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Site record MDR10442 - Parkland and gardens to St Helen's (site of), Derby

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status/Designation

Full Description

In 1767 the park of St Helen's House was carved out of former abbey land. (1) St Helen's House, built 1766-67, stood in a park of 80 acres, descending sharply east to the Derwent and extending north to join with that of the now vanished Darley Hall. The parkland was almost certainly landscaped by William Emes. In 1829, Glover wrote that the hot house in the grounds was 'esteemed one of the most curious and complete buildings of this description in England'. Its precise location remains unclear but it was probably part of the stable court. When Edward Strutt sold the house in 1862, he retained the parkland - or what was left of it, since his father had built over it from Darley Grove to the River on the east side of the house from 1819, and he himself had laid out Edward Street, Henry Street and the northern part of Arthur Street in the 1840s, including the once handsome Kingston Terrace, at the cost of the draining of Emes's lake. In 1871 the GNR extension through Derby tunnelled beneath the orangery and stable block in such a way that the structures could not be saved. (2) Park areas of Derby are mentioned generally in 'The Natural History of Derbyshire'- 'Derby, 122 Miles from London, took its Name from having been Park, or Shelter for Deer; it stands on the West Side of the River Derwent, and the South Side of it is watered by a little Rivulet called Martin Brook… this Town is, by the best Account, very antient; for we find it was a royal Borough in the Reign of Edward the Confessor, and much is said, in History, of the Revolutions and Fates it underwent in the Time of the Saxon and Danish Wars.' (3)

Sources/Archives (3)

  • <1> Bibliographic reference: Craven, M. 1996. The Illustrated History of Derby Suburbs. p 53.
  • <2> Article in serial: Craven, M. 2005. 'St Helen's House, Derby', Derby Civic Society Newsletter Special Issue. Summer, No. 82. pp 11-12, 23.
  • <3> Bibliographic reference: Martin, B. 1765. The Natural History of Derbyshire.

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred SK 35022 37054 (498m by 594m)
Civil Parish DERBY, DERBY, DERBYSHIRE
World Heritage Site Derwent Valley Mills

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (1)

  • EDR5237

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External Links (0)

Record last edited

Sep 5 2023 1:41PM

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