Summary
The city of Derby transitioned from a market town in the 18th century to a bustling hub during the Industrial Revolution, largely due to its cotton and silk spinning trade.
Derby was among the earliest locations in England to experience a significant surge in industrial production, and the remarkable 18th-century mills along the banks of the River Derwent constitute a single UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Additionally, Derby was the home of Joseph Wright, a painter acclaimed for encapsulating the essence of the early Industrial Revolution. Numerous works by Wright can be viewed at the Derby Museum and Art Gallery.
The Cathedral Quarter, recognized as the city’s oldest area, features streets named after historical gates, as well as half-timbered 16th and 17th-century pubs alongside Georgian townhouses.
Let’s explore the most notable attractions in Derby:
1. Derby Museum and Art Gallery
This extensive museum delves into Derby’s natural history, geology, military history, and archaeology.
However, what makes it particularly noteworthy is its art gallery, showcasing a collection of paintings by Joseph Wright of Derby.
A key figure of the Enlightenment, Wright is celebrated for his expertise in chiaroscuro and for capturing the atmosphere of the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century.
Notable works include A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery (1766) and The Alchemist Discovering Phosphorus (1771).
Furthermore, visitors can view the Hanson Log Boat, a Bronze Age vessel uncovered in Shardlow, along with various artifacts from the excavation site.
Another remarkable artifact is a fragment from an 8th-century carved cross, believed to have commemorated Æthelbald of Mercia.
2. Pickford’s House Museum
Renowned as one of Derby’s most elegant Georgian townhouses, this residence was constructed in 1770 by architect Joseph Pickford, serving both as a family home and a testament to his architectural skills.
Since 1988, this Grade I listed house has operated as a museum, preserving rooms from various eras spanning the last 250 years.
Visitors can appreciate the elaborate bedroom and dressing room of the Pickford family as they would have appeared in 1815, in contrast to the simplicity of the servants’ quarters on the upper floor.
The kitchen, scullery, and laundry reflect the early 19th century around 1830, while a bathroom from the early 20th century and a basement preserved as a World War II bomb shelter enrich the visitor experience.
In line with the 18th-century theme, there is also a collection of antique model toy theatres to explore.
3. Derby Cathedral
For the majority of its existence, Derby Cathedral was referred to as All Saints Church, attaining cathedral status upon the establishment of the Diocese of Derby in 1927. The building dates back to the 16th century; however, its nave and chancel were remodeled during the early decades of the 18th century.
The oldest component of the structure is the Perpendicular Gothic tower, rising to a height of 65 meters and constructed between 1510 and 1532. This tower houses the world’s oldest ring of ten bells, many of which have remained in place since 1678, while the largest bell, weighing 965 kilograms, predates the church itself, dating back five centuries and reportedly relocated from the dissolved Dale Abbey.
Visitors can admire the remarkable wrought iron rood screen and entrance gates, both crafted in the 18th century by the esteemed ironsmith Robert Bakewell.
4. Markeaton Park
Over one million visitors annually flock to Markeaton Park, which spans 207 acres over a former estate.
Although the 18th-century Georgian hall was demolished post-war, the existing orangery now functions as a café, offering beautiful views of the formal gardens.
The park’s extensive range of summer activities and facilities is a significant draw for visitors.
Activities include crazy golf, donkey rides, a bouncy castle, a craft village, a high ropes course, pitch and putt, a paddling pool for younger children, a boating lake, and a children’s park.
While entry to Markeaton Park is free, certain activities may incur a fee.
5. Darley Park
Navigating upstream along the Derwent River from the heart of Derby leads to Darley Park, an area encompassing 80 acres of undulating fields and woodlands on both riverbanks.
Located adjacent to Darley Abbey, an 18th-century mill village and part of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site, Darley Park was opened to the public in 1921, coinciding with the opening of Markeaton Park.
The park is renowned for its picturesque flower gardens, boasting the largest collection of hydrangeas in Britain, with 400 distinct varieties, showcasing a vibrant display of color during May and June.
The nearby butterfly garden adds to the park’s appeal.
6. Royal Crown Derby Visitor Centre
As one of England’s two oldest existing fine porcelain manufacturers, Royal Crown Derby was established circa 1750 by a Huguenot immigrant from Saxony.
Initially recognized simply as “Derby”, the brand was granted permission to use the royal crown backstamp in 1773 by George III, subsequently earning the designation “Crown Derby”. A visit to the visitor center reveals a wealth of information about the brand.
The museum showcases the largest single collection of Derby porcelain globally, spanning the 218-year legacy of the brand.
At the time of writing, a special exhibition focused on Derby’s connections to London society in the 18th century, featuring early pieces such as an intricately designed ornamental clock.
Moreover, factory tours allow guests to observe the intricate crafting of fine bone china, accompanied by afternoon tea served on Royal Crown Derby crockery.
7. Derwent River (plus mills)
When situated along the west bank of the Derwent River in Derby, visitors may find it hard to believe they are still within a city due to the abundance of parks and greenery, coupled with the absence of intrusive skyscrapers.
A picturesque two-mile trail can be traversed, commencing at St Mary’s Bridge in the north, looping around the Bass Recreation Ground to the east, and then heading north through the historic center of the city along Iron Gate.
Notable sights include the Derby Silk Mill, the first water-powered silk mill in Britain, established in 1717, despite much of its architecture resulting from a rebuild following a fire in 1910. This mill is part of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and houses the Derby Industrial Museum, which was temporarily closed for a long-term refurbishment at the time of writing.
8. Calke Abbey
This countryside estate situated outside Ticknall derives its name from a former 12th-century Augustinian priory, which occupied the site prior to its dissolution by Henry VIII in the 16th century.
The Baroque house and its outbuildings date to the early 18th century, and for nearly 300 years, until 1985, Calke Abbey remained in the possession of the Harpur Family.
Following its acquisition by the National Trust, many rooms were found abandoned, with no restoration since the 1880s.
While the decay has been halted, it has not been reversed, presenting a unique opportunity to view a historic residence in a state of elegant decline.
Features include peeling wallpaper, unrestored paintings, and assorted items left untouched for decades.
Visitors can also explore a walled garden with a formal kitchen garden and a deer park classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, along with the stables, the Head Gardener’s House, and the Abbey’s private chapel.
9. Kedleston Hall
A stunning example of Palladian architecture, Kedleston Hall was designed in the 1760s by Robert Adam at the outset of his illustrious career and serves as the estate of the Curzon family.
The Curzons, tracing their lineage back to the Normans, have resided at Kedleston since the mid-17th century.
Not initially conceived as a family residence, the hall’s magnificent central section was constructed for Sir Nathaniel Curzon as a “temple for the arts”, intended to display a rich art collection and host extravagant entertainment.
Upon entry, guests are greeted by the impressive Marble Hall, featuring an inlaid marble floor and twenty-fluted alabaster Corinthian columns, while the Saloon stretches beneath a dome that rises over 18 meters high.
Surrounding the hall is one of the best-preserved 18th-century English landscape gardens, a project that marked Adam’s initial endeavor at Kedleston, where he created the Fishing Pavilion, cascade, bridge, and temple follies.
10. Derby Gaol
Previously one of five prisons in Derby, the facility located on Friargate, near the Pickford House Museum, has been transformed into a museum that operates on Saturdays.
Numerous individuals were executed within this building in the 18th and 19th centuries, with the museum housing contemporary accounts of these incidents, replica gallows, and preserved cells.
Visitors can uncover intriguing details, including notches etched into the inside of debtor’s jail doors for tracking debts.
Given its chilling history, Derby Gaol is reputed to be one of the most haunted locations in the UK, with the property owner organizing an evening ghost walk through the city center, beginning and concluding at the gaol.
11. East Midlands Aeropark
Located on the northwestern edge of East Midlands Airport, this museum features both indoor and outdoor exhibits highlighting a collection of vintage aircraft and engines.
Outside, visitors can view predominantly post-war planes and helicopters produced by British manufacturers such as Hawker, Vickers, Westland, De Havilland, and Armstrong.
At any given time, up to 30 aircraft are on display, including the impressive Armstrong Whitworth AW.660 Argosy, notable for its distinctive tailplane mounted on twin booms.
The hangar is packed with components such as Gyron Junior, Rolls-Royce Spey, and Bristol Hercules engines, in addition to a Link Simulator, photographs, and models.
12. Market Hall
A visit to Derby’s Market Hall is essential, even if shopping is not on your agenda.
Constructed in the 1860s, the hall features an expansive, vaulted metal and glass design, complete with elegant galleries above the trading area.
The Market Hall operates daily except Sundays, offering stalls with an array of groceries such as fish, meat, fruit, vegetables, baked goods, cheese, and confectionery.
Additionally, unique crafts, jigsaw puzzles, jewelry, and household items are available for browsing.
However, if you visit for one particular item, it must be pyclets—flattened crumpets comparable to Russian blinis that pair well with both sweet and savory toppings.
13. Crich Tramway Village
Open seven days a week during the summer, Crich Tramway Village is located just north of Derby and serves as a heritage park housing the National Tramway Museum.
Visitors can enjoy rides on vintage trams, which stop at five locations throughout the village and surrounding countryside, including Glory Mine, which offers stunning views of the Amber Valley.
The museum, located within a spacious shed, covers the comprehensive history of tram transport, from horse-drawn vehicles in the 19th century to electric trams after World War II.
Archive footage is creatively projected onto the sides of trams, while the Stephenson Discovery Centre explains the development of tram transport amid the UK’s rapid urbanization in the 1800s.
Outside, the village features an open-air museum with historic structures, including the facade of Derby’s Assembly Rooms, relocated to this site.
14. Donington Grand Prix Collection
Centrally located near East Midlands Airport, Donington Park is recognized as England’s first permanent park racing circuit, established in 1931. It hosted the Donington Grand Prix prior to World War II, later functioning as a military vehicle depot before being revived as a racing circuit in the 1970s.
Since then, it has held a singular Formula 1 race, the 1993 European Grand Prix, which was won by Ayrton Senna.
Motorsport enthusiasts should not miss the Grand Prix Collection, situated in a building adjacent to the track.
This impressive collection features an extensive assortment of F1 vehicles, including a complete set of Vanwalls from the 50s and 60s, rare four-wheel-drive F1 cars, and numerous machines from McLaren, Williams, and BRM.
Among the highlights are the Lotus 18, in which Stirling Moss triumphed at the 1961 Monaco Grand Prix, and the Ferrari F2000, driven by Michael Schumacher during his victory at the 2000 Canadian Grand Prix.
15. Pride Park
Derby County, the city’s football team, often oscillates between the top two divisions in the country.
The Rams, as they are colloquially known, moved to Pride Park in 1997, located just east of the train station. With a seating capacity of 33,597, the stadium ranks among the 20 largest in the UK, and although attendance is typically robust, Pride Park seldom reaches maximum capacity on match days.
Thus, if visiting during the football season, the likelihood of acquiring a ticket with little notice is promising.
For aficionados of English football, the statue of Brian Clough and Peter Taylor, depicted arm in arm on “Unity Plaza” in the northwest section of the ground, is a notable attraction.
These figures were instrumental in securing Derby’s first league trophy in 1972, marking a peak era in the club’s history during the 1970s.
