Secret Derbyshire

Explore fascinating stories from Derbyshire.

Radio Derby,69 episodes

Episodes

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Belper North Mill – An ancestor to the skyscraper
A visit to Belper North Mill, ahead of major redevelopment plans.
15 Jul 2026,16 mins
APT-E: The 1970s train of the future
A fresh look at the APT-E tilting train.
01 Jul 2026,12 mins
Bess of Hardwick’s gown
A look at a rare gown once worn by Bess of Hardwick.
14 May 2026,10 mins
Repton Crypt: Resting place of Kings
A look inside the local crypt, where Mercian Kings were laid to rest.
29 Apr 2026,6 mins
The Derby mile
Remembering Derby's infamous pub crawl.
05 Apr 2026,4 mins
National Tramway Museum
A visit to the Derbyshire village, that's home to historic trams from around the country.
02 Apr 2026,10 mins
The Lost Memoir of a Derby Soldier
Wartime writings of WW1 artilleryman, F.G. Higgins are unearthed in Scotland.
19 Mar 2026,8 mins
How school design was revolutionised in Derbyshire
A look at how George H. Widdows revolutionised school design.
9 mins
Preserving Derbyshire’s past
A look behind the scenes at Derbyshire Record Office.
24 Feb 2026,11 mins
The heads of Friar Gate
What heads on a street in Derby have to do with the Reform Bill Riots.
11 Feb 2026,8 mins
Mickleover Test Track
A trip along the old Friargate line, between Egginton Junction and Etwall
21 Jan 2026,8 mins
Secret Derbyshire: Myths and Legends
Why is it called Doctor's Gate?
There's a path in the Peak district with a fascinating mythical story.
08 Jan 2026,4 mins
Derbyshire stately home has surprising link to Asia
Why does Kedleston Hall have over 1,000 Asian objects in it's museum?
31 Dec 2025,15 mins
Bare-knuckle boxing is coming to Derby
For the first time ever, Vaillant Live in Derby is hosting a BKFC fight night.
12 Dec 2025,10 mins
The Lord, the Poachers and the Party
A peculiar story which sees the Lord of the manor shockingly murdered in Wormhill.
03 Dec 2025,5 mins
Derbyshire's forgotten industry
Flax was once a thriving industry in the Amber Valley area but not many seem to remember.
25 Nov 2025,5 mins
Derbyshire's delicious history
Take a bite into the various food items unique to our county.
18 Nov 2025,9 mins
Pint with a Poltergeist: Druids Inn
The pub in Birchover has many stories... that refuse to die.
31 Oct 2025,4 mins
Marion Adnams: Derby’s surreal artist
Her work received national recognition in the 1930s during the surrealist art movement.
24 Oct 2025,5 mins
The buried head of Derbyshire’s Catholic martyr
Nicholas Garlick was born in Glossop and taught Catholicism when it was illegal to do so.
10 Oct 2025,9 mins
The last time Oasis played a gig in Derby
Before the band released their debut album, they played at the Wherehouse in May 1994.
26 Sep 2025,10 mins
Derbyshire's deadliest mining disaster
In 1950, 80 men died during a pit fire at the Creswell Colliery.
26 Sep 2025,8 mins
Why did an American WW2 bomber crash in Derbyshire?
Remains of the B29 aircraft that crashed in 1948 are nestled in the Peak District.
10 mins
The Derbyshire orphan who inspired Oliver Twist
A memoir based on Robert Blincoe's life was supposedly seen by Charles Dickens.
10 Sep 2025,10 mins
Derbyshire during the Civil War
What role did Derbyshire play? And what side was our county on, Roundheads or cavaliers?
04 Sep 2025,11 mins
The town with no phones
60 years ago, landline phones surged in popularity - but not in Bolsover.
20 Aug 2025,6 mins
The Bakewell Pudding: A sticky situation
30 years ago, a feud was born in Bakewell about which baker created the original recipe.
04 Aug 2025,5 mins
The Vikings of Derby
Explore the time that the Vikings ruled Derby.
21 Jul 2025,14 mins
The Jurassic age tree stump in Markeaton Park
The 140 million year old fossil was likely nibbled on by a dinosaur.
18 Jul 2025,6 mins
Do you know your Derbyshire folklore?
Folklorist, Simon Unsworth thinks that sadly, not many people know enough local folklore.
04 Jul 2025,9 mins