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Derbyshire

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Derbyshire is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England.

Derbyshire UK locator map 2010
Derbyshire UK locator map 2010

It sits near many other places like Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire. The county has a very varied landscape with different types of land. The north and centre are filled with high uplands. Much of this hilly area is part of the Peak District National Park.

Map of Derbyshire boundaries plus Peak District
Map of Derbyshire boundaries plus Peak District

Kinder Scout is the highest point in the whole county. In the south and east, the land becomes much lower and flatter.

Derbyshire - British Isles
Derbyshire - British Isles

Water plays a huge part in how the land looks. The River Derwent is the longest river in Derbyshire. It rises in the moorland of Bleaklow and flows through the Peak District. Eventually, it flows south to meet the River Trent near Derby.

KinderDownfall6435
KinderDownfall6435

The River Dove is another main river in the area. It rises at Axe Edge Moor and forms a border with Staffordshire. There is even a spot called Church Flatts Farm that is the furthest point from the sea in the UK.

Derbyshire numbered districts
Derbyshire numbered districts

Humans have been visiting this land for a very long time. People likely visited the area 200,000 years ago. You can find old stone hand axes from the Stone Age near Hopton.

Arbor low 274167 560a8cc3
Arbor low 274167 560a8cc3

Later, Neolithic people built burial mounds and large monuments. One famous henge monument is called Arbor Low and dates to 2500 BCE.

Derbia Atlas
Derbia Atlas

Roman invaders also came to the area to find lead ore. They built forts in the Hope Valley and near Glossop. They even set up a fort near modern-day Derby at Little Chester.

The ground under your feet is made of many different rocks. The northern part has very old rocks like limestone and gritstone. These rocks helped create deep cave systems over a long time. One cave near Castleton is named Titan and has the biggest chamber in Britain.

Magpie mine
Magpie mine

The southern part of the county has much softer rocks like mudstone. These softer rocks create a landscape that is more rolling and gentle. Some areas even have coal deposits that people have mined for many years.

Today, many people live in the towns and cities of Derbyshire. The city of Derby is the largest settlement in the county.

Photo from Racecourse end
Photo from Racecourse end

Other large towns include Chesterfield in the north-east and Swadlincote in the south. People use the land in many ways, such as farming or mining limestone. There are also green belts to protect the land around the cities.

Derbyshire & Midlands green belts
Derbyshire & Midlands green belts

These special areas help keep the countryside beautiful for everyone to see.

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🖼️ Images & Media (16)
File:Derbyshire UK locator map 2010.svg
Derbyshire UK locator map 2010.svg
File:Derbyshire - British Isles.svg
Derbyshire - British Isles.svg
File:Derbyshire numbered districts.svg
Derbyshire numbered districts.svg
File:Arbor low 274167 560a8cc3.jpg
Arbor low 274167 560a8cc3.jpg
File:Derbia Atlas.jpg
Derbia Atlas.jpg
File:Derbyshire & Midlands green belts.svg
Derbyshire & Midlands green belts.svg
File:Map of Derbyshire boundaries plus Peak District.jpg
Map of Derbyshire boundaries plus Peak...
File:KinderDownfall6435.JPG
KinderDownfall6435.JPG
File:Magpie mine.jpg
Magpie mine.jpg
File:DerbyshireParliamentaryConstituency2024Results.svg
DerbyshireParliamentaryConstituency2024Results.svg
File:Matlock - County Offices frontage.jpg
Matlock - County Offices frontage.jpg
File:Turnditch. - geograph.org.uk - 177283.jpg
Turnditch. - geograph.org.uk - 177283.jpg

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