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An artistic impression of what the Roman camp of Derventio in Derby was thought to have looked like

For this journey back into the past I once again have delved into my 1935 Derby Directory. I have always been fascinated by some of the weird and wonderful areas and street names that occur in our city, so here is a small insight into some that are still evident and others that have long since vanished.

Some of my father's family lived in the Little Chester area of the town, as it then was. By this we are reminded that Derby was once occupied by the Romans who towards the end of the first century established an encampment which they called Derventio.

In 1791 a historian William Hutton wrote.... "Derby is said to be a mile long, that is from St. Mary's Bridge to Cuckold's Alley, but it must be a very short one, neither is this passage straight, for it curves with the river.

“Its breadth from the top of Sadler Gate to the Derwent is nearly half a mile. Could the town be thrown into a square, it would not cover 100 acres."

Cuckold's Alley has gone, but in 1935 it was known as Hill Street. This was once the southernmost boundary but obviously it had become part of the centre of the town.

A couple more unusual names were Bag Lane and Dog Kennel Lane. Bag Lane led to the ancient castle of Derby which stood near the Morledge. Bag or Bagge, as the name was rendered in earlier times, is of Danish derivation and is believed to be a corruption of the word burg [castle] and as time passed instead of becoming Castle Gate it was changed to East Street.

Dog Kennel Lane, which apparently offended the fastidious, was changed in equally meaningless fashion to Great Northern Road. Its derivation was attributed to the fact that it once led to the Kennels of the Derby Town Hounds.

One of Derby's oldest streets is St. Mary's Gate which is mentioned in documents as far back as the fourteenth century, as is suggested by the name. It was the site of St. Mary's Church, the disappearance of which is something of a mystery.

Walker Lane was a reference to a local industry of the time. A 'walker' was a fuller who cleaned off whitened woollen cloth by trampling on it with his bare feet. Nearly opposite Walker Lane was Full Street, that is Fullers' Street or Fulling Street, close by the riverside where the 'walkers' were employed. Fuller's earth, which was much used by them, is familiar enough.

Amen Alley and College Place are associated with All Saints, once a collegiate church and now the Cathedral which they adjoin. Jury Street was that part of the town where the Jews once lived. In the middle ages the children of Israel were driven from pillar to post and Derby was actually empowered by royal charter to exclude them, but when they were tolerated they were forced to reside in a particular quarter of the town.

Cheapside, next to St. Werburgh's Church, is the site of an ancient market. In olden times a market was usually held near a parish church. "Chepe" meant to buy or bargain, and Derby's Cheapside is probably as old as its namesake in London, serving the same purpose.

So there are just a few of the old names that have possibly puzzled some amongst you. Like my hair, many have vanished with the passing of time.

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County:  Derbyshire

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