Derby

I’ve never been to Derby before.

It’s an old mining town: tin, discovered in the 1870s. The town grew up — the population was about 3000 at one point — the mine went away, the town dwindled. The population at the 2006 census was 300. Although it is still a busy little town, except on Saturdays at 4 pm, because of the Tin Centre.

Like many small towns along the highways, Derby is strung out along that road. Unlike most of those small towns, there are not lots of back streets full of houses. What you see along the main road is pretty much it.

It also feels like the town is clinging to the side of a hill.

Dorset Hotel

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