Tapton House
Encyclopedia
Tapton House, situated in Tapton
, Chesterfield
, Derbyshire
, England, was once the home of engineer George Stephenson
, who built the first public railway line in the world to use steam locomotives. In its time Tapton has been a Gentleman's residence, a ladies boarding school and a co educational school.
Tapton House grounds are now open for free use by the general public of Chesterfield to walk around and visit the Tapton Gardens. The grounds are also shared with the Tapton Park Innovation Centre. The House itself is now the High Education Campus of Chesterfield College
. English mechanical engineer George Stephenson, builder of the first public railway line in the world to use steam locomotives, leased the house from the family from 1832 until his death in 1848.
The house then was bought by Charles Markham, Director of Staveley Coal and Iron Company
and three times Mayor of the town, in 1871 and became the family home until 1925, when he gave the 200 acre (0.809372 km²) of parkland to the Borough of Chesterfield. The borough turned the house into a school and in 1931, the first pupils passed through its doors as Tapton House Central Selective School. The school continued to teach students until 1993 when it closed. After refurbishment in September 1994 it became a College of Further and Higher education for the people of Chesterfield and the surrounding area, Known as "The Tapton House Campus of Chesterfield College").
which stretches 72 miles (115.9 km) from Derby
to Leeds
. His son Robert designed the famous and historically important steam locomotive named Rocket for the Rainhill Trials at Liverpool in 1829[see Haworth 2004: The Making of a Prodigy]. GS was instrumental in developing the British railway network that he has been dubbed the 'Father of Railways', although other great pioneers also merit a similar sobriquet.
He came so attached to Chesterfield that he spent the rest of his life in the area, until his death in August 1848, at Tapton House which had been his home for the last ten years of his life. He was 67 years of age. George Stephenson was buried in the Holy Trinity Church on Newbold Road, Chesterfield, where he had been a regular worshipper since moving to Chesterfield in 1838 to pursue business interests. His body was placed in a vault beneath the Holy Table and the grave is marked only by a rough slab of Derbyshire stone flooring on which appears the simple legend 'G. S. 1848'.
As a tribute to his life and works, a bronze statue of Stephenson was unveiled at Chesterfield railway station
(which is overlooked by Tapton House, where Stephenson spent the last ten years of his life) on 28 October 2005, marking the completion of improvements to the station. At the event a full-size working replica of the Rocket was on show, which then spent two days on public display at the CBC Chesterfield Market Festival.
Stephenson's portrait appeared on Bank of England £5 notes between 1990 and 2003.
.
The futuristic building reflects the forwards thinking of George Stephenson. It is designed to provide modern accommodation to single innovation and nurture growth amongst technology and knowledge based business.
The centre has 39 rooms, 10 rent a desks and following its opening in Spring 1997
accommodates over 40 companies
Tapton, Derbyshire
Tapton is a suburb of Chesterfield, in the county of Derbyshire, England. It is located along the Brimington Road B6543, between Chesterfield town centre, and Brimington. It became a suburb of Chesterfield as far back as the 1920s. The buildings along Brimington road, which runs through the centre...
, Chesterfield
Chesterfield
Chesterfield is a market town and a borough of Derbyshire, England. It lies north of Derby, on a confluence of the rivers Rother and Hipper. Its population is 70,260 , making it Derbyshire's largest town...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, England, was once the home of engineer George Stephenson
George Stephenson
George Stephenson was an English civil engineer and mechanical engineer who built the first public railway line in the world to use steam locomotives...
, who built the first public railway line in the world to use steam locomotives. In its time Tapton has been a Gentleman's residence, a ladies boarding school and a co educational school.
Tapton House grounds are now open for free use by the general public of Chesterfield to walk around and visit the Tapton Gardens. The grounds are also shared with the Tapton Park Innovation Centre. The House itself is now the High Education Campus of Chesterfield College
Chesterfield College
Chesterfield College is a further education further and higher education college in the town of Chesterfield in North East Derbyshire, England. The college consists of three campuses spread over the town of Chesterfield and serves over 21,000 students of which 5,600 are full time attends.- History...
History of Tapton House
Tapton House was constructed in the late 18th century by the Wilkinson family, bankers, who also helped fund the construction of the Chesterfield CanalChesterfield Canal
The Chesterfield Canal is in the north of England and it is known locally as 'Cuckoo Dyke'. It was opened in 1777 and ran 46 miles from the River Trent at West Stockwith, Nottinghamshire to Chesterfield, Derbyshire...
. English mechanical engineer George Stephenson, builder of the first public railway line in the world to use steam locomotives, leased the house from the family from 1832 until his death in 1848.
The house then was bought by Charles Markham, Director of Staveley Coal and Iron Company
Staveley Coal and Iron Company
The Staveley Coal and Iron Company Limited was an industrial company based in Staveley, near Chesterfield, North Derbyshire. It exploited local ironstone quarried from land owned by the Duke of Devonshire on the outskirts of the village...
and three times Mayor of the town, in 1871 and became the family home until 1925, when he gave the 200 acre (0.809372 km²) of parkland to the Borough of Chesterfield. The borough turned the house into a school and in 1931, the first pupils passed through its doors as Tapton House Central Selective School. The school continued to teach students until 1993 when it closed. After refurbishment in September 1994 it became a College of Further and Higher education for the people of Chesterfield and the surrounding area, Known as "The Tapton House Campus of Chesterfield College").
George Stephenson (1781-1848)
George Stephenson, born in 1781, had already become a nationally famous figure before he came to Chesterfield in the 1830s to construct the North Midland RailwayNorth Midland Railway
The North Midland Railway was a British railway company, which opened its line from Derby to Rotherham and Leeds in 1840.At Derby it connected with the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway and the Midland Counties Railway at what became known as the Tri Junct Station...
which stretches 72 miles (115.9 km) from Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
to Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
. His son Robert designed the famous and historically important steam locomotive named Rocket for the Rainhill Trials at Liverpool in 1829[see Haworth 2004: The Making of a Prodigy]. GS was instrumental in developing the British railway network that he has been dubbed the 'Father of Railways', although other great pioneers also merit a similar sobriquet.
He came so attached to Chesterfield that he spent the rest of his life in the area, until his death in August 1848, at Tapton House which had been his home for the last ten years of his life. He was 67 years of age. George Stephenson was buried in the Holy Trinity Church on Newbold Road, Chesterfield, where he had been a regular worshipper since moving to Chesterfield in 1838 to pursue business interests. His body was placed in a vault beneath the Holy Table and the grave is marked only by a rough slab of Derbyshire stone flooring on which appears the simple legend 'G. S. 1848'.
As a tribute to his life and works, a bronze statue of Stephenson was unveiled at Chesterfield railway station
Chesterfield railway station
Entrance to the station is on Crow Lane and includes a car park, taxi rank and bus stop. There is also a small car park on the other side of Crow Lane which does not have a parking charge. The main entrance leads to the station concourse, which is very spacious and was built in the late 1990s. It...
(which is overlooked by Tapton House, where Stephenson spent the last ten years of his life) on 28 October 2005, marking the completion of improvements to the station. At the event a full-size working replica of the Rocket was on show, which then spent two days on public display at the CBC Chesterfield Market Festival.
Stephenson's portrait appeared on Bank of England £5 notes between 1990 and 2003.
Tapton Park Innovation Centre
The centre developed out of a partnership between Chesterfield Borough Council, North Derbyshire Chamber of Commerce and North Derbyshire Training and Enterprise Council. As well as funding from the partners the scheme was supported by the Single Regeneration Budget and European UnionEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
.
The futuristic building reflects the forwards thinking of George Stephenson. It is designed to provide modern accommodation to single innovation and nurture growth amongst technology and knowledge based business.
The centre has 39 rooms, 10 rent a desks and following its opening in Spring 1997
accommodates over 40 companies