Derbyshire

Derbyshire is a landlocked county bordered by Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, Leicestershire and Cheshire.

Derbyshire has a population of just over 1,000,000 people. The county town is Matlock with other significant populations at Derby on the banks of the River Derwent, Chesterfield, Long Eaton and Ilkeston.

The stunning landscape of Derbyshire is mainly rolling hillside with many pretty villages and contains the majority of the Peak District National Park, small elements of the Pennine Hills and some of the National Forest, together with a host of attractions for visitors – Buxton, Bakewell and Matlock Spa are popular destinations.

Evidence of human presence in Derbyshire goes back some 200,000 years, though the Bronze Age provides the first real evidence of agriculture and settlement in the county. Lead ore contained in the limestone hills attracted Romans to the area and paved the way for occupation, particularly around the warm mineral springs of Buxton.

Agriculture and mining have been important industries for Derbyshire, the former remaining so today. The land’s minerals lead to wealth for some with lead, iron, coal and limestone being extracted over the years. The county was at the forefront of hydropower developments at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, with part of the Derwent Valley having World Heritage status.

Tourism is an important part of the county’s economy, the Peak District National Park attracts huge numbers of visitors each year to enjoy the region.

The M1, and M6 and M56 are the motorway routes to the county, very easy to reach from the main conurbations in Midlands the North West. Derbyshire is linked by mainline railway to London via London St. Pancras, Derby being the main station in the county.