The High Street was built over a pre-dating
Roman road, that may have been called Rykneild Street, where a tollhouse (1786-1876) was situated. The discovery of coal in the area introduced the village to the
Industrial Revolution.
Packhorses at first transported the 'blackgold' over the Peaks on a
turnpike road opened in 1756 between the iron foundries of
Derby and
Sheffield. Until the early 19th century, Clay Cross was a small village known as Clay Lane, but increasing demand for coal and other minerals trebled the population by 1840 , the oldest building being the George and Dragon Inn. While driving the
tunnel for the
North Midland Railway,
George Stephenson discovered both coal and iron, which together with the demand for limestone, caused him to move into Tapton Hall, near Chesterfield, and set up business as George Stephenson and Co. A map of 1833 showed Thanet Street and Clay Lane. The railway 'mania' of 1840s witnessed expansion northwards facilitated by the Clay Cross tunnel dug in 1837–38. Whilst tunnelling over a mile underground they discovered vast quantities of commercial grade coal. Clay Cross became a boom town. The 'Liverpool Party' of Stephenson engineers formed the Clay Cross Company in 1839 which they funded from their considerable resources. As well as sinking a number of shafts with colliery support, there were
coke oven works, brickworks, limeworks, irons furnaces and foundry. The ductile pipe was developed into an internationally sold product, making Clay Cross renowned for its iron and coal industry worldwide. Although the company had been formed to mine coal and manufacture coke from the railway, the supplies from
Durham were preferred, and the works turned to iron working and brick making. When
Stephenson died in 1848 his son,
Robert, took over, leaving the company in 1852 when it became formally known by the name of the Clay Cross Company. In 1871 the Jackson family acquired 100% of the stocks and shares. They continued as owners until 1974. For many years, the company was the town's major employer. In 1985
Biwater took it over. In December 2000 Biwater sold the site to French company,
Saint-Gobain. Some months later, it was closed down with the loss of around 750 jobs. Demolition of the vast Biwater site began in late 2008, and new houses and shops are appearing in the town. In 1925 the
Ashover Light Railway was opened to transport minerals from the quarries at Ashover Butts to the Clay Cross Company at
Egstow. The passenger services on the narrow gauge line were closed in 1936 and the mineral traffic ceased in 1950.
Industrial architecture In 1840 the Stephensons built Eldon House as its office headquarters, which latterly was converted into a private dwelling-house. The Stephensons also built more than 400 miners' cottages. In addition they set up elementary schools and consecrated new churches. The company provided the town with almost all its energy needs in gas and electricity. The largest house Clay Cross Hall are: • Methodist Church on High Street. • Baptist Church on Market Street (now closed). • Clay Cross Community Church - C4 (Assemblies of God) on Market Street. • Roman Catholic Church of St. Patrick and St. Bridget on Thanet Street. • Holmgate Evangelical Church on Valley Road, Holmgate. • Salvation Army on Thanet Street. • St Barnabas Church, an Anglican congregation meeting at the St Barnabas Centre on Pilsley Road, Danesmoor. • Community of Christ on Thanet Street.
Danesmoor Cemetery and Parkhouse Memorial Parkhouse Colliery Memorial in Danesmoor Cemetery stands today as testament to a disaster. In November 1882 an underground explosion brought the collapse of the pit shaft causing the death of 45 men and boys. Many of their families lived in company housing at Pleasant Row, Chapel Row, Cellar Row and Gaffers Row. Also known as Egstow Terrace, this last street was built in 1846, was considered of better average quality housing.
Co-operative The Clay Cross Pioneer Industrial Co-operative Society's first shop was opened on the corner of the High Street and Market Street. It was an early member of the
Co-operative Movement founded in Rochdale by
John Bright that spread rapidly across the
North of England. The Co-operative Society archives say that the Clay Cross Pioneer Industrial Society merged with the Chesterfield & District Co-operative Society in 1915. ==Housing Finance Act dispute==