Derby is the biggest city in the county of Derbyshire. If you are looking for the best place to start when exploring the county, this is the city that you want to go to first.
The city of Derby
This city is considered as the unitary authority area in Derbyshire county in England. It is on the bank of the River Derwent in the southern part of the county. Traditionally, this was the county town of Derbyshire. The city has a population of 248,700 by 2011.
Before 1977, it was considered as a market town. But as it grew, it was soon recognised as an official city in the county of Derbyshire. The main growth happened during the industrial era. Derby is the home to Lombe’s Mill – one of the early factories in the region. This led to the belief that this place is one of the birthplaces of the Industrial Revolution. When the railway was built in the 19th century, it pushed this place as the centre of the rail industry of British.
Apart from all these developments, the city is also considered as the centre for advanced transport manufacturing. After all, it is the home of Rolls-Royce, one of the second largest manufacturers of aero-engines. Derby is also the home of the only train manufacturer of the UK, the Derby Litchurch Lane Works.
History of Derby City
It is believed that the first settlers in the biggest city of Derbyshire county are the Romans. They built the Roman camp Derventio which is probably at Chester Green where the old Roman fort is located.
During the time of the Vikings and the Anglo-Saxons, the town became a part of Danelaw’s Five Buroughs – before it was captured in 917 by the Lady Aethelflaed of Mercia. It was then that the town became a subject of the Kingdom of Mercia. Archeological findings have uncovered some evidence that it is possible the Vikings and Anglo-Saxons co-existed in this place.
Some of the early maps of the city revealed the name “Darby” or “Darbye”. The name of the city is believed to have originated from the Viking name Djura-by (Deoraby). This means “Village of the Deer”. However, some people think that it is actually a corruption of the Roman camp Derventio. There are also some who believe it came from the name of the River Derwent – which is Celtic for “a valley thick with oaks.”
What to do in the city of Derby
So when you visit the city of Derby, what can you do and where are the places that you can visit?
Here are some of the places and activities that you can consider.
- Go to the Board Game Cafe. If you are a lover of games – specifically the classic board games, this is a cafe that you should visit. There are 400 games to choose from and play with. Visitors can drink ale, tea or coffee as they munch on gourmet sandwiches while playing board games.
- Visit the Trampoline Park. You can also go to the city centre to visit either the Bounce Revolution (Siddals road) or Oxygen Freejumping (Pride Park). This is a great place for families.
- Have an Escape Room experience. The city just opened the Make Your Escape in 2016 and also Unescapable in 2017. These will provide hours of fun themes and storylines.
- Play Golf or Bowling. For sports lovers, you can opt to play golf or bowling to unwind in the city. The Crazy Golf and Bowling alley are in the city centre so it should be easy to reach. It is a great way to relax after shopping in the mall.
- Attend a Derby Festival. Finally, you can always attend a festival when you visit. There is always a festival in this city – this is why it bears the title “The City of Festivals.”