Portal:Derbyshire

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The Derbyshire Portal

Introduction

Derbyshire (/ˈdɑːrbiʃɪər, -ʃər/ DAR-bee-sheer, -⁠shər) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It borders Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, and South Yorkshire to the north, Nottinghamshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south-east, Staffordshire to the south and west, and Cheshire to the west. Derby is the largest settlement, and Matlock is the county town.

The county has an area of 2,625 km² (1,014 sq mi) and a population of 1,053,316. The east of the county is more densely populated than the west, and contains the county's largest settlements: Derby (261,400), Chesterfield (88,483), and Swadlincote (45,000). For local government purposes Derbyshire comprises a non-metropolitan county, with eight districts, and the Derby unitary authority area. The East Midlands Combined County Authority includes Derbyshire County Council and Derby City Council.

The north and centre of Derbyshire are hilly and contain the southern end of the Pennines, most of which are part of the Peak District National Park. They include Kinder Scout, at 636 m (2,087 ft) the highest point in the county. The River Derwent is the longest in the county, at 66 miles (106 km), and flows south until it meets the River Trent just south of Derby. Church Flatts Farm at Coton in the Elms, near Swadlincote, is the furthest point from the sea in the UK. (Full article...)

Selected article

The Allenton Hippo is a substantive hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) skeleton that was found in Allenton, Derby, England in 1895. The skeleton is exhibited in Derby Museum and Art Gallery and is 3 metres (9.8 ft) in length. It is celebrated today in a sculpture near to where the skeleton was discovered.

The suburb of Derby called Allenton used to be a village 5 kilometres (3 mi) from Derby. Digging of a new well at the Crown Inn was undertaken in March 1895, but work stopped when the diggers discovered a bad smell and then large and unusual bones. Several people agreed to fund further investigations and that the findings should be shared with the community. The hole was extended until it was 4.5 square metres (48 sq ft) in area ...

(More on the hippo...)

General images -

The following are images from various Derbyshire-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1John Turner in May 2014 (from Treak Cliff Cavern)
Image 2From Thorpe Cloud looking to the left of Bunster Hill with the Car Park in the middle (from Thorpe Cloud)
Image 3Hand-drawn map of Derbyshire by Christopher Saxton from 1577 (from History of Derbyshire)
Image 4Valehouse (from Longdendale Chain)
Image 5Torside (from Longdendale Chain)
Image 6The Londendale reservoirs relative to Glossop and Hadfield (from Longdendale Chain)
Image 7Arbor Low henge (from History of Derbyshire)
Image 8Coat of arms of Derbyshire County Council (from History of Derbyshire)
Image 9Centurial Stone from Navio Roman Fort (from History of Derbyshire)
Image 10Stalactites and flowstone (from Treak Cliff Cavern)
Image 11Derbyshire hundreds in 1832 (from History of Derbyshire)
Image 12An excavated piece of Blue John (from Treak Cliff Cavern)
Image 13Stalactites in the New Series (from Treak Cliff Cavern)
Image 14
1. High Peak
2. Derbyshire Dales
3. South Derbyshire
4. Erewash
5. Amber Valley
6. North East Derbyshire
7. Chesterfield
8. Bolsover
9. Derby
(from History of Derbyshire)
Image 15Nine Ladies stone circle, a scheduled monument in the Derbyshire Dales district (from Scheduled monuments in Derbyshire)
Image 16Arnfield (from Longdendale Chain)
Image 17The visitor centre and office complex (from Treak Cliff Cavern)
Image 18Magpie Mine (from History of Derbyshire)
Image 19Woodhead (from Longdendale Chain)
Image 20Derbyshire Tenants-in-Chief listed in the Domesday Book (from History of Derbyshire)
Image 21View from on the top of Thorpe Cloud looking towards Bunster Hill (from Thorpe Cloud)
Image 22Exposed Blue John in situ within the Witch's Cave (from Treak Cliff Cavern)
Image 23Rhodeswood (from Longdendale Chain)
Image 24At the Rhodeswood reservoir dam, we see the outflow canal from the Torside Reservoir dam, alongside the Rhodeswood Reservoir. The Torside dam can be seen in the distance. To the right is Shining Clough Moss and Bleaklow. To the left Bareholm Moss and Black Hill (from Longdendale Chain)
Image 25Bottoms (from Longdendale Chain)

Selected picture

This one is of the notable 18th century Derbyshire judge Sir John Eardley Wilmot by Benjamin West. In the background is the same artist's painting representing American loyalists claiming compensation from the mother country - Wilmot chaired a Royal Commission which established their rights.

Did You Know...

... that Joseph Wright of Derby's painting of Miravan's revulsion as he breaks open a tomb (detail pictured) is based on a story retold by John Gilbert Cooper? (June 2011 2,100 hits)
... that the bankrupt dandy "Champagne Charlie" sold his inheritance including the painting Earthstopper on the banks of the Derwent (detail pictured)?