Derby.co.uk

Derby is the main town in Derbyshire and less than thirty minutes drive from the beautiful Peak district. There are attractions in Derby itself, but some of the best attractions are in the surrounding area. Derby has a long association with the porcelain and pottery business and a good place to spend an afternoon is the Denby potteries and visitor... centre. Denby is about twenty minutes away from the centre of Derby and the pottery runs guided tours and demonstrations. The pottery runs regular events, including cookery demonstrations. There is a factory shop and some nice grounds nearby with a café Cromford is about fourteen miles from Derby city centre and is the home of Arkwrights famous mill, which was built in 1771 these were copied by Arkwrights competitors. Following the construction of the mills at Cromford, mills began to spring up in other parts of the country and the technology was even exported to Germany and America. The mill is a world heritage site and as well as the shops and café in the mill area, Cromford itself is very pretty, set as it is close to the beautiful peaks. Elvaston castle and country park is just a few miles from Derby city centre. There is a beautiful house, an estate museum and extensive, historic gardens, with a nearby lake and parkland. There is also a riding school and annual steam fairs and country shows. Eyam Museum is also well worth a visit with many historical and geological exhibits. The Museum also has vivid portrayals of the seventeenth century bubonic plague where a third of the population lost their lives. Derby citys Museum and Art Gallery are well worth a visit for their many different collections and the larges collection in the world of the work of seventeenth century painter Joseph Wright. The Pickford Museum is a good place to go for the whole family. Children will be interested in the display of eighteenth century toys on the top floor of the house. Rooms are laid out just as they might have been in Georgian times and the house is a prime example of Georgian ...Read More