Britain's What's On Event Guide
World of the Workers
Travel back to the beating heart of the Industrial Revolution in Belper — the world’s first cotton spinning town — and discover a story that changed the world forever.
From 1785 onwards, the visionary Strutt family built what is now the oldest surviving textile workers’ community in England. Today, you can walk the very streets their workers walked six days a week, on their way to 12-hour shifts in the mills that powered a revolution.
• Explore the Short Rows
• Climb the unforgettable Long Row
• Experience history where it actually happened
Why did the Strutts build so many houses?
What did children do during the Industrial Revolution?
How did mothers and fathers shape a new industrial society?
You won’t just hear the answers — you’ll stand where they stood.
Visit the historic Belper Unitarian Chapel and uncover the powerful story of Jedediah Strutt, founder of the Strutt cotton empire. Discover how Unitarian values influenced innovation, social reform, and the transformation of working-class lives.
Meet the nailers, framework knitters, cheviners, and navvies — the forgotten workers who built not just Belper, but modern Britain. Learn how the cotton industry connected to global trade, the rise of the railways, and the uncomfortable truth of slavery’s role in fueling industrial growth.
Gain exclusive access to the remarkable Cluster House, generously opened by its present owner.
This is not just a tour.
It’s a journey into the streets that shaped the modern world.
• 1 mile of powerful storytelling
• Around 2 unforgettable hours
• Real history, real places, real impact
Please note: some streets are steep and uneven — but history was never built on flat ground.
Once seen, Long Row is never forgotten.
Come and see why.
Walk Leader: Ian Hill
From 1785 onwards, the visionary Strutt family built what is now the oldest surviving textile workers’ community in England. Today, you can walk the very streets their workers walked six days a week, on their way to 12-hour shifts in the mills that powered a revolution.
• Explore the Short Rows
• Climb the unforgettable Long Row
• Experience history where it actually happened
Why did the Strutts build so many houses?
What did children do during the Industrial Revolution?
How did mothers and fathers shape a new industrial society?
You won’t just hear the answers — you’ll stand where they stood.
Visit the historic Belper Unitarian Chapel and uncover the powerful story of Jedediah Strutt, founder of the Strutt cotton empire. Discover how Unitarian values influenced innovation, social reform, and the transformation of working-class lives.
Meet the nailers, framework knitters, cheviners, and navvies — the forgotten workers who built not just Belper, but modern Britain. Learn how the cotton industry connected to global trade, the rise of the railways, and the uncomfortable truth of slavery’s role in fueling industrial growth.
Gain exclusive access to the remarkable Cluster House, generously opened by its present owner.
This is not just a tour.
It’s a journey into the streets that shaped the modern world.
• 1 mile of powerful storytelling
• Around 2 unforgettable hours
• Real history, real places, real impact
Please note: some streets are steep and uneven — but history was never built on flat ground.
Once seen, Long Row is never forgotten.
Come and see why.
Walk Leader: Ian Hill
Sunday 23 Aug 26
North Mill car park by Chevin Cricket range Belper Derbyshire DE56 1YD
2-4pmTickets: Adults £7.50 (plus online booking fee) Under 16s go free
Places are limited – all walks must be pre-booked online at www.belpernorthmill.org.uk/calendar/
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