Derbyshire is home to a myriad places and buildings which have been left behind by history – from well-known castles and stately houses to more obscure family homes, air raid shelters, derelict mines, public buildings, railways and even a theme park. Behind the façade, each has a story to tell – of former glory, why they were left to ruin and why they remain abandoned. A lucky few have even been ‘reclaimed’, brought back to life and repurposed, but all these structures and places bear witness to a way of life that has past, whether fading industries, military threats that have disappeared, leisure interests that have had their day or social status and personal wealth that has moved elsewhere.
Illustrated throughout, this fascinating picture of an often forgotten part of the history of Derbyshire over the centuries will be of interest to all those who live in the county or know it well.