Repton was the capital of Mercia. Mercia? Yes, Mercia and later the Viking capital of, you guessed it, Viking held territory in the midlands of what is now England.Our interest in Repton is St Wystan's church which is of Anglo-Saxon origin. The crypt is said to be the mausoleum of King Ethelbald who was murdered in 757. We crept into the crypt and were suitably disappointed to find it stiff-less. Not that you'd expect to find a 8th century stiff moldering in the crypt. I mean, it's not Italy where it's common to come across add bits and pieces in glass cases and jars.
We were also serenaded by power tools, hammering and other sundry industrial noises - the builders were "in" restoring the church. Interestingly, the various "new" wooden screens and paneling looked mechanical and life-less probably due to the use of said power tools. Since there were no little cafes in the village we re-mounted the Stagecoach and returned to Derby.
Derby is not one of our favourite cities. However, Derby cathedral is well worth a visit. We were lucky enough to be serenaded by a young organist which made the experience delightful.There are several other notable churches but, as per usual, they were locked due to the high likelihood of resident drunks and druggies pinching whatever isn't nail down. Sad but part of life ...
The markets are interesting but unfortunately one is part of a Westfield complex. The Victorian covered market looks like a small railway station - as you might expect since it's Victorian and the whole structure is cast iron. The fish market is, thankfully, outside!