Town Walk 2026 - Part 12 - Albert Street & The URC
w/e 22 March 2026
All of this week's pictures were
taken with a Nikon D3300 camera or a low specification Kodak Camera.
This part equates to part of Stage 20 and all
of 21 of the original Town Walk from 2004.
Before continuing along Wharncliffe Road, the route makes a short
detour into Albert Street. Standing on  the  corner
of the two streets is the former Police Station which is now
the Erewash Business Centre and houses several businesses even
though, as I wrote on 2004, "the word "Police"
can still be seen on the columns outside (right)." I
also pointed out the building of 1905/6 "incorporated
the Borough Coat of Arms (left)" in its design.
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The detour into Albert Street takes us as far as Queen Street
and the Baptist Church that we passed earlier in the walk passing
the former Co-Op Car Park the design of which mimics "the
appearance of the United Reformed Church (URC) that stands nearby."
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Opposite the car park is the Flamsteed
Centre which is a not for profit community venue and meeting
place for Day Care, Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide, Ilkeston
WI, Children’s Drama, Stroke Club and British Legion among
others. Next to the Flamsteed Centre is the Drill Hall.
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The Drill Hall is the base for two detachments of the Army Cadet
Force, namely Ilkeston and Hallcroft. The lintel above the door
still points to its association with the Sherwood Foresters Regiment
which was amalgamated with the Worcestershire Regiment in 1970
and following a proud history is now part of the Mercian Regiment.
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In 2004 I wrote "One of the joys of living in Ilkeston
is that .... there are numerous places in the town where views
of green fields and the surrounding countryside are visible.
One such place is the upper level of the Co-op car park".
Unfortunately the view from the car park is no longer accessible
to the general public but views of the countryside can still
be glimpsed from the side of the Drill Hall along St Andrew's
Drive. One thing I did notice is how much the silver birch tree
at the side of the Hall has grown since 2004!
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Again in the original notes for the Town Walk I pointed out "the
unique construction of the three levels of the URC". The
top window on the left of the building is behind the altar and
can be seen from the inside of the church in one of the three
photos below. These photos were not taken recently but serve
to illustrate the three levels.
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The original note read "The lower level comprises mainly
of a large hall surrounded by schoolrooms and other ancillary
rooms. The next level up has more rooms including the minister's
office and also features a balcony overlooking and surrounding
three sides of the hall." This photo was taken on Good
Friday in 2011 when the annual Walk of Witness through the town
concluded in the lower level schoolroom and was taken from the
middle level balcony.
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This photo was taken even earlier but shows the main body of
the church which "fills the third level with access
via a flight of steps from Wharncliffe Road. The stained
glass window is behind the altar and a better photo can be found
in Part 21 of the original Town Walk.
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This is another old photo taken from the Choir Stalls and shows
the main body of the church looking towards the far corner entrance
door. The small window "dedicated
to the memory of the men of Kensington Mission, a satellite of
the Congregational Church later to become the URC, who gave their
lives in the First World War" pictured in the original
Town Walk is situated beneath one of the arches near the door.
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In 2004 I included one of "a number of foundation
stones outside the church bearing the date 1904." That
one was laid by Alderman Francis Sudbury J.P, and here are two
more on the outside wall facing Wharncliffe Road. These
were laid on April 27th 1904 by Ald. William
Merry J.P. and William Tatham Esq. J.P.
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