and there is a 10 pin bowling alley in the town centre.

See also :

Ripley
Heanor
Alfreton