Derby

Derby district covers the city of Derby, a unitary authority in the East Midlands centred on the River Derwent. The river runs through the city and meets a string of historic mill sites; Derby Silk Mill stands on the riverbank and forms part of the Derwent Valley Mills UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city core includes Derby Cathedral and a railway station on the Midland Main Line, which provides regular connections south to London and north to Sheffield and beyond. Street patterns mix Georgian terraces, post-war developments and purpose-built civic buildings around the market quarter.

Industry and institutions remain visible across the district. Rolls‑Royce maintains large aero‑engine facilities, and the railway industry has long presence at maintenance and manufacturing works on Litchurch Lane. The University of Derby has campuses within the district and partnerships with local employers. Green spaces such as Markeaton Park and the former mill village of Darley Abbey lie along the Derwent, offering riverside walks and evidence of the city’s industrial past in surviving mill buildings and worker housing.