There may have been settlement in the area of the Park during this period. A hamlet was established nearby known as Bradley
11th & 12th Centuries
The Ferrers family controlled the area from a massive Norman castle at Duffield
13th Century
Belper ("Beaurepaire" which in Norman French meant "Beautiful Retreat") is a seat of the Ferrers family, and an administration centre. The Manor House and Chapel are built.
14th Century
Belper Park is established as a deer park within Duffield Frith with a hunting lodge and chapel.
15th Century
The Manor House is extensively rebuilt as a timber structure on the old stone base. Duffield Frith becomes a royal forest.
16th Century
The park is in decline, the deer have gone.
17th Century
Belper Park is sold and divided up into fields.
18th Century
Belper begins to grow as an industrial town with the establishment of Jedidiah Strutt's Cotton Mills.
19th Century
Belper continues to grow, the Parks become a popular leisure area, fairs and other events are held there
20th Century
Part of the old Parks is built on to create the Parks Estate and other small building developments follow, the Manor Farm is closed and the remaining open land reverts to nature.
21st Century
The historic features of the Park are "rediscovered" and the open land becomes a Local Nature Reserve.
Belper Parks is extremely interesting from a historic perspective because of its changing uses over a long period, its role as one of the main centres of the Royal Forest of Duffield Frith and for the survival of its character and historic features despite the growth of a large industrial town around it.
