Population: 20,548

Notes: Belper is eight miles north of Derby, and is set by the River Derwent. It was originally an Anglo-Saxon settlement, and has remained a small village until the arrival of the textile mills, which enhanced the development of the village from the 18th century onwards. In Belper, the second water-powered cotton mill in the world was built, with the East Mill being built in 1913, it is still a present day landmark. The mill, to this day, still uses the river for power, using turbine-driven electrical generators. In 1820, Belper was the first place in the UK that had gas lighting, at a works in Milford, near Belper. Belper was still a major textile and hosiery centre in the 20th century, however in recent times this has little existance, with Deb Group, a international manufacturer of skincare products for the workplace, however a new and updated factory is currently being built, near Denby.

Transport: Regular buses run from Derby to Belper, and also through Belper to Bakewell, these generally run every 15 minutes, depending on the final destination of the bus, the bus route, by Trent Barton, is called, The Sixes. Belper also has a railway station, which is part of the Midland Main Line, and it mainly served by trains on the Derwent Valley Line, which runs from Nottingham via Derby to Matlock. It is possible to access the station from several directions, from the Field Lane car park, or via alleyways from King Street and Field Lane, also access can be gained from Albert Street.

Eating and Drinking: There are many places to eat and drink in Belper, from takeaways and pubs to restaurants and nightclubs, Belper does a good job to accomodate for every taste.

Popular places to eat include: The Big Buddha, Court Yard Suite North Mill, Bridge Foot, Belper, DE56 1YD, Tel: 01773 882493; The Lion Hotel, Bridge Street, Belper, DE56 1AX, Tel: 01773 824033; The River Garden, Bridge Street, Belper, DE56 1AZ, Tel: 01773 822468.

Popular places to drink include: The Green House, 82, King Street, Belper, DE56 1QA, Tel: 01773 821001; Lord Nelson, 78 Bridge Street, Belper, DE56 1AZ, Tel: 01773 824465.

Medical:Whitemoor Medical Centre, Whitemoor Lane, Belper, DE56 OJB, Tel: 08445769200; Westminster Medical, 7 The Pastures Duffield, Belper, DE56 4EX, Tel: 01332 840202.

Hospital: Babington Hospital, Derby Road, Belper, DE56 1WH, Tel: 01773 824171

Dentist:Belper Dental Practice within Babington Hospital, Belper, DE56 1WH, Tel: 01773 824171.

Shopping:Even though Belper is a relatively small town, it has three supermarkets (Morrisons, Somerfield, Co-op), supplemented by a small but busy shopping area mainly centred around King Street. Belper also has several hairdressers: Deb-N-Hair, 155 Belper Road, Tel: 01773 822470; Hair Group, 43 Kings Street, Tel: 01773 822520; Hair Design, 25 Bridge Street, Tel: 01773 823030.

Schools: Belper has many primary schools: Holbrook Primary School ; St Elizabeth's Primary School; St John’s Primary School; Herbert Strutt Primary School; Pottery Primary School; Long Row Primary School; Ambergate Primary School; and a single secondary school: Belper School and Sixth Form Centre.