A Day Trip to Derby - Part 3

A detail of the pediment at the Cathedral Quarter Hotel

After looking around Derby Museum and Art Gallery, I continued my exploration of Derby and very soon encountered St. Werburgh’s church, on Friar Gate, which is of mediaeval origin, but the earliest surviving part is the tower, rebuilt in 1601. 

The tower of St. Werburgh's church

The church is closed and I just took a few photos of the tower, which is managed by the Churches Conservation Trust, and the south elevation - taking note of the deterioration of the Derbyshire gritstone in the tower - which has been restored extensively, with blocks of new stone and with clay tiles. 

Details of repairs to the tower of St. Weburgh's church

Moving on to St. Mary’s Gate, the Grade I Listed County Hall is the first of several substantial historic buildings on this street. Built in 1660 in a Classical style, it provides another example of Derbyshire gritstone, this time a pinkish variety. 

County Hall

From here, continuing towards Derby Cathedral, the tower of the latter dominates the east end of the street and, on either side of the road, two large brick buildings with gritstone dressings form part of group of buildings that were built as the headquarters of the  County Council. 

The old County Offices

The buildings are constructed in the Renaissance style, with bold rustication and pediments to the porticos suggesting a date belonging to the first half of the C18, but these were in fact built from 1895 to 1912. 

The Cathedral Quarter Hotel

Looking closely at the fabric, the pressed red bricks and the crisp details of the gritstone dressings are indicative of their relatively recent date but, further towards the cathedral, there are some good examples of brick built early Georgian houses – including Simpson’s House.

A view east along St. Mary's Gate