ILKESTON, a market-town of Derbyshire, is situated on a hill commanding fine views of the Erewash valley, and on the Erewash branch line of the Midland Railway, 8 miles west by north of Nottingham, and 9 east-northeast of Derby. The town is under the government of a local board of health, and has a county court. The principal buildings are the parish church of St Mary’s in the Norman and Early English style, with lofty pinnacled tower; the town-hall erected in 1868; and the mechanic’s institute. National schools have been recently erected. The manufactures of the town are principally hosiery and lace, and various kinds of stoneware. Coal and iron are wrought in the neighbourhood. An alkaline mineral spring, resembling the seltzer water of Germany, was discovered in 1830, and baths were then erected, which were afterwards extended. The waters are used both externally and internally, and are efficacious in rheumatism, gout, spinal affections, liver complaints, and kindred ailments. The principal constituents of the water are carbonic acid, sulphuric acid, muriatic acid, lime, magnesia, and soda. The town, which is very ancient, obtained a grant for a market and fair in 1251. It was formerly the seat of the assizes, which were transferred to Nottingham on account of the plague. The population of the parish in 1861 was 8374, and of the town 3330, and the population of the parish and local board district in 1871 was 9662.