Description: Showing Strutt Mills. Jedediah Strutt came to Belper in 1776, and built a total of 6 mills. The first, North Mill, was started in 1776, completed in 1786 and destroyed by fire in 1803. It was replaced a year later by Jedediah's son and admired at that time by some, as the most beautiful and technologically advanced building of the era, mainly due to its fire proof structure, the warm air central heating and the breast shot water wheel. There were 5 mills in Belper by 1792 and only North Mill remains out of the original ones. It is now the home of the Derwent Valley Visitors Centre. In 1912, a massive red brick, 7 storey East Mill was built, which dominates the town. It closed as a mill in the late 20th century and now houses a number of small industrial units, but still remains largely empty.
The image was engraved for Davies's History of Derbyshire.
This image is one of a collection by the famous local antiquarian, Thomas Bateman, of Middleton by Youlgreave. (1821-1861). Bateman organized his collection by inserting them into a 4 volume copy of Lysons Magna Britannia, Derbyshire, creating a fascinating and unique illustrated record of the county. The purchase of the collection for Derbyshire Libraries was made possible by the generous bequest of Miss Frances Webb of Whaley Bridge, well known local historian, who died in December 2006.