Dronfield

Dronfield
Peel Monument and High Street
Dronfield Location within Derbyshire
Population	21,261 (2011 census)
OS grid reference	SK355785
District	North East Derbyshire
Shire county	Derbyshire
Region	East Midlands
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	DRONFIELD
Postcode district	S18
Dialling code	01246
Police	Derbyshire
Fire	Derbyshire
Ambulance	East Midlands
UK Parliament	North East Derbyshire
List of places UK England Derbyshire 53°18′09″N 1°27′59″W / 53.3024°N 1.4664°W / 53.3024; -1.4664

Dronfield is a town in North East Derbyshire, England, which includes Dronfield Woodhouse and Coal Aston. It lies in the valley of the River Drone between Chesterfield and Sheffield. The Peak District National Park is three miles (4.8 km) to the west. The name comes from the Old English Dranfleld, probably meaning an open land infested with drone bees.^[1]

The town existed before the 1086 Domesday Book, and has a 13th-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 in the town. The stadium to the north of the town is officially "The Home of Football", providing the playing surface for Sheffield F.C., the world's oldest football club.^[2]

Dronfield's population increased in the post-war years from 6,500 in 1945 to 21,261 at the 2011 Census.^[3]