A New Map of Derbyshire Divided Into Hundreds Exhibiting Its Roads Rivers And Parks &c By John Cary Engraver 1831

Cartographer: Cary, John
Publisher: John Cary
Price: £65 including postage in the UK
Publication Date: 1831
Edition: New edition
Map Size: 60cm x 51cm
Binding: Original cloth slipcase with publisher’s paper label
Condition: Very good in very good slipcase

Condition:

Sold by G. Cruchley. Hand-coloured and engraved folding map, dissected and mounted on linen extending west to east from Mellor to Nottingham and north to south from Glossop to Measham. Slight marking and foxing. Wear with minor loss to the fold intersections. A very good copy in very good slipcase. The 1831 edition of this map is scarce.

Derbyshire in 1831: A Brief Overview

In 1831, Derbyshire stood at a moment of transition, shaped by the long arc of the Industrial Revolution, the persistence of its rural and upland landscapes, and the social and political tensions that defined early nineteenth-century Britain. The county combined rapidly developing industrial towns with ancient agricultural communities and some of England’s most dramatic natural scenery.

Its mixture of mills, mines, market towns, landed estates, and moorlands made Derbyshire in 1831 both characteristically Midlands in its industrial energy and uniquely distinctive in its topographical contrasts.

1. Administrative and Demographic Context

County Structure

Derbyshire in 1831 formed one of England’s traditional historic counties, bordered by:

• Yorkshire to the north-east
• Nottinghamshire to the east
• Leicestershire to the south-east
• Staffordshire to the west
• Cheshire to the north-west

The county town was Derby, still governed as a borough with medieval origins, but increasingly influenced by Georgian improvements and industrial growth.

Population

The 1831 Census recorded a population approaching 200,000, reflecting steady growth since the late eighteenth century. Much of this increase was driven by:

• Industrial employment (textiles, mining, ironmaking)
• Town expansion
• Rural-to-urban migration
• Improved transport routes

The population remained unevenly distributed, with dense concentrations in the Derwent Valley and more scattered settlements in the High Peak and limestone country.

2. The Industrial Landscape

Derbyshire in 1831 was deeply shaped by the first wave of the Industrial Revolution, much of which had unfolded in the county since the mid-eighteenth century.

Cotton Mills and the Derwent Valley

The Derwent Valley was one of the birthplaces of the factory system:

• Cromford, associated with Richard Arkwright’s pioneering water-powered mills
• Belper, Milford, and Darley Abbey, home to the Strutt family’s extensive mill complexes
• Precise, regimented mill villages containing workers’ housing, chapels, and schools

By 1831, these communities were fully established industrial environments, with textile manufacture central to local life.

Mining and Mineral Extraction

Derbyshire had long been known for its mineral wealth:

• Lead mining remained significant, especially in the Peak District
• Limestone quarries supplied building materials and lime for agriculture
• Coal mining expanded in the south and east of the county, supporting emerging ironworks

The county’s ancient mining traditions coexisted with more modern, capital-intensive enterprise.

Iron and Engineering

Sites such as Derby, Codnor Park, and Butterley were important centres of:

• Ironmaking
• Foundry work
• Early railway engineering

The Butterley Company, in particular, played a major role in supplying ironwork for railways, bridges, and public buildings both locally and nationally.

3. Towns and Settlements

Derby

In 1831, Derby was a growing industrial and commercial town, with:

• Silk and cotton mills
• Developing railway workshops (the Midland Railway would formally form later in the 1840s, but precursor activity was underway)
• Active markets and a civic elite seeking improvements to roads, lighting, and public buildings

Though not yet a city, Derby was a regional centre poised for rapid Victorian expansion.

Chesterfield

Chesterfield was a market and mining town with a mixed economy:

• Coal mining and ironworking nearby
• A busy market hall and retail centre
• Crafts and small-scale industry

Its iconic crooked spire was already a landmark for travellers across the county.

Matlock and Bakewell

These towns were smaller and more rural in character, attracting early visitors interested in the region’s natural scenery, spas, and romantic landscapes. Matlock Bath had already grown fashionable during the Georgian period.

Buxton

Renowned for its thermal waters, Buxton retained its status as a genteel spa town frequented by wealthy visitors. Its crescents, baths, and promenades reflected the architectural tastes of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.

Mill and Mining Villages

Derbyshire in 1831 was dotted with purpose-built settlements such as:

• Cromford
• Belper
• Wirksworth
• Ashbourne (market-oriented rather than industrial)
• High Peak villages shaped by quarrying and pastoral agriculture

Such communities reveal the diversity of the county’s economic base.

4. Rural Life and Agriculture

Away from the industrial valleys, large parts of Derbyshire retained a rural and agricultural character.

Farming Practices

Agriculture in 1831 involved:

• Mixed farming in the south
• Sheep-rearing on moorland and upland terrain
• Dairy production in more fertile areas

Enclosure, largely complete by this period, had reshaped field patterns and changed traditional village life.

Estate Influence

Large landed estates exerted considerable influence. Notable families and estates included:

• The Cavendish family at Chatsworth House
• The Duke of Devonshire’s extensive lands in the Peak District
• The Gell, FitzHerbert, and other local gentry families

These estates shaped local employment, agricultural practices, parish politics, and cultural patronage.

5. Transport and Infrastructure

Roads and Turnpikes

Turnpike trusts had significantly improved the county’s roads by 1831. Coaching routes connected Derbyshire to:

• London
• Manchester
• Sheffield
• Birmingham

Travel remained slow by modern standards but was markedly more reliable than during the previous century.

Early Railways

Derbyshire was an early railway region:

• The High Peak Railway, opened in the 1830s, linked the Cromford Canal with the Peak Forest Canal using a pioneering combination of inclined planes and steam power
• Railway engineering companies already active in the county laid foundations for later Victorian expansion

The arrival of rail transport dramatically accelerated industrial and social change.

6. Social Conditions and Everyday Life

Work and Labour

Life for many working families revolved around:

• Long hours in mills
• Physically demanding mining labour
• Modest wages
• Company housing and strict discipline in mill villages

Child labour remained widespread, though increasingly scrutinised by reformers.

Religion and Community

Church and chapel life played a central role. Derbyshire hosted:

• Anglican parishes
• A strong Methodist presence
• Independent and nonconformist congregations

Religious revivalism remained a feature in many communities.

Education

Formal schooling varied widely. Some mill and estate owners provided schools, while others relied on Sunday schools and informal instruction.

7. Political Climate and the Reform Movement

The year 1831 was politically charged across Britain, including Derbyshire. The national campaign for the Reform Bill, which aimed to modernise the parliamentary system, stirred intense feeling.

In Derbyshire:

• Public meetings and petitions were common
• Urban centres tended to support reform
• Some rural elites resisted changes seen as threatening their influence

The county was not immune to broader social unrest and anxieties driven by economic fluctuations and political uncertainty.

8. Culture, Landscape, and Early Tourism

Romantic Interest in the Peak District

The county’s dramatic scenery — limestone dales, gritstone edges, and moorlands — attracted visitors, artists, and literary figures. The 1830s saw increasing numbers of travellers inspired by:

• The beauty of Dovedale
• The dramatic landscapes around Castleton, Edale, and Kinder Scout
• The spa towns of Buxton and Matlock Bath

Travel guides and illustrations helped popularise Derbyshire as a tourist destination.

Folk Traditions

Local fairs, wakes, music, and crafts remained integral to community life, reflecting long-standing regional traditions.

Conclusion

Derbyshire in 1831 was a county bridging tradition and transformation. While its rural landscapes, historic estates, and ancient market towns preserved centuries-old patterns of life, the forces of industrial modernity were becoming ever more dominant, especially in the Derwent Valley and the southern coalfields.

This mixture of industrial innovation, rural continuity, political agitation, and emerging tourism created a distinctive and dynamic county whose Victorian evolution was already firmly underway.

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