The two villages of Ockbrook and Borrowash were until relatively recently separated by farmland.

Ockbrook, which was an early Mercian settlement of the 6th or 7th century, is recorded in the Domesday Book as Ochebroc or Occa's Brook.

The number of historic buildings within Ockbrook have led the centre of the village to be designated a conservation area. These include the Church of All Saints, with a 12th century tower which became the parish church in 1550 and behind it the attractive late 17th century timber framed Church Farm.

The Moravian Settlement makes up the second Conservation Area in the village.

Jon Hus, a Bohemian Christian reformer was burned at the stake in 1415. His followers founded their church in Moravia, Eastern Europe, in 1457. 300 years later the Moravian community was set up in Ockbrook after a local farmer was inspired by a Moravian influenced Anglican curate.

In a separate area from the original village, the principal buildings of the Settlement are built in a formalised arrangement and include two Grade II listed buildings - the Moravian Chapel and The Manse. Adjoining these is the Ockbrook Moravian School, a very old established private school for girls.

The area to the north of the Settlement includes an increasingly rare example of Medieval ridge and furrow fields.

On the outskirts of the village are two further Grade II listed buildings - Little London Farm, probably 16th century, and 70 The Ridings, a 17th century house.

Borrowash is the larger of the two villages within the Parish. It originally comprised of the two hamlets of Borrow Ash and Shackle Cross, which grew together during the Industrial Revolution.

The 18th century Riverside house, a beautiful Grade II listed building, stands on the edge of the village on the banks of the River Derwent. Near the centre of the village stands a 17th century hostelry, an original posting house, The Wilmot Arms.

Borrowash is famous nationwide for the excellent fishing on this unique meandering section of the River Derwent.