It is located approximately 0.6 miles (0.97 km) north of the city centre, on the east bank of the River Derwent.

Little Chester is the oldest inhabited part of Derby, having been the location of a fortified Roman settlement called Derventio.

[1] However, a series of excavations in the last fifty years have established both its importance and prosperity, including the discovery of an underfloor heating system on Parker’s Piece and an abundance of coins.

[1] Chester Green, the open land which is the centrepiece of the area, is first referred to by name in written records dating back to 1495, and has been a public park since 1866.

[2] In modern times the name Chester Green, applied to the district as a whole, seems to have overtaken the "correct" name in popular usage.