Members of our Heritage team recently attended the first ever Derbyshire Conservation & Heritage Crafts Festival, held at Cromford Mills. Our Heritage Consultant Ruth Matthews tells all!
The kind of work our heritage team does is incredibly skilled and complex and it’s often quite difficult to get our message across to the general public about what we can do for them. However, recently an opportunity presented itself for our heritage specialists to engage with the public face to face, breaking through the jargon and detailing exactly how we can assist those looking at buying or adapting listed buildings or properties within conservation areas.
Our Heritage team made a stand to demystify our services by taking a stand at a new event celebrating traditional craftsmanship at Cromford Mills on Saturday, 13th September 2025. The inaugural Derbyshire Conservation & Heritage Crafts Festival offered visitors a chance to experience and explore heritage skills through demonstrations, talks and hands-on activities.
Organised by Derbyshire Historic Building Trust in partnership with Cromford Mills and WeaveKnitIT, and made possible thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players, the festival brought together craftspeople, conservation experts and heritage organisations for a day of learning and engagement.
Our stall had brochures ,leaflets and banners detailing our services and Lindsay Cruddas our specialist conservation architect was on hand to give advice as was our Heritage Consultant Ruth Matthews and Director of Heritage and Planning Jon Millhouse. Visitors were able to be chat to them on topics such as planning and listed buildings, building maintenance, surveying and practical conservation. It was a chance to meet people and informally discuss possible projects that they have but didn’t really know how or where to start.
Besides our stall visitors were able to watch skilled practitioners at work in a wide range of crafts, including Elizabethan decorative plastering, heritage roofing, tuck pointing, blacksmithing, stone carving, lace making, spinning and weaving. There was even an artefact identification station where an archaeologist examined and dated any finds visitors brought along.
The day also showcased woodworking, sign writing, and other traditional techniques that are rarely seen in action. Alongside demonstrations, the day offered plenty of opportunities to try things out in the ‘Have-a-go’ sessions including spinning wool, felting, pewter casting, circular knitting, corn dolly making and drop spinning.
The festival also provided a chance for our team to connect with professionals in conservation and heritage. Planning & Design really believe that these sort of events help demystify the conservation world and help educate the public and bring together like minded professionals and will in the long term be great for looking after our heritage assets in the best way possible.
Derbyshire Conservation & Heritage Crafts Festival
Planning & Design – Your heritage specialists
We recognise the importance of the built heritage in our towns, villages and rural areas.
We have an in-house team of consultants, conservation architects and architectural technicians who ensure that proposals are designed sympathetically to conserve and enhance historic buildings and sites.
We have worked on numerous schemes affecting Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. We have the expertise and specialist knowledge to achieve success with your project regardless of its size.
We use our experience to provide the right level of detail to accompany applications for planning permission and Listed Building consent.
For more information, or to discuss your project or property
About Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust (DHBT)
Founded in 1974, DHBT is a county-wide Building Preservation Trust that has saved more than 100 historic buildings through 21 major projects. The Trust’s mission is to:
- Safeguard Derbyshire’s historic buildings
- Repurpose buildings that are no longer fit for their original use
- Support people in living and working in historic buildings
- Promote access to and enjoyment of local heritage
For media enquiries or more information about the Derbyshire Conservation and Heritage Crafts Festival, please contact:
Tricia Trice – tricia@derbyshirehistoricbuildingstrust.org.uk