The birthplace of the factory system and gateway to the Peak District, Derby mixes industrial heritage with open country on its doorstep.
Derby has a strong claim to be where the modern factory began. In the early eighteenth century, a silk mill on the River Derwent in the city became one of the first factories in the world, and later mills along the valley helped start the Industrial Revolution. Today the city is still a centre of engineering, home to Rolls-Royce and to the building of trains.
Derby is also the gateway to the Peak District, Britain’s first national park, and some of the most beautiful countryside in England is less than half an hour away. This guide covers six things to see and do in and around the city.
1. The Museum of Making
The Museum of Making is in Derby Silk Mill, on the bank of the River Derwent in the city centre. The mill was built in the 1720s for the Lombe family, and it is often called the first factory in the world, where workers operated machines driven by a water wheel. It is part of the Derwent Valley Mills UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The museum reopened in 2021 after a major restoration, and it celebrates three hundred years of making things in Derby. It has a huge collection of objects made in the city, from railway models to aero engines. Rolls-Royce engines, made in Derby for a century, are among the highlights.
There are hands on workshops where visitors can try making things themselves, and the museum is very popular with families. The galleries tell the stories of the people who worked in Derby’s factories. The building itself is a fascinating piece of industrial history.
Entry is free, and there is a café with views over the river. The museum is a short walk from the cathedral. Allow a couple of hours.
2. Derby Cathedral and Derby Museum
Derby Cathedral has one of the tallest church towers in England, built in the sixteenth century in a grand late Gothic style. The rest of the building was rebuilt in the 1720s by the architect James Gibbs in a light, elegant classical style. It became a cathedral in 1927.
Inside, look out for the magnificent wrought iron screen made by Robert Bakewell, and for the tomb of Bess of Hardwick, one of the most powerful women of the Elizabethan age, who built Hardwick Hall and Chatsworth. Peregrine falcons nest on the tower, and webcams let you watch them raise their chicks each spring. There are often telescopes set up outside so you can see them.
Derby Museum and Art Gallery, a short walk away, has the world’s largest collection of paintings by Joseph Wright of Derby, an eighteenth century artist famous for his dramatic scenes lit by candlelight and firelight. His paintings of scientific experiments and industrial scenes capture the excitement of the age. They are a real treasure.
The museum also has collections of archaeology, natural history and porcelain. Entry is free. Derby Arboretum, a short distance away, was one of the first public parks in England, opened in 1840.
3. Royal Crown Derby
Derby has been famous for fine porcelain since the middle of the eighteenth century. The Derby factory was given the right to use the name Crown Derby by King George III, and the title Royal Crown Derby by Queen Victoria. Its bone china is known around the world for its rich colours and gold decoration.
The company’s works on Osmaston Road, just south of the city centre, has a museum that tells the story of Derby porcelain with a large collection of pieces from every period. It also has a shop, where you can buy pieces including seconds at lower prices.
The company is famous for its paperweights, shaped like animals and birds and decorated with bright patterns and gold. They are popular with collectors. Many visitors like to take one home as a souvenir.
The factory has offered tours and experiences where you can see the skilled painters and gilders at work, and try decorating a piece yourself, but arrangements change, so check before you go. It is a fascinating look at a traditional craft.
4. Kedleston Hall
Kedleston Hall, about five miles north west of Derby, is one of the grandest Georgian houses in England. It was built in the 1760s for Sir Nathaniel Curzon, and it was designed by Robert Adam, one of the most famous architects of the age. It is looked after by the National Trust.
The house was built to impress, with a magnificent marble hall lined with columns, and a round saloon inspired by the Pantheon in Rome. The state rooms are filled with fine furniture, paintings and sculpture. It is one of the best examples of Adam’s work anywhere.
A later member of the family, Lord Curzon, was Viceroy of India at the start of the twentieth century, and the Eastern Museum in the house displays objects he collected in Asia. The park around the house has lakes, bridges and woodland walks. There is a restaurant and a shop.
Kedleston is a lovely place for a day out, and the park is open for walking even when the house is closed. A car is the easiest way to get there. It combines well with a trip to the Peak District.
5. The Derwent Valley Mills and Cromford
The Derwent Valley, north of Derby, is where the factory system took off, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 1771, Richard Arkwright built the world’s first water powered cotton spinning mill at Cromford, about fifteen miles north of the city. His system of factory production spread around the world.
Cromford Mills, the site of Arkwright’s first mills, is now open to visitors, with exhibitions, shops and a café. The village of Cromford, which Arkwright built for his workers, has neat stone houses and a lovely mill pond. The Cromford Canal runs alongside, with a towpath walk.
Belper, halfway between Derby and Cromford, has more historic mills and a museum. The whole valley is dotted with mills, workers’ villages, canals and railways. It is a fascinating landscape that tells the story of the Industrial Revolution.
The Derwent Valley Line railway runs from Derby to Matlock, stopping at Belper, Cromford and other villages. You can make a lovely day out of it, with walks between the stations. A car gives more flexibility to see several sites.
6. The Peak District
The Peak District, Britain’s first national park, begins just north of Derby. It is a landscape of limestone dales, gritstone edges, moorland and pretty villages. Millions of people visit every year for walking, cycling and climbing.
Matlock Bath, a Victorian spa village in a steep gorge of the River Derwent, has cable cars that climb to the Heights of Abraham, where there are caves and views. It has fish and chip shops, amusements and a riverside promenade. It is a lively place for a day out.
Dovedale, about twenty miles north west of Derby, is one of the most beautiful valleys in England. Its famous stepping stones cross the River Dove, and paths lead through the limestone gorge. It gets very busy on sunny weekends.
Chatsworth, one of the greatest country houses in Britain, is about twenty five miles north. The house, gardens and park are wonderful, and it hosts events through the year. The Peak District is best explored by car, and a driver for the day lets you enjoy the views without worrying about narrow lanes and parking.
Getting there and getting around
Derby station is on the Midland Main Line, with direct trains to London St Pancras in around an hour and a half, and services to Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds, Nottingham and the South West. The station is a short walk from the city centre.
East Midlands Airport is about twelve miles south east, around twenty minutes by road. The M1 passes a few miles east of the city, and the A38 and A52 link it with Birmingham and Nottingham. A car booked ahead is the easiest way to travel between Derby and the airport, and to explore the Peak District.
Ride with ZeroLanes. From your door, the station or the airport to anywhere in Derby, at a price fixed before you confirm. Travelling between cities? Get a fixed price for the journey, or keep a car and driver for the day with hourly hire.