Among public buildings, the Stephenson memorial hall (1879), containing a free library, art and science class-rooms, a theatre and the rooms of the Chesterfield Institute, commemorates George Stephenson, the engineer, who resided at Tapton House, close to Chesterfield, in his later life; he died here in 1848, and was buried in Trinity church.
In the immediate neighbourhood of Chesterfield on the west is the urban district of Brampton and Waltcn (pop. 2698), to the south-east is Hasland (7427), and to the north-east Brimington (4569).
In spite of the Roman origin suggested by its name, so few remains have been found here that it is doubtful whether Chesterfield was a Roman station.
Chesterfield (Cestrefeld) owes its present name to the Saxons.
That Chesterfield was early a thriving centre is shown by the charter of John Lord Wake, lord of the manor, granting a gild merchant to the town.