# Ladybower Reservoir Drought Reveals Lost Derbyshire Villages After Eight Decades

> A prolonged dry spell has exposed the submerged remains of Derwent and Ashopton villages in Derbyshire's Ladybower Reservoir, uncovering streets, stone walls and a pump house.

- Publisher: Briefzora (https://briefzora.com)
- URL: https://briefzora.com/ladybower-reservoir-drought-reveals-lost-derbyshire-villages-after-eight-decades
- Published: 2026-10-27T22:36:00+05:00
- Author: Briefzora Desk (https://briefzora.com/author/briefzora-desk)
- Section: Weather
- Topics: Severn Trent
- Image: https://briefzora.com/uploads/2026/10/remains-of-two-lost-uk-villages-demolished-and-flooded-to-create-reser-msaobk.webp

## Key points

- Derwent and Ashopton villages were flooded in the 1940s to build Ladybird Reservoir.
- The reservoir can hold 2,869 mega litres of water, over 1,000 Olympic pools.
- Drought reduced water to 32 percent capacity, exposing village remains.
- Aerial shots show streets, a pump house and upright stone walls in the mud.
- Severn Trent's Doug Clarke warned of low rainfall and urged water savings.

## Why it matters

Residents of Derby, Sheffield, Nottingham and Leicester rely on the reservoir for water, while the exposed villages illustrate the scale of water scarcity during the drought.

## Article

After a summer-long drought lowered water levels to about 32 percent of capacity, the sunken remnants of the former hamlets of Derwent and Ashopton have surfaced in Derbyshire's Ladybower Reservoir.

The two settlements were intentionally flooded in the 1940s to create a reservoir capable of storing 2,869 mega litres of water - the equivalent of more than 1,000 Olympic swimming pools.

Recent aerial photographs display the outlines of vanished streets and structures etched in the exposed mud, including a pump house that still stands upright and sections of finely cut stone walls that have survived decades underwater.

Historic churches, limestone cottages and other buildings vanished when the Derwent Valley was inundated between 1935 and 1943, forming a water supply for Derby, Sheffield, Nottingham and Leicester.

For the first time since 2018, the footprints of dozens of limestone homes that once housed over 100 residents are visible.

Ashopton, once a thriving community with its own pubs, a distinctive toll house and the elaborate Derwent Hall, has now reappeared as a ghostly outline.

The find follows a severe drought declared across six UK regions, affecting at least 24 million people who are subject to hosepipe bans.

Doug Clarke, Severn Trent's water resources lead, told the BBC: "We've seen six months of below-average rainfall and above-average temperatures and reservoir levels will take time to recover, but overall, across our region we've more stored than this time last year."

He added, "Reservoirs make up around a third of our water supplies, with the rest coming from rivers and groundwater, and our teams are continuing to work around the clock to treat more water and fix leaks at record levels."

Clarke concluded, "But we're also asking customers to continue using water wisely all year round, to help ensure there is always enough to go around."

## Frequently asked questions

### Why did Derwent and Ashopton disappear?

Both hamlets were deliberately submerged between 1935 and 1943 to create Ladybower Reservoir.

### How much water can Ladybower Reservoir store?

The reservoir holds 2,869 mega litres, which is more than 1,000 Olympic swimming pools.

### What caused the villages to reappear?

A severe drought lowered the water level to 32 percent, exposing the former settlement sites.


---

When citing, please link to https://briefzora.com/ladybower-reservoir-drought-reveals-lost-derbyshire-villages-after-eight-decades and name Briefzora as the source.