Ilkeston
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Ilkeston | ||
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| Statistics | ||
| Population: | 37,550 | |
| Ordnance Survey | ||
| OS grid reference: | SK355785 | |
| Administration | ||
| District: | Erewash | |
| Shire county: | Derbyshire | |
| Region: | East Midlands | |
| Constituent country: | England | |
| Sovereign state: | United Kingdom | |
| Other | ||
| Ceremonial county: | Derbyshire | |
| Historic county: | Derbyshire | |
| Services | ||
| Police force: | Derbyshire Constabulary | |
| Fire and rescue service: | {{{Fire}}} | |
| Ambulance service: | {{{Ambulance}}} | |
| Post office and telephone | ||
| Post town: | DERBY | |
| Postal district: | DE7 | |
| Dialling code: | 0115 | |
| Politics | ||
| UK Parliament: | North East Derbyshire | |
| European Parliament: | East Midlands | |
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Ilkeston is a town in the Erewash District of Derbyshire, in the East Midlands region of England, on the River Erewash, from which the local authority district takes its name. Its population at the 2001 census was 37,550. Its major industries were formerly coal mining, iron working and textiles, but all these have greatly declined. It is the site of Ilkeston Charter Fair which celebrated its 750th anniversary in 2002.
The town is quite close to both Derby and Nottingham and is near to the M1 motorway. Although the town lies within Derbyshire, it is closer to Nottingham, the city limit of which is only two miles from Ilkeston's eastern edge. Due to recent urban development in the area between Ilkeston and Nottingham, Ilkeston is considered by the Office for National Statistics to be part of Nottingham metropolitan area.
Ilkeston was probably founded in the 6th century AD, and gets its name from its supposed founder, Elch or Elcha, who was an Anglian chieftain ("Elka's Tun" = Elka's Town). The town appears as Tilchestune in the Domesday Book.
Ilkeston is one of the few places where the distinctive dialect of East Midlands English is extensively spoken. Ilkeston is referred to as 'Ilson' in this dialect.
Ilkeston's most famous sons are arguably the actors Robert Lindsay, star of My Family and Citizen Smith,and William Roache, who has played the character of Ken Barlow on Coronation Street since 1960.
For a town of its size, Ilkeston strangely no longer has a railway station, despite having once had three. The present Nottingham to Sheffield main line (formerly part of the Midland Railway, later the LMS), runs to the east of the town, but Ilkeston Junction station on this line (also known as "Ilkeston Junction & Cossall"), closed in January 1967. A short branch from this station to Ilkeston Town station in the town centre closed way back in June 1947. Ilkeston's third station was Ilkeston North, on the former Great Northern (later LNER) line from Nottingham to Derby, closed in September 1964. A major feature of this line was Bennerley Viaduct, a 1,440 foot long, 60 foot high, wrought iron structure which still crosses the Erewash valley just to the north east of Ilkeston. Once threatened with demolition, it is now a Grade 2 listed building, though the removal of the embankments at either end have left it an oddly isolated free-standing structure surrounded by fields.[1]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- The Ilkeston Community Homepage
- Erewash Borough Council
- Ilkeston Cam website — pictures of the town and surrounding area.
- Ilkeston folk club
| Ceremonial county of Derbyshire | ||
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| Unitary authorities: | Derby | |
| Boroughs/Districts: | Amber Valley • Bolsover • Chesterfield • Derbyshire Dales • Erewash • High Peak • North East Derbyshire • South Derbyshire | |
| Cities/Towns: | Alfreton • Ashbourne • Bakewell • Belper • Bolsover • Buxton • Chapel-en-le-Frith • Chesterfield • Clay Cross • Derby • Dronfield • Glossop • Heanor • Ilkeston • Killamarsh • Long Eaton • Matlock • New Mills • Ripley • Sandiacre • Shirebrook • Staveley • Swadlincote • Whaley Bridge • Wirksworth See also: List of civil parishes in Derbyshire |
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