DERBY HERITAGE FORUM WEB SITE

Last update 27 May 2008

Members of the Derby Heritage forum:-

Honorary Chairman:-
Charles Clark-Maxwell – Lord of the Manor of Markeaton
The Manor of Markeaton and it's associated park are of great importance to the understanding of the history of Derby and the Forum are grateful for the enthusiastic contribution made by Charles.

Core Members:-

Don Farnsworth
Don is a well known and respected historian with special interests in Roman history in Derby and the history of Markeaton Park. Don has written a comprehensive history of Mackworth and Markeaton and his book is currently available. Don is presently collaborating on an investigation of the Markeaton Brook and a paper may be available shortly

Chris Harris
Chris is the web master of the Derby Arboretum website which has achieved world-wide recognition. Chris has been able to virtually rewrite the history books on the Derby Arboretum, it's founder Joseph Strutt and the landscape gardener John Claudius Loudon. Chris has given a lecture about the Derby Arboretum to an International Conference held at the Linnaean Society during September 2006. Chris is a regular contributor to the Derby Evening Telegraph Opinion Page and Bygones as well as having Soapbox articles published; he was also a contributor to Ron McKeown's Derby Trader Heritage column.

Ron McKeown
Ron wrote the Heritage Column in The Derby Trader free newspaper until the paper closed in May 2008. Ron describes himself as a “Heritage Activist” rather than an historian and has written a controversial book, The Rivers of Time, containing his research into the historic water levels around Derby and the effects of these levels on the development of the town. The research also indicates the evolution of Nottingham and the whole of the Humber flood plains, which is most of the central eastern region of England. Importantly, the evidence in the book is suggesting that the Medieval Warm Period was warmer than today and that this caused higher water levels in the Viking Period.
Also on the subject of Global Warming see Ron's project - the ANGLO-SAXON CHRONICLE INVESTIGATION with proof of higher sea and river levels during the Medieval Warm Period than today. Ron is now suggesting that higher temperatures are normal and that the Little Ice Age has confused the Climate Scientists causing them to think that lower temperatures are normal. If Ron is right then we can expect average temperatures to continue to rise and for sea and river levels to follow.


Contact Ron at ron@derbyheritageforum.co.uk

Derek Palmer
Derek is probably the best known of Derby's heritage commentators with a large number of books to his name and a busy talks schedule.



Book List
Follow the link for a list of books writen by Forum members




Picture Gallery
Roman Road accross Darley Playing Feild in July 2006. The outline of the road can be clearly seen crossing the football pitch.

Floods on Darley Park in June 2007

Ripley branch line in 1965

Investigations

Investigations undertaken by Derby Heritage Forum members are listed here. Click the link to view current projects.

Old East Prospect of Derby - Dating evidence - Ron McKeown

Great Bridge of Derby 13th century - Ron McKeown

Reports

River Bank Works - Evidence at Darley Abbey- Ron McKeown
This report is in pdf format and the link should open the document in your Adobe Reader program. Use your browser navigation keys to return to this page.