Wirksworth
Wirksworth is a market town and civil parish in the Derbyshire Dales district of Derbyshire, England. Its population was 4,902 in the 2021 census. Wirksworth contains the source of the River Ecclesbourne. The town was granted a market charter by Edward I in 1306 and still holds a market on Tuesdays in the Memorial Gardens. The parish church of St Mary's is thought to date from 653. The town developed as a centre for lead mining and stone quarrying. Many lead mines were owned by the Gell family of nearby Hopton Hall.
Key facts
- UK place.country
- England
- UK place.official_name
- Wirksworth
- UK place.population
- 4,902
- UK place.population_ref
- (2021 census)
- UK place.shire_district
- Derbyshire Dales
- UK place.shire_county
- Derbyshire
- UK place.region
- East Midlands
- UK place.constituency_westminster
- Derbyshire Dales
- UK place.post_town
- MATLOCK
- UK place.postcode_district
- DE4
- UK place.postcode_area
- DE
- UK place.dial_code
- 01629
- UK place.os_grid_reference
Article
22 sectionsContents
- Name
- History
- Early history
- Lead mining
- Limestone
- Industrial revolution
- Geography
- Education
- Transport
- Media
- Culture and community
- Events
- Community facilities
- Cultural references
- Town twinning
- Notable residents
- Sport
- Landmarks
- See also
- References
- Citations
- External links
Wirksworth is a market town and civil parish in the Derbyshire Dales district of Derbyshire, England. Its population was 4,902 in the 2021 census. Wirksworth contains the source of the River Ecclesbourne. The town was granted a market charter by Edward I in 1306 and still holds a market on Tuesdays in the Memorial Gardens. The parish church of St Mary's is thought to date from 653. The town developed as a centre for lead mining and stone quarrying. Many lead mines were owned by the Gell family of nearby Hopton Hall.
==Name== The name was recorded as Werchesworde in the Domesday Book of 1086 A.D. Outlying farms (berewicks) were Cromford, Middleton, Hopton, Wellesdene [sic], Carsington, Kirk Ireton and Callow. It gave its name to the earlier Wirksworth wapentake or hundred. The Survey of English Place-Names records Wyrcesuuyrthe in 835, Werchesworde in 1086, and Wirksworth(e) in 1536.