Sitting at the heart of the country, Derbyshire is an area of transition between the highlands of the Northwest and the lowlands of the Southeast. As a result the archaeology of the county is abundant and varied. Important archaeological sites include:
- Palaeolithic caves at Creswell Crags.
- Neolithic and Bronze Age henges, barrows and stone circles, including four of the original 26 scheduled monuments: Minning Low, Arbor Low, Nine Ladies Stone Circle and Hob Hurst’s House.
- Bronze Age rock art at Gardom’s Edge.
- Bronze Age settlement sites on the moors including Big Moor.
- Bronze Age site at Shardlow, which produced a log boat.
- Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age ‘hillfort’ at Mam Tor.
- Roman forts, including Ardotalia (Melandra) and Derventio (Little Chester, Derby).
- Anglo Saxon crosses, including one at Eyam.
- Viking winter camp at Repton, and cemetery site at nearby Ingleby.
- Medieval churches and field systems throughout Peak District.
- Post-medieval lead mines, such as Magpie Mine.
Explore artefacts and coins found in Derbyshire and recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database. There’s even more about Derbyshire finds and volunteering on our blog.
To get involved, try one of the museums, clubs or societies or come to a local event. Or contact us to learn more about volunteering for the Portable Antiquities Scheme.