Berkin’s Court Brings In £300 For Charity

Residents of Berkin’s Court, along Bridge Street, showed people around their houses on Sunday (October 15) to tell them the history of the early courtyard of Strutt housing.

Historical open houses around Belper were part of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site ‘Discovery Days’ festival which started on Saturday 14th October and runs until Sunday 29th October 2017.

The opening weekend began with a Farmer’s Market, transport exhibition at Number 28 café, an open day at Strutts and several walks and talks around the North Mill and weirs.

On the Sunday there were several open houses including 7 Long Row, The Cedars and Berkin’s Court.

Stones Garage (itself built by Strutt in 1914) hosted an exhibition of the people who lived on the site with details of some of the changes that have been made to the buildings over time.

Jill Day, one of the residents of Berkin’s Court thanked “all those people who supported the event in many different ways. Through our café we collected nearly £300 which we are donating equally between the Belper food bank and Upbeat Communities who support refugees in Derby.”

The popular site is an example of some of the earliest Strutt housing in Belper having been built around 1790.

Scores of people lined the streets on the Sunday to see the Tantivy stage coach making a return journey from the Lion Hotel to the Greyhound in Cromford. Leaving at 11:20 it travelled for several hours along the A6. Tantivy operated between Derby and Matlock in the 1890’s and has now been renovated.

Designated a World Heritage Site in 2001, the Derwent Valley Mills have been described as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution.

The festival continues this week and detailed information on the events can be found here.

To ensure a place at events please pre-book on 01629 536831 – 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday or email: gwen.wilson@derbyshire.gov.uk (unless stated otherwise).

Some activities need to be booked directly with the organisers and the booking information is given with that specific listing.