17th Century Derby
1601 AD
Around 200 soldiers that came from Lincolnshire on their way to Ireland set upon the townspeople who were going to their prayers on the Sabbath day. They were resisted by the bailiffs and burgesses.
1610 AD
Due to a sudden flood in Markeaton Brook, which ran alongside the gaol at that time, three prisoners who were trapped in their cell died.
1611 AD
Jacobean House on the Wardwick was built. It was later modified in 1855 to allow access to Becket Street.
1611 AD
On May 14 a large flood, “that in the memory of man the like was never seen”, hit Derby.
1635 AD
Four people perished in severe snow between Derby and Spondon.
1642 AD
King Charles passed through Derby on his way to raise his standard at Nottingham at the beginning of the English Civil War.
1642 AD
Sir John Gell’s Parliamentary Army entered Derby on October 31.
1659 – 1660 AD
The Shire Hall was constructed on St. Mary’s Gate in Derby where it remains today.
1661 AD
The River Derwent was so dry that people could walk on the river bed.
1662 AD
By this time Derby had 615 households and 1,479 taxable hearths, (the Hearth Tax levied a tax based on the number of hearths in a household).
1662 AD
A hurricane hit Derby that, “blew up trees by the roots, a pillar or pinnacle off St. Werburgh’s steeple, and untiled the town’s hall and many houses in the market-place and Full-street” .
1665 AD
The plague reached Derby during the Great Plague of 1665. Certain place names in Derby can trace their history back to this period with Blagreaves Lane previously being Black Graves Lane and Dead Man’s Lane needing no additional explanation.
1673 AD
A flood on Markeaton Brook hit the town and broke three of the towns ten bridges.
1680 AD
The last surviving coaching inn in Derby – The Old Bell Hotel – was built. Its timber façade was added in 1929.
1682 AD
A severe frost began in September of this year and lasted until the 5th of February of the following year.
1691 AD
George Sorocold proposed a scheme that would enable water to be pumped around the town centre. This system remained in operation until 1841 and was the first town centre water supply system in the British Isles.
c.1693 AD
The George Inn, now Jorrocks, was built on Iron Gate.
1696 AD
Osmaston Hall was built for Robert Wilmot. It was demolished in 1938 and is now the site of an industrial estate.
Jacobean House – (see 1611 AD)
The Old Bell Hotel – (see 1680 AD)