Derbyshire (pop. 794,636), which lies in the center of England, is a county of hills, valleys, moorland, and swift-flowing streams. The county takes in much of the Peak District, and is a favorite holiday ground for tourists and local visitors. Derbyshire’s varied countryside also includes industrial towns and lush farmlands. In 1997, the city of Derby became a separate unity authority with all local government powers within its boundaries (see Derby).
England’s highest town, the ancient spa of Buxton, is in northwest Derbyshire. The town stands at a height of about 1,020 feet (310 meters) above sea level.
People and government
Customs.
Derbyshire’s people maintain many ancient customs. Well dressing is carried out in several villages during the summer. The wells are dressed (decorated) with pictures of religious subjects, and the clergy and villagers give thanks. The Great Plague of 1665 is remembered each year in Eyam. A religious service is held there on the last Sunday in August. It commemorates villagers who isolated themselves to prevent the plague spreading outside the village. See Great Plague.
Recreation.
Derbyshire has a first-class county cricket team, and Chesterfield has a professional soccer team in the Football League.
Fishing facilities are excellent in most parts of the county. Sailing is popular on the River Trent, and rowing clubs use the River Derwent. Gliding enthusiasts fly at Great Hucklow, near Eyam.
Local government.
Derbyshire is divided into eight local government districts. They are Amber Valley, which includes Belper and Ripley; Bolsover; << BOL zoh vuhr >> Chesterfield; Derbyshire Dales; Erewash, which includes Ilkeston and Long Eaton; High Peak, which covers the northwestern part of the county; North East Derbyshire, which includes Clay Cross and Dronfield; and South Derbyshire. The administrative center of the county is Matlock.
The county is policed by the Derbyshire Constabulary, which has headquarters at Ripley. The crown court meets at Derby.
Economy
Mining and quarrying.
Coal mining has long been a key industry in Derbyshire. The eastern part of the county shares with Nottinghamshire a large coal and iron ore field. Important mining areas are Alfreton, Bolsover, Clay Cross, Heanor, and Ilkeston.
In the middle regions of the county, vast quarries supply stone for building and road making. The area also has cement and gravel works. There are limestone quarries around Buxton and Wirksworth which produce about a quarter of the nation’s limestone. Some lead is mined in the Peak District. The Peak District also produces blue John, a rare form of the mineral fluorite that is used for jewelry and ornaments.
Manufacturing.
Much raw material for Derbyshire industries comes from coal and iron fields lying along the county’s eastern boundary. Heavy engineering and steel industries have developed in the area, especially at Chesterfield. Chesterfield also has chemical industries.
Agriculture
in Derbyshire is varied, because of the variety of geological structure in the county. In the north, the soil is poor because of the hills, and most of the farming land is pasture. Only sheep graze on the windy moors. In the valleys, where the land is more fertile, dairy herds graze. Bakewell is an important center of the dairy industry. There are some level plains in the south, where the soil is deeper and crops, particularly barley and oats, can be grown.
Transportation and communication.
The hilly terrain of northern Derbyshire makes road making difficult. There are only three major roads running through the Peak District, although there are adequate roads for general use. The M1 highway, which links London with northern England and Scotland, runs through the east of the county.
The railroad lines linking Manchester with London and the south and west of England run across the Peak District. The main line that runs from Sheffield passes through Chesterfield.
A BBC local radio station based at Derby serves the county.
Land and climate
Location and size.
Derbyshire is bounded in the east by Nottinghamshire, in the south by Leicestershire, and in the west by Staffordshire and Cheshire East. To the north lie the metropolitan counties of Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire, and West Yorkshire. The unitary authority of Derby is surrounded by the county in the southeast. The greatest distances are 38 miles (61 kilometers) from north to south and 26 miles (42 kilometers) from east to west.
Land regions.
There is a striking contrast between the rugged and beautiful Peak District in the northwest and the industrial areas in the south and east. Derbyshire is a county of hills. Most of the land in the county is more than 490 feet (150 meters) above sea level. Some of the Peak District rises higher than 2,000 feet (610 meters). The Low Peak, the midwestern part of the county, is a region of limestone dales, short, swift-flowing rivers and streams, and upland pastures. Vast natural caves and old lead mines lie beneath the limestone uplands.
A belt of rich coal and mineral fields runs along the county’s southern and eastern boundaries. Between this region and the Low Peak, the land rises to a belt of high moors that end abruptly in edges—steep ridges that fall away to the east bank of the River Derwent.
Rivers.
Most of Derbyshire’s rivers are short and swift. The Derwent, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) long, is the largest river. It rises in the High Peak, cuts through a limestone gorge at Matlock, and joins the River Trent on the county’s southern border. The Dove rises at Axe Edge in the Peak District. Other rivers include the Wye, Goyt, Doe Lea, and Etherow. Derbyshire has four reservoirs—Derwent, Howden, and Ladybower, in the Peak District; and Carsington Water, near Wirksworth.
Climate.
The climate is generally mild, except in the uplands, which are usually snow-covered in the winter. Rainfall averages 44 inches (112 centimeters) a year in the Peak District, and 29 inches (74 centimeters) in the lowlands. In the lowlands, temperatures average about 37 °F (3 °C) in January and 61 °F (16 °C) in July.
History
The Romans occupied Derbyshire and built forts at Buxton and Brough. They also mined lead in the area. Derbyshire later became part of the kingdom of Mercia. In the 800’s, the Danes invaded the area and seized the main town of Northworthy, which they renamed Deoraby. The land came under Norman rule in the 1000’s.
Mary, Queen of Scots, spent part of her 19 years’ imprisonment in Chatsworth House, the Old Hall at Buxton, and Wingfield Manor. The railroad pioneer George Stephenson stayed at Chesterfield and helped its industrial growth. Samuel Richardson, an important English novelist of the 1700’s, and the philosopher Herbert Spencer were born in Derbyshire. Richard Arkwright built cotton mills at Cromford and Belper.
