An archaeological excavation in Chesterfield town centre has revealed well‑preserved remains that shed new light on how people lived in the town over hundreds of years.
Work to transform Rykneld Square was paused last July after early discoveries were made on site. Archaeologists from the University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) have now completed their investigations, uncovering evidence of a sequence of buildings — including walls and floor surfaces dating from the Medieval period onwards — belonging to former almshouses and a row of cottages that once stood beside the Crooked Spire.
Pottery fragments ranging from the Medieval period to the 19th century were also found, offering insight into everyday life and long‑term occupation of the area. The team additionally uncovered skeletal remains from a disused part of the historic churchyard, highlighting how the boundary has changed over time.
The structural wall remains will be preserved in situ and carefully covered over, and skeletal remains will be properly re-buried on the site. Pottery samples along with an account of the findings will be given to Chesterfield Museum and plans are being developed to share the history of the site through interpretation signs.
The archaeological work was led by the University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS).
John Thomas, Deputy Director of ULAS, said: ‘’It has been a privilege to work on this excavation, which has proved to be extremely interesting and will provide a new perspective on Chesterfield’s history. The archaeology is very well-preserved and shows a long period of occupation next to the church of St Mary & All Saints. Our work now will be to carefully examine the artefacts and records we have gathered to tell a detailed story of life in this part of the town.’’
Councillor Kate Sarvent, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “It’s interesting to get a glimpse of what life was like for people who lived in our town hundreds of years ago and we’ll make sure we preserve this knowledge for future generations.
“We are now working to restart our regeneration of this important public space to create a greener space where visitors and residents can enjoy views of our borough’s most beloved landmark, the Crooked Spire.”
Following the archaeological findings, the design for Rykneld Square is being refined to protect the remains while still delivering a welcoming, accessible public space.
The updated plans retain key features such as new paving, seating, a wider pavement and a new bin store, while replacing trees with smaller shrubs and planting to avoid disturbing the archaeology. The revised design will be submitted to Derbyshire County Council as the local highways authority.
It is expected that work will restart on site in summer and will take around three months to complete.
The works are part of Chesterfield Borough Council’s Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield project which aims to regenerate and enhance key public spaces across the town centre – funded through the Government’s Levelling Up Fund.
To find out more about the project visit our Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield page.
