| Tapton | |
Tapton Innovation Centre |
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Tapton
Tapton shown within Derbyshire |
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| District | Chesterfield |
|---|---|
| Shire county | Derbyshire |
| Region | East Midlands |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CHESTERFIELD |
| Postcode district | S41 0xx |
| Dialling code | 01246 |
| Police | Derbyshire |
| Fire | Derbyshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament | Chesterfield |
| List of places: UK • England • 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 of Tapton, are testament to this fact. Consisting of various semi-detached houses in a style typical of the 20s and 30s.
The village is also home to Tapton House, in Tapton Woods, the woods being the former grounds of the house, now a Municipal park.
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Located in the grounds of the House, is a large mound or hill, once the mote, of Chesterfield Castle or Tapton Castle as it was sometimes also known. The castle at least dates as far back as the Norman Conquest and later fell into the hands of the Crown, becoming a Crown Fortress. During the English Civil War, the castle was raised to the ground, by Parliamentarian forces.
Tapton House is a large gentleman's residence, built in the Georgian Style of Red brick, located in the woods on Tapton Hill looking down on the Town of Chesterfield. Tapton House was once the home of home of English mechanical engineer George Stephenson who built the first public railway line in the world to use steam locomotives. In 1837 he arrived in Chesterfield, to undertake the construction of the Derby to Leeds railway (North Midland Line). As work continued George Stephenson, took up residence there. The House was bequeathed to the borough of Chesterfield on his death.
It was then converted in to a school. In 1931, the first pupils passed through its doors as Tapton House Central Selective School. The school continued until 1993.[1]
Tapton House grounds are now used as the Tapton Park Innovation Centre which is open for free use to the general public. The House its self is currently the Higher Education Campus for Chesterfield College.[2]
Tapton Hall in Eccleshall near Sheffield was the home of William Shore, the paternal grandfather of Florence Nightingale.