Sights in Derbyshire
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Derby Cathedral
Founded in AD 943, but extensively reconstructed in the 18th century, Derby Cathedral's vaulted ceiling towers over a fine collection of medieval tombs, including the opulent grave of the oft-married Bess of Hardwick, who at various times held court at Hardwick Hall, Chatsworth House and Bolsover Castle. Peregrine falcons nest in the tower – you can climb up to take a look on supervised tours (adult/child £3/2) once a month.
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Derby Museum of Industry & History
Below the cathedral, overlooking the River Derwent, this well laid-out museum is housed in a former silk mill that was one of Britain's first modern factories. Displays inside tell the story of manufacturing in Derby, from water-powered spinning wheels to the development of the Rolls-Royce aero-engine.
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Royal Crown Derby Factory
Ceramic fans will enjoy a tour around this historic pottery works, which still turns out some of the finest bone china in England, from edgy Asian-inspired designs to the kind of stuff your grandma used to collect. Only children over 10 years can join the tours.
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Hardwick Old Hall
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Quad
A striking modernist cube on Market Pl, Quad contains a futuristic art gallery, a cinema and the Mediatheque, an archive of films and TV covering decades of broadcasting, run by the British Film Institute.
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Peak District Mining Museum
A more educational introduction to the mining history of Matlock is provided by this enthusiast-run museum, set in an old Victorian dancehall. The museum is a maze of tunnels and shafts that little ones can wriggle through, while adults browse displays on mining history. For £2.50/1.50 extra per adult/child, you can go into the workings of the Temple Mine by Gulliver's Kingdom and pan for 'gold' (well, shiny minerals).
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Masson Mills Working Textile Museum
A mile south of Matlock Bath, housed in the vast brick buildings of an 18th-century mill, this museum tells the story of the textile mills that once dominated the Derwent Valley. The attached shopping village is full of outlet stores for big clothing brands.
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Hardwick Hall
Perhaps the most stately of the East Midlands' stately homes, Hardwick Hall is one of the most complete Elizabethan mansions in the country. It was home to the 16th century's second-most powerful woman, Elizabeth, Countess of Shrewsbury – known to all as Bess of Hardwick – who amassed a staggering fortune by marrying wealthy noblemen with one foot in the grave. Hardwick Hall was constructed using the money left behind when hubby number four shuffled off his mortal coil in 1590.
Designed by eminent architect Robert Smythson, the hall featured all the latest mod-cons of the time, including fully glazed windows – a massive luxury in the 16th century, inspiring the contemp…
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Derby Museum & Art Gallery
Attached to the town library, this nicely presented museum has more displays on local history and industry, with a focus on the fine ceramics produced by Royal Crown Derby.
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