| River Derwent | |
|---|---|
 The River Derwent, near Hathersage | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | England |
| Counties | Derbyshire |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Bleaklow, east ofGlossop |
| • coordinates | 53°28′01″N1°48′47″W / 53.466894°N 1.813175°W /53.466894; -1.813175 |
| Mouth | |
• location | Derwent Mouth,River Trent |
• coordinates | 52°52′26″N1°19′13″W / 52.8738°N 1.3203°W /52.8738; -1.3203 |
| Length | 80 km (50 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Bentley Brook,River Amber |
| • right | River Westend,River Ashop,River Noe,River Wye,River Ecclesbourne |
River Derwent | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
TheDerwent is a river inDerbyshire, England. It is 50 miles (80 km)[1] long and is atributary of theRiver Trent, which it joins south ofDerby.[2] Throughout its course, the river mostly flows through thePeak District and its foothills.
Much of the river's route, with the exception of the city of Derby, is rural. However, the river has also seen many human uses, and betweenMatlock and Derby was one of the cradles of theIndustrial Revolution. It is the site of theDerwent Valley Mills, the first industrial-scalecotton mills. Today it provides a water supply to several surrounding cities, and its steep-sided valley is an important communications corridor through the uplands of the Peak District.[3]
The scenery of the Derwent valley attracts many tourists. The upper reaches pass through the Peak District National Park, whilst the middle reaches around the oldspa town ofMatlock Bath offer souvenir shops and amusement arcades, together with attractions such as theHeights of Abraham and itscable car.[3][4]
Derwent is derived fromBrittonic river name*Deruentiū,Latinised asDeruentiō, meaning "(belonging/pertaining to the) forest of oak trees"; the old river name survived in medieval Welsh poetry, such asPeis Dinogat ("Dinogad's Smock") attached to the larger poemY Gododdin, asDerwennydd.[5][6][7][8]
The River Derwentrises at Swains Greave (590 metres (1,940 ft) above sea level) on the eastern flank ofBleaklow, opposite Howden Moors, and some 6 miles (9.7 km) east ofGlossop.[2] It flows through theUpper Derwent Valley, and for most of its first 6 miles (9.7 km) forms the county boundary between Derbyshire, on its west bank, andSouth Yorkshire, on the east bank. Some 4 miles (6.4 km) into its journey it passes through three consecutive reservoirs:Howden, the highest,Derwent andLadybower Reservoir. Derwent Reservoir is named after the now-submerged village ofDerwent, which was named after the river. Once past Howden Reservoir, both banks of the river are in Derbyshire, and the river remains in the county to its mouth. Howden Reservoir is also fed by theRiver Westend, whilst Ladybower Reservoir is also fed by theRiver Ashop. The former confluences of the two tributaries with the Derwent are now submerged below the respective reservoirs.[3][9]
Further south, the Derwent passes the village ofBamford, where it is joined by theRiver Noe. Below this confluence, it flows throughHathersage,Grindleford,Calver andBaslow, and through the estate ofChatsworth House, before it is joined by theRiver Wye atRowsley. After passing throughDarley Dale, the Derwent reachesMatlock, where, at an oxbow, it collects theBentley Brook. It then flows past the villages ofMatlock Bath,Cromford,Whatstandwell, andAmbergate, where it is joined by theRiver Amber.[9]
Below Ambergate, the river flows through the town ofBelper and the villages ofMilford andDuffield, where it is joined by theRiver Ecclesbourne. It then enters the city ofDerby nearDarley Abbey and flows through the centre of the city. The river ends atDerwent Mouth, betweenShardlow andSawley, where it joins theRiver Trent at a height of 30 metres (98 ft) above sea level; a total drop of 560 metres (1,840 ft).[2] Its course meanders somewhat, especially in its lower reaches, adding 16 miles (26 km) to its apparent length of 50 miles (80 km). Its waters ultimately reach theNorth Sea via theHumber Estuary.[9]
The River Derwent is the habitat for many different animals such asotters,[10] birds, insects, fish and crayfish.[11] It is also a habitat for many wild flowers, as exemplified by the Lower Derwent Trail.[12]
| Derwent Navigation Act 1719 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act for making the River Darwent, in the County of Derby, navigable. |
| Citation | 6 Geo. 1. c. 27 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 7 April 1720 |
The lower river from Derwent Mouth upstream as far asDerby was made navigable under anact of Parliament of 1720, theDerwent Navigation Act 1719 (6 Geo. 1. c. 27), and this stretch opened to navigation in 1721. Traffic ceased about 1795 and the navigation was acquired by the owners of the competingDerby Canal. The river is no longer considered navigable, although the upper river is widely used by kayakers andcanoeists who enjoy the fast-flowing water and the slalom course atMatlock Bath.[13][14]
The river was also used to power the many textile mills that were built along the Derwent between Matlock Bath and Derby. Initially, the need for water power was quite modest, for exampleLombe's Silk Mill in Derby, which is considered to be the forerunner of the latercotton mills, only needed to use the power provided by a small mill stream, andRichard Arkwright'sCromford Mill, the world's first water-powered cotton spinning mill, only used a small tributary of the Derwent in conjunction with a lead minesough.[15] The later mills atBelper,Darley Abbey andMasson Mill were much larger and needed to harness the full power of the river to drive their complex machinery. This required the construction of largeweirs across the Derwent that still remain as significant features in the riverscape.[16]
These sites were all important in the development of theIndustrial Revolution, and Arkwright's innovation, along with several local competitors, is recognised today by the designation of the area as theDerwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site.[17]
The power of the Derwent is still harnessed at a number of these historic mill sites, producinghydro-electricity from turbines instead of driving mill wheels, with a recent development being the construction of a hydro-electric station at Longbridge weir, adjacent to the Riverside Gardens in Derby.[18]
Howden andDerwent Reservoirs in the upper valley were both completed in 1916 to supply the cities ofSheffield,Nottingham, Derby, andLeicester. The adjacentLadybower Reservoir was completed in 1945 to cover increasing demand. Treated water from these reservoirs flows down the 28-mile (45 km) Derwent Valley Aqueduct parallel to the river. The river also indirectly suppliesCarsington Reservoir, with the water taken from the river by a pumping station atAmbergate in times of high flow. When flows are low, water is released back into the river via the same 6.5-mile (10.5 km) route of tunnels and aqueducts, thus allowing greater abstraction rates downstream atLittle Eaton in the drier summer months. Today all these reservoirs are managed bySevern Trent Water.[19][20]
The valley of the Derwent provides an important communications route. Between Derby andRowsley the valley is followed by theA6 road, which was the main road from London toManchester until the creation of the motorway network, and is still a busy single-carriageway road. The formerMidland Railway's lines from Derby to Sheffield and Manchester also followed the Derwent, the former as far as Ambergate and the latter as far as Rowsley. The Sheffield line still operates as part of theMidland Main Line, but the Manchester line was severed north of Matlock in 1968, and the section from Ambergate to Matlock now forms theDerwent Valley Line, a single-track branch line. Between Ambergate and Cromford, the river, road and railway are also paralleled by theCromford Canal. The terminus was once connected to Manchester across theHigh Peak by the earlyCromford and High Peak Railway.[9][21]
Alphabetical listing of tributaries, extracted from the Water Framework Directive list of water bodies for the Derbyshire Derwent:[22]
The River Derwent provides the name for the oldesthockey club inDerbyshire. Derwent Hockey Club was established in 1897 and played its matches on the banks of the Derwent inDarley Dale, before relocating toWirksworth.[23]It also gives its name to Derwent Rowing Club in Derby, founded in 1857.[24]
The pureness of the river has also been commented on byCharles Cotton – "Piscator" in Izaac Walton'sCompleat Angler.[25]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
| History | |
|---|---|
| Geography | |
| Politics | |
| Venues and attractions | |
| Transport | |
| Education and health | |
| Religion | |
| Sport | |
| Media | |
