Sandiacre
The town of Sandiacre lies in the East Midlands area of the country. It is part of the county of Derbyshire and lies within its Erewash district. The town has the Erewash Canal passing through its middle and was once a terminus for the Derby Canal. Sandiacre is close to both Derby and to Nottingham. It is thought by many people that the town was given its name from an earlier name meaning sandy field.
For many years, Sandiacre was part of a manor ruled by the crown and also by the de Grey family. By the 13th century the town was granted a Royal Charter by the king to hold a weekly market on a Wednesday and an annual fair that could last for eight days around the time of the festival of St Giles. The town was also given permission to use its own gallows at around this period.
During the Industrial Revolution Sandiacre became known for its mills, iron works, engineering, lime kilns, rope making, furniture manufacturing and lace making. The deposits of ironstone in the area led to the establishing of the Stanton Ironworks in the late 18th century. The growth in industry in the town led to a significant population boom. It is thought that the town’s population grew from around 400 at the beginning of the 19th century to just under 3,000 a century later.
The canal in Sandiacre closed down in the 1960s but the canal site in the town is one of the few areas of the canal that still exist and that contain water. Nowadays Sandiacre is a popular place to live for people who commute to work in larger towns and cities in the surrounding areas.
Visitors to Sandiacre should make the time to visit the local church, St Giles, which can be traced back to the 10th century and which has some fine examples of architecture through the centuries. The church is also close to the town’s lock up building which is still standing. The stretch of the Derby Canal that passes through the town is also a popular venue for coarse fishing.
Many visitors to Sandiacre also enjoy taking in the beautiful local scenery and this is a popular destination for walkers, hikers, nature lovers and cyclists. The Erewash Canal towpath is a particularly popular walk especially around the Padmore Moorings area in the town.