Derby City Map Poster

About Derby

The Roman camp of 'Derventio' was probably at Little Chester/Chester Green (grid reference SK353775), the site of the old Roman fort. Later the town was one of ten townships in the huge parish of Derby St Werburgh, and it became a separate civil parish in 1846. The origin is uncertain; if Derventio is derived from an Old Celtic original, then perhaps it meant "the settlement by or under a hill". Alternatively Derwent (from Welsh: derw) may derive from British *"daru", meaning "oak tree"; alternatively again Derby may be linked with an Old English word for deer ("dær"). The area around Derby has been exploited for its iron ore since Roman times; ironworks were established at Anston, Wirksworth and Shelton. In 1571 Queen Elizabeth I granted Henry Hastings, Lord Hastings permission to develop coal mines on his land at Wirksworth.