In 1776 the little village of Belper was transformed by Jedediah Strutt and his partner Richard Arkwright, who constructed a cotton mill, powered by water from the River Derwent. In the next 50 years or so the population rose from 500 to 8,000 as a further 4 mills were built. Over the following centuries mills have either burnt down or been demolished, with North Mill being the only original 18th century mill still standing.

Your stay at a holiday cottage in Belper should certainly include a visit to North Mill as it is the home of the Derwent Valley Visitor Centre and contains examples of Hargreave’s Spinning Jenny, Arkwright’s Water Frame and Crompton’s Mule.

Rows of cottages were constructed to house the influx of mill workers, some of which can still be found. If you holiday cottage in Belper is on the north side of Long Row then it is likely to be built of gritstone, but if you holiday cottage in Belper is on the south side of Long Row then it will be built of brick.

Chevin View which is a holiday cottage in Belper is a 200-year old listed mill workers cottage with traditional oak beams and cottage garden.

In 1838 the railway came to Belper, but it had to be laid out of sight, so it runs through a mile long deep cutting with no less than 10 overhead bridges, and with

trains still running, it could easily be the means of transport to your holiday cottage in Belper

There are many attractions to see when staying at your holiday cottage in Belper including the colourful Riverside Gardens, with a spectacular semi-circular weir nearby which was constructed around 1800 to raise the level of the Derwent and provide enough volume of water to power the succession of waterwheels.

A more modern structure to find whilst staying at your holiday cottage in Belper are the flying geese on the A6 roundabout which were commissioned as part of the Belper millennium celebrations.

Belper has a network of pedestrianized shopping streets to tempt your purse, but make sure that your holiday cottage in Belper has plenty of room for the bags full of clothes that you purchase from De Bradelei Mill in the town – the bargains are endless!

At the end of June there is a Music Festival in Belper, so be sure to watch out for the date when booking your holiday cottage in Belper, as you can see musicians, bands and entertainment from all around the UK, together with stalls, childrens entertainment and workshops.

A week in a holiday cottage in Belper could well be a busy time, with lots to do and see, and the Peak District just a short drive away.