The diocese covers an area of 13,074 square kilometres (5,048 sq mi), taking in the English counties of Nottinghamshire (now excluding the district of Bassetlaw), Leicestershire, most of Derbyshire, Rutland and Lincolnshire.

It was one of twelve English dioceses created at the restoration of the hierarchy by Pius IX in 1850, embracing the counties of Nottingham, Leicester, Derby, Lincoln and Rutland.

The Dominican Order was settled in Leicester, the Fathers of Charity carried on several missions in Leicestershire, and the Cistercians occupied Mount St Bernard Abbey in Charnwood Forest.

Derby was included in the district or college of the Society called the "Immaculate Conception", founded by Richard Blount, about 1633, first provincial superior of the English Province.

[1] After the Reformation, the English Province of the Friars Preachers ceased to exist, until resuscitated at Bornem in Flanders by Philip Howard, later cardinal, who became the first prior of the Dominicans in 1675.

[2] Beginning with one brother who lived alone in a four-roomed cottage, the community rapidly increased, and a larger building was erected as well as a small chapel, opened by Thomas Walsh on 11 October 1837.

In a short time this proved insufficient and John Talbot, 16th Earl of Shrewsbury offered them £2,000, on condition that a new monastery should be erected, choosing for that purpose the present site of the abbey.

In introducing the Cistercians into England, de Lisle had hoped that they would undertake missionary work and with this view he had built three chapels: at Grace-Dieu, Whitwick and the abbey.

To carry out this twofold object, about 9 acres (36,000 m2) were purchased; the foundation stone of the new buildings was laid in May 1843 and in 1844 was opened the first college and novitiate house of the institute in England.

In Lincolnshire, through the generosity of Thomas Arthur Young of Kingerby Hall, not only was there a church and presbytery built at Gainsborough and Grimsby, but the Premonstratensian order was re-introduced into England at Crowle and Spalding.

In 2014, 85-year-old Francis Paul Cullen, who had served as a priest in the parishes of Hyson Green and Mackworth and Buxton in the diocese, admitted 21 sexual assault charges against two young girls and five altar boys.

[5] In 2011 the Diocesan Safeguarding Co-ordinator reported that there had been "12 new concerns/allegations which needed to be dealt with" during the previous year, and that he welcomed the paring back of a Government Vetting and Barring Scheme.