Risley is a small village and parish in Erewash in the English county of Derbyshire. The population of the civil parish as of the 2011 census was 711. It is just over four miles south of Ilkeston. Sandiacre is adjacent to the east. It is almost midway between Derby and Nottingham and is near junction 25 of the M1 motorway, and the A52. In 1870 it had a population of 203 when there was a grammar school that served seven neighbouring parishes.