Ilkeston
Ilkeston is a town that stands on the River Erewash in the East Midlands of England. The town is situated in the county of Derbyshire and the Borough of Erewash.
It is thought that the name of Ilkeston was originally derived from the local lord who ruled the area in around the 6th century, Elch/Elcha. The name of the town probably came from the early name of Elka’s Tun (Elka’s Town). By the time of the Domesday Book the town was known by the name of Tilchestune. Many people think that the ‘T’ that was added to the town name in this entry may actually have been added in error. Locals will often call the town Ilson.
In the 13th century the town was given a Royal Charter to hold a weekly market and an annual fair. The Ilkeston Charter Fair is still held every October in the town as it has for more than 750 years. For many years the town was best known for its agricultural and wool industry. As with many towns in the region the town also started to build up a reputation in the textile trade over time and many people worked in the framework knitting trade.
The opening up of the canal network in the area in the late 1700s helped the town prosper and improved transportation links. Ilkeston could, at this stage, access the Erewash Canal and the Nutbrook Canal. By the middle of the 19th century industrial developments had led to the setting up of various textile factories (particularly in the hosiery and lace fields) in the town. The population in Ilkeston grew in this century from around 2,500 at the turn of the century to just under 20,000 by the 1890s.
The best way to discover more about the history and heritage of Ilkeston is to take a visit to the Erewash Museum whilst you are in the area. Located on the town’s High Street, the museum is housed in a late Georgian building that was turned into the museum in the 1980s. The museum has a range of temporary and permanent exhibits including an Edwardian kitchen and wash-house and a toy exhibition. The museum is also a useful place to learn more about the industrial heritage of the town and the region as a whole.
The town’s baroque 19th century Town Hall is also worth a visit as is St Mary’s Church. Parts of the church can be dated back to the 13th century and the church itself will be interesting to history lovers.
Links: