A description from Pigot's 1835
Directory
ALFRETON is a market town, and with Alfreton-outseats forms a parish in the
hundred of Scarsdale; 141 miles from London, 51 S.E. from Manchester, 14 N.
from Derby, 10 S. from Chesterfield, and 7 N. by E. from Belper. The town,
which possesses no pretensions to uniformity in its arrangement, or beauty in
its buildings, is seated upon a small eminence. The manufacture of stockings is
a branch of trade here of some importance, and in the immediate neighbourhood
are iron foundries. At Pye Bridge, three miles east of Alfreton, are the
Alfreton iron works, belonging to Messrs. James Oakes and Co., where have been
constructed some of the largest iron bridges, and almost every other sort of
castings of smaller dimensions; a considerable number of cannon and a large
quantity of shot have also been produced here - these works are at the present
time in full employment: there are also several productive coal mines in the
neighbourhood; and the Erewash canal passes through the parish. Alfreton is one
of the stations, appointed under the new Boundary Act, for receiving votes at
the election of knights of the shire, to represent the northern division of the
county.
The places of worship are the parish church, and a chapel for the Wesleyan
methodists; the former, which is dedicated to St. Martin, is a rude structure,
having an embattled tower with pinnacles, and appears to have been erected at
different periods, probably some portion of it prior to the reign of Henry II.
The living is a discharged rectory, in the patronage of the family of Morewood.
At SOUTH WINGFIELD, about two miles hence are the remains of an ancient manor
house, once one of the most stately residences in Derbyshire; and even in its
present ruinous state conveys some idea of its original magnificence. It was
erected by Lord Treasurer Cromwell, in the reign of Henry VI., and in 1569 was
the place of confinement of the unfortunate Mary Queen of Scots, under the Earl
of Shrewsbury. There are three fairs held in the year at Alfreton, viz. on the
30th of July and 8th of October, for horses and cattle, and a statute fair on
the 22nd of November. The market day, which is on Friday. is a considerable one
for grain. The parish contained, in 1821, 4,689 inhabitants, and, in 1831 the
number had increased to 5,691.