Derby Arboretum, Derby, Derbyshire, England

The following is from the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest. 

A mid 19th century public park designed by John Claudius Loudon.

DESCRIPTION

LOCATION, AREA, BOUNDARIES, LANDFORM, SETTING

Derby Arboretum is situated about 1 kilometre south-south-east of the centre of the city of Derby, to the west of the A514 Osmaston Road. The site, of about 7.5 hectares, comprises some 4 hectares which were laid out by J C Loudon as a public garden in 1839-1840, and about 3.5 hectares of recreation ground to the south which was added to the original garden in 1852. The site is set in a mid 19th century residential district, and is surrounded by domestic and commercial properties. To the west a brick wall separates the site from gardens in Twyford Street and Harriet Street, while to the south-west the boundary is formed by Loudon Street. Brick walls similarly separate the site from domestic properties in Madeley Street to the south-west and Reginald Street to the south-east. The southern boundary fronting Rose Hill Street is formed by tall, 19th century, painted cast-iron spiked railings set on a low stone wall. To the east a brick-walled yard adjoins Reginald Street, while to the north-east further brick walls separate the site from a school and industrial premises on Osmaston Road, and domestic properties in Arboretum Square. To the north and north-west the site merges with mid and late 20th century housing which has been constructed north-west of Morleston Street and on the site of Grove Street. The site is naturally level, but in 1839-1840 Loudon formed a series of earth mounds running from north-west to south-east through the Arboretum; the mid 19th century recreation ground to the south remains level (2000). Significant internal views are formed by Loudon's earth banks and planting, but due to the level nature of the surroundings there are few external views. To the south-east, the ornamental facade of the public baths constructed east of Reginald Street in 1903 is visible, while to the south, houses on the south side of Rose Hill Street terminate the vista through the recreation ground. To the north-east the tapered 19th century brick chimney of the Crown Derby factory rises through surrounding trees.

OTHER LAND

A service yard is situated at the east end of the Arboretum, to the south of the Reginald Street lodge. Roughly triangular on plan, the yard is enclosed by brick walls about 2 metres high with a vehicular entrance from Reginald Street. Today the yard contains service buildings and sheds; the three late 19th century glasshouses (Ordnance Survey) do not survive.

REFERENCES

J C Loudon, The Derby Arboretum: containing a catalogue of the trees and shrubs ... A Description of the Grounds and Directions for their Management (1840)

The Gardener's Magazine 16, (1840), pp 59-63, 520-545

The Illustrated London News, (15 July 1843), p 36

W Adam, Gem of the Peak (5th edn 1851), pp 3-5

Derby Arboretum Company Ltd Year Book (1926)

Country Life, 160 (25 November 1976), pp 1582-1584

N Pevsner and E Williamson, The Buildings of England: Derbyshire (1979), p 187

B Elliott, The Victorian Garden (1986), pp 34-35, 52-53, 136

M L Simo, Loudon and the Landscape (1988), pp 191-205

H Conway, People's Parks: the design and development of Victorian Parks in Britain (1991)

S Lasdun, The English Park (1991), pp 157-159

Garden History 22, no 2 (1995), pp 201-221

H Conway, Public Parks (1996), pp 12-13

Maps

Tithe map for Derby parish (Litchurch district), 1851 (D2360/3/134a), (Derbyshire Record Office)

OS 6" to 1 mile: 1st edition surveyed 1880-1882, published 1886

2nd edition published 1919

OS 25" to 1 mile: 1st edition surveyed 1882, published 1884

2nd edition published 1900

Illustrations

Engraved views of the lodges and pavilions (in Loudon 1840)

Woodcut, Arboretum, Derby (in The Illustrated London News, 1843)

Archival items

MS Account of Joseph Strutt (nd, c 1900), (2943 M/F10/1), (Derbyshire Record Office)

Description written: February 2000

Amended: May 2000, September 2000

Edited: February 2001