Hilcote

Hilcote
Derbyshire
New Street, Hilcote
Location
Grid reference:	SK467592
Location:	53°7’41"N, 1°18’4"W
Data
Population:	350  (2001)
Post town:	Alfreton
Postcode:	DE55
Dialling code:	01773
Local Government
Council:	Bolsover
Parliamentary constituency:	Bolsover

Hilcote is a small, former coal-mining village in eastern Derbyshire, surrounded by the villages of South Normanton, Blackwell, Old Blackwell and Huthwaite, the latter across the county border in Nottinghamshire. The nearest towns are Alfreton to the west and Sutton-in-Ashfield to the east. It is found close to the A38 junction with the M1.

The village was built to serve a coal mine, the 'B' Winning Pitt, and the village itself was originally named 'B' Winning. The mine was named after the seam of coal being mined from Blackwell Colliery. The pit was first sunk in the last part of the 19th century and was worked until 1964. When 'B' Winning pit closed, the land was reclaimed as agricultural land.

The village has about 200 houses with approximately 350 residents. The Post Office, which also served as a general store, off-licence and video library closed in 2019. Many of the houses in the village were built for the mineworkers by Blackwell Colliery Company and are considered to be unique examples of this type of architecture and size of house for miners. Other houses in the village date back to the 17th and 18th centuries. When the pit was working there were a number of shops, which have since disappeared.

The village has three pubs, The Hilcote Country Club, Hilcote Miners Welfare and Hilcote Arms. The Miner's Welfare was burnt down, demolished and rebuilt during the 1990s. Hilcote chapel closed too.

A number of residents are the third generation of their families in Hilcote. Many people were born on what was called Top Row and Side Row at 'B' Winning.

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Hilcote)