It was a rip roaring derby contest, well above normal League Two level, and played at a high tempo from start to finish.
It was settled midway through the first half by a headed goal from County central defender Stephen Hunt, whose low flashing header converted Neil MacKenzie's free-kick.
It was only Hunt's second ever goal for Notts and it confirmed him as man of the match after a 90 minute showdown with former Forest striker Jack Lester.
Obviously pining for a goal on his return to Trentside, Lester often posed problems for Hunt but came off second best.
Even so, immediately after Hunt's goal, Lester escaped to force a good low save out of Kevin Pilkington and five minutes before half-time Lester, seizing on to Gregor Robertson's pass, was denied only by an even better stop by the Notts keeper.
This time Pilkington turned the ball one-handed over the bar.
He should have been beaten in the last minute of the first half when Steve Fletcher, well placed, headed badly over.
Chesterfield continued their assault on the Notts goal in the second half, but did not come near again until the last minute when Phil Picken shot against the outside of the netting.
Before that Notts should have doubled their advantage, only for substitute Andy Parkinson to miscue badly from six yards and leave Barry Roche with an easy save.
Spireites manager Lee Richardson rang the changes in the second half in the desperate search for an equaliser, bringing frontmen Adam Rooney and Wayne Allison off the bench, but Notts continued to hold firm at the back.
Notts have now taken seven points out of nine in an unbeaten run of three, whereas the men from Saltergate have lost twice in a row.