The Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site stretches approximately 17miles from Derby in the South to Matlock Bath in the North, and is easily accessible by car, public transport or on foot.
Derby Attractions
Two museums mark the southern end of the World Heritage Site, the Derby Museum and the Museum of Industry and History, which is based on the site of Lombe’s original Silk Mill – an early forerunner to Arkwright’s cotton mills.
Darley Park is a pleasant green space on the edge of the City and leads to Darley Abbey, a factory village created by the Evans Family for the workers at the nearby cotton mills (now housing many small businesses and a restaurant).
Milford and Belper Attractions
Milford and Belper have many historical buildings from the Strutt family’s industrial mills. Jedediah Strutt was one of Arkwright’s original backers, and (according to the Derwent Valley Mills website) with Samuel Need (Arkwright’s other financial backer) was probably a more important factor in the Derwent Valley becoming the location for Arkwright’s fledgling cotton spinning business than the water supply often credited for its location. Strutt set up his own cotton spinning mills in both Milford and Belper, and many historic buildings from the Strutt family’s enterprises can be seen in both places, with Belper’s East Mill casting an imposing presence over the north end of the town.
Cromford and Matlock Bath Attractions
Cromford is the place of Arkwright’s Mill - the world’s first successful water-powered cotton spinning mill. The son of a tailor, apprenticed as a barber, Richard Arkwright moved to the Derbyshire Dales to perfect his revolutionary water-powered cotton spinning machines. The Cromford Mills founded in 1771 were the first to use this new industrial process and are widely regarded as one of the main foundations of the Industrial Revolution – a process that changed that way people worked from small scale cottage industries to massive factory production.
Masson Mills was a later mill of Richard Arkwrights, founded 12 years after the Cromford Mills in 1783 to take advantage of the greater water power of the Derwent (rather than the small leat used at Cromford). Its exterior still survives in good shape and there is a working textile museum onsite as well as the recently developed shopping complex (and car park) now housed within.
Willesley Castle in Matlock Bath, was built by Arkwright for his own use – but was bought in 1927 by a group of Methodist businessmen and is now a private (Christian-based) hotel.
Getting There and Around
East Midland Trains runs services between Derby and Matlock calling at Duffield, Belper, Ambergate, Whatstandwell, Cromford, Matlock Bath and Matlock with trains going approximately every hour from before 0600 til after 2200 every Mo-Sa and approximately every two hours between 1000 and 2200 every Sunday.
Trent Barton run several bus services in the area, but the Transpeak service is the main bus route that connects Derby and Matlock Bath with more stops between than the train service. A Zig Zag plus ticket allows a whole days travel on the Trent Barton network for £7.80 (US$11).
The A6 follows the Derwent Valley for car drivers, but can get very busy – especially on a sunny summer Sunday!
Alternatively, the Derwent Valley Heritage Way footpath spends 20 miles (of its 55mile-long route between Bamford and Shardlow) crossing the Derwent Valley Heritage Site. Waymarked by purple arrows, this footpath visits many of the important sites of the World Heritage Site.
Chiz Dakin - A keen mountain walker, scrambler, cyclist and occasional climber and sea kayaker for several years, Chiz Dakin has carried a camera with ...
