Belper Walk: Town Centre【4K】

Located in the county of Derbyshire, and around eight miles north of Derby, is the town of Belper.

Geographically Belper is situated on the east bank of the River Derwent, just southeast of the Peak District. Its name is believed to be a corruption of 'Beaurepaire', meaning beautiful retreat in French - the name given to a hunting lodge, the first record being a charter of 1231.

From as early as the 12th century, Belper became a centre for nail making. This was made possible by the existence of ironstone and coal in the surrounding Derbyshire landscape. By the late 18th century there were around 500 nailers' workshops in the town. With the coming of the Industrial Revolution, nail making declined and a new industry emerged in Belper - cotton.

Belper became one of the first 'mill towns'. This came about when local industrialist Jedediah Strutt built a water-powered cotton mill, first at the neighbouring village of Cromford, then at Belper. The Strutt family were significant benefactors of the town for around 150 years, providing for their workers' employment, housing and education. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, the population of Belper was around 800. By the 1830s, this had risen to around 8,000.

In 1840 the railway arrived in Belper as part of the Derwent Valley line. In its heyday this line provided a direct route from Derby to Manchester via the Peak District. However, in 1968 the line was severed past Matlock due to government cutbacks, with the aforementioned becoming the northern terminus. The entrance to Belper station is rather inconspicuous as it is hidden behind an alleyway beside Poundland.

Whilst the textile industry in Belper has long since declined, its legacy remains. The East Mill, constructed in the 1910s, has been repurposed as an electricity generator, harnessing power from the River Derwent. This features from around the 15-minute mark in the walk.

Welsh-born actor Timothy Dalton was raised in Belper.

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Filmed: 24th January 2022

Link to the walk on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/1Bv1TPZPh4G928Rk8

Filmed on a Sony FDR-AX700 with a Zhiyun Crane 2 and a Sony ECM-XYST1M Stereo Microphone.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 High Pavement
1:09 Market Place
3:54 King Street
8:18 Bridge Street
14:08 The Triangle
14:46 Bridge Foot
14:55 Derwent Valley Mills
15:09 Bridge Foot
16:51 River Derwent