The best running trails around Alfreton

The history of the estate goes back to Norman times, but by the 17th century it was owned by the Morewood family, who were linked to local industry, mainly in coal mining. The parklands and gardens date from the mid-18th century onwards. The house itself is now in use as a restaurant, conference and wedding venue.

Alfreton Masonic Temple was originally built as a library in 1938 by an American Philanthropist named Robert Watchorn who was born in Alfreton and emigrated to the USA in his early teens. He made his fortune before returning to England and in the 1930’s he bought up and demolished the row of back to back miner’s houses where he was born. He then built the Watchorn Methodist Church, a substantial number of houses, and the Abraham Lincoln Library as an educational facility for Alfreton.

A park donated by Robert Watchorn, in tribute to his wife. There is much more information about the whole Watchorn complex & development and about Watchorn himself on the English Heritage Pastscape website. His story takes him from a cottage on the site where the church was later built and working in Shirland pit to America where he became Secretary of the National Miners Union of America, with a gold medal for his bravery during one mining disaster. He was instrumental in passing the Factory Act, which prohibited children under 14 years of age from working 12 hour shifts in the factories. In 1905 President Roosevelt appointed him Commissioner of Immigration on Ellis Island, New York. By 1916 he was President of his own Watchorn Gas and Oil Company in Oklahoma City, which gave him the wealth to endow various churches, colleges and libraries – including in his home town of Alfreton.

A parish lockup dating from the mid 18th century. There is a raised plaque above it inscribed 'House of Confinement'. The interior has a central corridor with cells to either side. It is an unusually large example of village lockup. They were used for drunks, petty criminals and people waiting to appear in front of the magistrate.

St. Andrew's Church. In 1856 the Revd John Wood gave land for a church to be built in Swanwick. With the aid of a donation of £3,230 from Francis Wright the building was completed in 1859 with a nave of five bays, north and south aisles, north porch and bell turret over the west gable. The pointed arches on both sides of the nave and in the chancel imply that the architect, Benjamin Wilson, had Early English architecture in mind when he designed the building. The Church celebrated its 150th Anniversary on Sunday 26 September 2010. The Bishop of Derby, the Rt Revd Dr. Alastair Redfern, presided at a celebratory service.

The entrance to Cotes Park Woods is marked by a Large yellow Miner's wheel sign, woodland trail for about a mile, several forked paths some leading out to houses, other to a dead end, but possible for dogs to go under fence and probably possibly for people to climb over but I didn't try.

Updated October 2022: school moved/extended to the site on another side of the park - A large park with easy walking both across and around the track (mainly for horses) with lots of old trees, plenty of birds and wildlife, Alfreton Cricket Club (where you can often watch matches in the Summer) and Alfreton Hall at the other end. Various entrances and exits at different intervals around the park. At certain times (dog training lessons/cricket clubs etc) parking verge is quite busy but there is turning space further up and a car park to the left but currently only surfaced with big stones that don't do tyres a lot of good. Dog bins on either side of park and plenty of benches at different intervals to rest on.