Derbyshire is fortunate to be home to the East Midlands’ only UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the creation of the modern factory transformed the world and society. These factories, and their associated communities, nestle in a beautiful 18th century relict landscape which is remarkably intact. We have a heritage gem, at the heart of the country, enhanced by a truly beautiful setting.
Stretching from Matlock Bath in the north to Derby in the south, the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site defines a cultural landscape of exceptional significance. The birth of the factory system in the Derwent Valley transformed economies and landscapes far beyond the valley itself. Within the boundaries of the property are a series of pioneering historic mill complexes and the watercourses that powered them. No less important are the settlements that were built for the mill workers and the transport links developed to serve them – all grouped within that distinctive landscape setting.
The Derwent Valley is a complex site in a living landscape, home to over 30,000 people. The sites and monuments are in a complex mosaic of ownership and management by local authorities, charities, private companies and individuals. Inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001 allowed for a level of awareness and protection that no other designation could provide. Much has been achieved since then, by partnership working, often supported by our invaluable volunteers.
This plan aims to ensure that the preservation, enhancement and promotion of the site is sensitively and appropriately managed. Its over-arching vision this time is to create and promote a local, national and international understanding and identity for the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site as a cohesive and coherent whole. There is also ambition to establish sustainable income streams and a commitment to learning, supporting the arts and sustaining tourism. It summarises how the obligations arising from the World Heritage Convention will be met in the coming five years, building on the Government’s own national policies for protection of World Heritage Properties through the planning system.
There are a considerable number of objectives and actions, allocated to seven key aims, within this new plan. These have been shaped by a series of discussions with partners and stakeholders, and set out the five-year priorities of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site Partnership, on behalf of HM Government, who are ultimately responsible for the Property. It sets a clear direction for protection, enhancement and promotion over the next five years.
Conserving and celebrating what has happened in the past is important to our sense of place and our concept of who we are. The Derwent Valley is a beautiful place in which to live, work and relax. Its natural beauty is outstanding and it has been a destination for tourists since the 18th century. As one of the key sites of Britain’s industrial revolution, what happened here was of global significance. It demonstrated an entrepreneurial spirit which was linked to technological and organisational innovations whose influence can still be seen today.
But heritage isn’t just about looking back and celebrating the past. It’s also about enriching our lives and learning lessons from what has gone before. One of our core stories is the use of waterpower to mass produce cotton – the first mechanised mass production of any commodity in the history of the human race. In the present day, as we seek out new power alternatives, we believe we have an important message: when it comes to providing the world with a carbon-free, inexhaustible power source, the Derwent Valley Mills show that you don’t have to reinvent the (water)wheel.
This iteration of the Management Plan will be signed off as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the creation of the original Derwent Valley Mills Partnership – between Richard Arkwright, Jedediah Strutt and Samuel Need. It’s a fitting time for showing our on-going commitment to the valley where innovations fundamentally changed the way our world works by transforming the global economy and providing opportunities for societal advancement in the teeth of some serious challenges throughout that time.
Ultimately the Industrial Revolution paved the way for modern society. It was not without its struggles, but the benefits of better worker housing, local infrastructure and education that arose from a degree of mutually beneficial benevolence in this period laid many of the foundations for modern Western life.
I am grateful to all those organisations and individuals who have worked to produce this document, which will shape the direction of this remarkable place in the years to come.
Councillor Barry Lewis
Chair of the Derwent Valley Mills Partnership