All about Well Dressing in the Derbyshire tradition
Derby
Derby (St Alkmund’s Well):
May 25 to May 30, 2026
Dedication: May 25, 1:00p.m. (St Alkmund’s Well) starting in St Mary’s Bridge Chapel; (Arboretum) in the Community Garden
Note: Other Well Dressings in Derby take place on different dates.
Derby (Market Hall):
June 7 to June 20, 2026
Wells in the Making: June 6, during the day, in Osnabrück Square. 2 dressings made as part of the 50:50 event celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Derby-Osnabrück twinning, after which the dressings are displayed in the Market Hall. (Arboretum dressings) in Grove Lodge at the Derby Arboretum
Note: Other Well Dressings in Derby take place on different dates.
Derby (Arboretum):
June 28 to July 4, 2026
Dedication: June 28, 2:00p.m. (St Alkmund’s Well) starting in St Mary’s Bridge Chapel; (Arboretum) in the Community Garden
Wells in the Making: June 22 to 26, during the day (Arboretum dressings) in Grove Lodge at the Derby Arboretum
Note: Other Well Dressings in Derby take place on different dates.
Well Dressings
A number of dressings on two separate occasions:
1. St Alkmund’s Well at the junction of Bath Street and Well Street
2. Arboretum Well Dressings up to five dressings, initially in the Community Garden near Loudon Lodge in Derby Arboretum. May be moved to the Orangery depending on weather conditions. Only accessible when the Arboretum is open (8:00a.m. to 9:00p.m. in June and July)
3. Market Place Well Dressing
4. Cathedral Well Dressing
5. Pickford’s House Well Dressing
6. Quad Well Dressing
7. Royal Crown Derby Well Dressing
8. Tourist Information Centre Well Dressing
9. Déda Well Dressing
10. Central Library Well Dressing
11. Market Place Well Dressing (until 1999)
12. Local Studies Library Well Dressing
13. Furthest From the Sea Well Dressing
14. The Sanctuary Well Dressing
15. St James Street Well Dressing
Show Past Well Dressings
How to get there
Derby is located on the A6, A38 and A52 roads, close to the A50 and M1.
CAR: use DE1 3AH for satnav
Use city centre car parks or Park & Ride.
BUS: frequent services from most surrounding parts.
TRAIN: (station about 1km south of the City Centre, connecting bus services operate): frequent services, including various through trains from London, Leicester, Chesterfield, Sheffield, Nottingham, Matlock, Burton-upon-Trent, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Paignton, Plymouth, Penzance, Bournemouth, Brighton, Stoke-on-Trent, Crewe, York, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Newark, Grantham, Skegness, Lincoln, Grimsby and Cleethorpes