Shirebrook
The market town of Shirebrook is located in the county of Derbyshire in the English East Midlands region. It is now part of the Bolsover District. It is thought that settlers have moved into this area since ancient times. There have been, for example, examples of Roman artefacts and industry discovered near the town in the past.
During the industrial years Shirebrook was perhaps best known for its coal mining activities. The well known Shirebrook Colliery was established here in the late 19th century to tap into the area’s rich seams of coal and operated here until the 1990s. The growth in the town was such that at one point it had three railway stations servicing it. The town is still served by Shirebrook station which runs on the Robin Hood Line. This station was once known as Shirebrook West to differentiate it from the other stations in the town which were known as Shirebrook North and Shirebrook South.
Population growth in the town was so high at its peak that it is thought that prior to the opening of Shirebrook Colliery the town itself had around 550 people living there. Just a few years later the town’s population had risen to over 6,000 as new workers moved into the area to take up jobs in the coal mining industry that sprang up here. The town’s infrastructure underwent massive changes to cope with the influx of new workers over the new few years including the building of a model village to provide housing for the new inhabitants of Shirebrook.
The closing of Shirebrook Colliery in the 1990s meant that the town could no longer rely on major industry as an employer or source of income. Nowadays the town of Shirebrook is perhaps best known as the headquarters of the Sports Direct chain of companies which is considered to be the largest sports clothing retailer in the country at the moment.
Visitors to Shirebrook can still enjoy the town’s market which runs on various days during the week and on Saturdays. The town is also close to Pleasley Park which is popular with nature lovers and walkers. The park is well known for its hazel and beech trees and contains many interesting walks. It is also surrounded by the local network of footpaths and bridleways. You can also sign up for a guided walk with a ranger from Shirebrook to Pleasley Park which may also be of interest.
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