Ancient Derbyshire market town first mentioned in Medieval Domesday book was once site of lost Roman town

A Derbyshire town first mentioned in an ancient Medieval manuscript is now reported to be the site of a lost Roman town.

Wirksworth first appeared in the 1086 Domesday book under the name “Werchesworde”.

The quaint Derbyshire market town of Wirksworth, said to be the site of the lost Roman town of Lutudarum, makes Wirksworth one of Derbyshire’s oldest settlements.

In the Domesday Book, Wirksworth is recorded to have three lead works, a church and the largest number of residents of the ancient market towns in the region.

Lutudarum was originally recorded as Lutudaron in the Ravenna Cosmography's list of all known places in the world circa 700 AD.

The name briefly translates to ‘lud’ meaning ashes, which refers to derivative waste material from lead production.

If you’re unfamiliar with Domesday Book, here is a quick history lesson.

King William I The Conquerer was an inquisitive soul keen to know more about his new kingdom, who lived on his land, the cost of the land and the subsequent tax the land may yield.

The monarch then sent official inspectors around the country to gather information, raising questions in local courts and then collating data into the Domesday Book.

Today the book is jam packed with reference to over 13,000 places. It offers a wealth of data giving a glimpse into landownership from Medieval times.

Although wider Derbyshire played a significant part in the lead mining industry in Roman Britain, the smaller component of Wirksworth boasts an equally fascinating history.

Wirksworth once served as an innovation hub for lead mining and was a key player in the Industrial Revolution thanks to Sir Richard Arkwright’s pioneering mill.

Nearly a thousand years on, Wirksworth is still making history. One of its most recent accolades is topping The Sunday Times’ Best Places to Live guide for 2025.

In celebration of the quirky, characterful Wirksworth, here are a few photos of one of Derbyshire’s top places today.