A to Z - HIGHLIGHTS OF DERBY AND DISTRICT - PART 19
The A to Z – highlights of Derby and District is a 19-part series and will be published weekly.
War Memorial – New Zealand
WAR MEMORIAL
The War Memorial in the marketplace is made up of bronze figures on a stone plinth with a stone cross at the rear. It was unveiled on 11 November 1924, by Alderman Oswald Ling, to commemorate those from Derby who had lost their lives during the First World War. Additional plaques have been added to honour those who died during the Second World War and more recent conflicts.
WATERFALL FEATURE
In an area reserved for relaxation, where visitors can sit and rest, The Waterfall provides a most unusual feature. It was constructed as part of the City Council, ‘Derby Promenade’, a scheme that stretched from the Spot to the Cathedral, involving pedestrianisation of the route.
WESTON-ON-TRENT
Weston like its neighbour, Aston-on-Trent, has a very active community, which has the benefit of a large village hall to accommodate various group activities. Weston Cliff, a short distance to the west of the village is a favourite spot for anglers, artists and photographers, around which the canal curves on a narrow terrace. The old Cliff Inn, a former waterman’s tavern, is now a well-appointed Social Club for the use of Ukrainians and their friends. Sometime after the Second World War, a Ukrainian base was set up on the former military depot that stands nearby, which is still used by the Ukrainians for holidays and leisure purposes.
The 13th-century Church of St Mary is sited near the canal at Weston Cliff. Two soldiers buried in the churchyard were killed in battle, just over a mile away at King’s Mill during the Civil War of 1642. The interior is impressive for a church of its size. It contains a 17th-century monument commemorating Sir Richard Sale, Prebendary of Lichfield Cathedral and a rector at Weston. The Victorian Rectory, which was at one time a Ukrainian Old People’s Home, is currently in private ownership and is known as Weston House.
WESTON-ON-TRENT – COOPERS ARMS
Coopers Arms, originally Weston Hall is a popular public house and restaurant. It is a large five-storey Tudor brick building which at one time was moated. At the front is a 1.5-acre lake which is well-liked by local fishermen. The house started in 1633 by Anthony Roper was never completed because he ran out of money. Had it been completed it would have been Derbyshire’s largest brick house.
WILLINGTON
Situated midway between Derby and Burton, close to the A38 and new A50, it is hardly surprising that Willington is normally busy with traffic. It has been the hub for transport for many years. Evidence has been found of habitation in the area long before the Transport Revolution. In 1970, traces of a settlement constructed by the Beaker People dating back to 2,000 BC was found.
WILLINGTON – BRIDGE
The bridge is the only one over the River Trent between Swarkestone and Burton and was originally a toll bridge. However, before the bridge was built in 1839, the only means of crossing the river to Repton were by ford or ferry. The ford was situated to the east of Willington Hall and the ferry was to the west of the present bridge. Both were closed when the bridge was built.
WILMORTON
Wilmorton is situated between Alvaston and Osmaston, south of the city centre close to the A6. It was formerly part of the estate of Osmaston Hall. Before being released in the 1880s and developed primarily by the Midland Railway Company for its carriage, wagon and locomotive works. It got its name partly from the previous landowner the Reverend Sir George Wilmot-Horton.
WRIGHT MEMORIAL – JOSEPH WRIGHT OBELISK
There is an art gallery devoted to Joseph Wright at Derby Museum and Art Gallery. His paintings hang in the National Gallery in London, and the Louvre, in Paris. In 1997 an exhibition showcased 260 of his paintings and drawings to celebrate the 200th anniversary of his death. The marble memorial pillar opposite Wright’s birthplace in Iron Gate. Depicts an Orrery, a mechanical model of the solar system, which is featured in one of his most famous works.
JOSEPH WRIGHT CENTRE
The £12m Joseph Wright Centre is part of Derby College and follows the merger of Mackworth, Broomfield and Wilmorton Colleges. The name originates from the internationally famous local artist whose mid to late-18th-century work was inspired by scientific and technological art forms. The building’s high-impact design produced by local architects is unique to Derby. The building has been extended.
‘X’ MARKS THE SPOT
The letter ‘X’ is often referred to in children’s tales of marking the spot where the treasure is to be found. So as I have been unable to find any highlight for this series beginning with the letter ‘X’ I have taken the liberty of including the well-known Derby landmark, The Spot. Exactly how it got the name is a curiosity as no one seems to know from where it was derived, although there are several theories.
THE YOUNG PRETENDER
The bronze equestrian Bonnie Prince Charlie Statue on Cathedral Green was presented as a gift to the city by the late Lionel Pickering, a local benefactor. It was the first equestrian statue to be created anywhere in Britain since the Second World War and celebrates the 250th Anniversary of ’45. Following the arrival of Bonnie Prince Charlie and his Jacobite army in Derby on 4 December 1745.
NEW ZEALAND
The area known as New Zealand occupies a small part of Derby, about one mile west of the city centre. It is named after a farm belonging to the Chandos-Pole family which once stood there. The farm was named to commemorate the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, which established a British Government in New Zealand. There is a public house in the area named the New Zealand Arms.