Belper: Derwent Valley Mill Town With UNESCO World Heritage Status
Belper is a market town in Amber Valley, Derbyshire, about eight miles north of Derby on the A6. The population is approximately 22,000. The town's significance is tied to Jedediah Strutt, who built cotton mills along the River Derwent here from 1776 onward. Strutt's North Mill, an iron-framed building from 1804, was one of the first fireproof factories in the world. The Derwent Valley Mills, including those at Belper, received UNESCO World Heritage status in 2001 as the birthplace of the factory system. The horseshoe weir on the Derwent, built to provide water power to the mills, is a distinctive local feature.
The town centre along King Street, Bridge Street, and the Market Place has a mix of independent shops. Belper Farmers Market runs monthly. De Bradelei Mill is a shopping outlet in a converted mill building. Belper station is on the Derby to Matlock line, with services to Derby in about 15 minutes. The A6 runs through town, and the A38 dual carriageway is about three miles to the west, connecting to Derby, the M1, and Nottingham.
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Belper is a market town in Amber Valley, Derbyshire, about eight miles north of Derby on the A6. The population is approximately 22,000. The town's significance is tied to Jedediah Strutt, who built cotton mills along the River Derwent here from 1776 onward. Strutt's North Mill, an iron-framed building from 1804, was one of the first fireproof factories in the world. The Derwent Valley Mills, including those at Belper, received UNESCO World Heritage status in 2001 as the birthplace of the factory system. The horseshoe weir on the Derwent, built to provide water power to the mills, is a distinctive local feature.
The town centre along King Street, Bridge Street, and the Market Place has a mix of independent shops. Belper Farmers Market runs monthly. De Bradelei Mill is a shopping outlet in a converted mill building. Belper station is on the Derby to Matlock line, with services to Derby in about 15 minutes. The A6 runs through town, and the A38 dual carriageway is about three miles to the west, connecting to Derby, the M1, and Nottingham.
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