[1] Described by Defoe in 1726 as a "fury of a river" the Derwent could only be forded at a number of particular locations, which could still be impassable during winter floods.
In the Candlemas flood of February 1795, the bridges at Belper and Whatstandwell were washed away, but were subsequently rebuilt soon after.
[4][5] Glover in his History of the County of Derby of 1829 noted that there were a number of bridges, fords and a ferry across the Derwent.
There were fords at Wilne Mills, Alvaston, Little Eaton and Ambaston, and a ferry at Matlock Bath.
A number of these bridges were built by the local industrial families of the Derwent valley, including those of Hurt, Strutt and Evans.