Listed Buildings or Monuments within the Parish
by SLHS on
Wednesday 30 November 2016
As would probably be expected for a village which exists mainly for its industrial surroundings, there are no listed buildings within the parish of Somercotes, including Leabrooks and Pye Bridge. Even its industrial heritage has mostly been removed to make way for the industrial and trading estates. In contrast, the neighbouring village of Riddings has several buildings and monuments listed due to their age and importance.
Reginald Johnson, in his book “A History of Alfreton” wrote in the mid-1960s “There are no fine houses in Somercotes. It lacks such urban refinements as trees, lawns and pleasing roof lines.” This one-sided description of the time seems to have ignored those houses located on Somercotes Hill and at Lower Somercotes., as well as those on Nottingham Road as you enter the village from Alfreton. Indeed, there are quite a few houses that date back several centuries to the very beginnings of Somercotes but which now sit among the terraced and former local authority owned houses for which Somercotes is better known.
Terraced and former local authority dwellings make up the largest proportion of the housing stock within the parish, but these represent in their own way the history of the parish.
There is, though, one single monument that has been listed. This is the milepost which stands adjacent to 413 Nottingham Road, located on Somercotes Hill. Thought to date from the early part of the 19th century, it is a twin to the one that stands at the head of King Street, Alfreton, next to the former coaching inn, the George Hotel.
Following is the actual listing of the milepost, from Historic England:
"Description: Milepost Adjacent to 413 Nottingham Road
Grade: II
Date Listed: 25 May 1988
English Heritage Building ID: 79170
OS Grid Reference: SK4281053493
Milepost. Early C19. Cast iron. Triangular section base with sloping head,
bead fillet to edge and raised lettering. West side inscribed 'NOTTM 14 MILES',
east side inscribed 'ALFRN 2 MILES' and top inscribed 'ALFRETON PARISH'"
MAP: Historic England map with the Milepost Highlighted