Overview of Dronfield

Dronfield is a town in North East Derbyshire in the North Midlands region of England. It comprises the three communities of Dronfield, Dronfield Woodhouse and Coal Aston. It is sited in the valley of the small River Drone, and lies between the town of Chesterfield and the city of Sheffield. The Peak District National Park lies 3 miles to the west. Dronfield is known to have been in existence prior to the 1086 Domesday Book, and has a 12th-century parish church. In 1662 Charles II granted the town a market, although this later ceased. The industrial history of the town includes coal mining, the wool trade, the production of soap and steel, and engineering. Today a range of manufacturing firms still operate within the town. Dronfield's population has increased dramatically in post-war years from 6,500 in 1945 to its current size of just over 21,000. The town's name is thought to mean "the open land where there are drones (male bees)". Dronfield's football ground is currently the home of the world's oldest football team.