Chesterfield in Derbyshire will have a special reason to join in celebrations for Railway 200 marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of the modern railway, as George Stephenson, the ‘Father of the Railways’, is buried there.

George Stephenson is buried in Chesterfield’s Holy Trinity Church, which has been awarded £240,600 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for a project to honour his legacy and explore the lasting impact of railway engineering on the town.

The project will improve visitor facilities, create new interpretation materials, and develop activities for schools, families, and the wider community to explore Stephenson’s life and engineering achievements and the town’s wider industrial history.

Among the topics to be examined will be Chesterfield’s expansion in the Victorian era, how the Clay Cross Company developed, and Chesterfield’s role in the history of railways and coal mining. It will also reflect on how the industry that shaped the region changed with a commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the Miners Strike.

Additional funding for the project has come from East Midlands Railway (£5,000), CrossCountry Rail (£5,000), Raymond Ross Fund (£25,000) Grayson’s Solicitors (£1,000), and Holy Trinity Church (£16,000). Together, these funds will enable the project to:

• Transform community rooms at Holy Trinity Church into a dedicated visitor facility.
• Create new interpretation materials that explain George Stephenson’s influence on Chesterfield and railway engineering in general.
• Hold public events and celebrations to mark Railway 200.
• Provide educational and engagement activities that connect communities with their industrial heritage.
• Enable volunteers and others to develop heritage and research skills.

Railway 200 will also be celebrated at nearby Derby in August with “The Greatest Gathering”, one of the largest collections of locomotives in modern times. To mark 200 years of the British passenger railway, a statue of George Stephenson’s son, Robert, that used to be on display at London Euston Station, is now on display at the Locomotion Museum at Shildon in County Durham.

“We are delighted to have received this generous support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players and our funding partners, we can now ensure that George Stephenson’s story and Chesterfield’s rich railway heritage are celebrated and shared with future generations.”

Reverend Jilly Hancock of Holy Trinity Church