Little Eaton, United Kingdom

Other buildings of note include the carefully renovated Grade-II-listed Malthouse on Duffield Road, which was built in 1780 and is the former home of the Little Eaton Brewery Company (later owned by Offiler's), and Elms Farmhouse at 21 Duffield Road, a Grade-II-listed working farmhouse originally built in 1704.

Little Eaton was once the terminus of the Little Eaton Gangway – the Derby Canal Railway – where it joined the Derby Canal. A gang was a set of six to eight wagons drawn by four horses. The bodies of the wagons were taken off their bogies and loaded onto the barges at the canal wharf and then towed by horses to Derby. This 3' 6" gauge horse-operated line was authorised by the Derby Canal Act 1793 and its construction was largely the work of Benjamin Outram; it was opened in 1795 and closed in 1908. The tramroad ran from the terminus of the Derby Canal northwards to Smithy Houses, a distance of four miles, and then continued for a further mile to Denby Hall Colliery. In this area were several branches: to Salterwood North Colliery near Marehay Hall, Denby Pottery and Henmoor Colliery. A bridge remains at Little Eaton and a culvert at Smithy Houses, in addition to general earthworks. The main line was single with passing places at intervals. Between the rails the ground was always made up level with the tops of the sleeper blocks to provide a clear surface for the horses.

Little Eaton was later served by Little Eaton railway station on the Midland Railway Ripley Branch.

In the early 20th century, Little Eaton was a popular resort for many working people, with a train trip or canal ride to local woods, quarries and tearooms being a popular Sunday and bank holiday outing.

A well-known and popular character was Alice Grace, the 'Little Eaton Hermit', born in 1867 and who on being evicted from her cottage lived in sheds, barns and disused buildings, until finally residing in her famous box home (a box that used to hold bacon that was donated by the local butcher) at the pinfold on 'Th Back o' the Winns' in Coxbench Wood. She spent 20 years as a hermit until forcibly taken to the Union workhouse at Shardlow in 1907. She died aged 60 in 1927. Her story is told in a song "Alice in the Bacon Box" by Derbyshire singer-songwriter Lucy Ward.

On 26 March 1903, Thomas Bates, a prominent figure in Little Eaton, died. Bates was born in a house on Duffield Road and was educated at the local National School, which then became the original village hall (also known as the parish rooms). In his will Bates donated £1,000 to the village, for the draining, levelling, fencing and laying out of a park – having donated the land for a park during his lifetime. He also left money to employ a caretaker for the park. According to the will, the park was to be named St Peter's Park, a fact which puzzled those who knew of him because of his love of St Paul's Church (built in 1791, enlarged in 1837 and then heavily modernised in 1851), which can be found directly opposite the park. There was a reason behind his request, however – he was born on St Peter's Day, 29 June.

There is a polished granite pillar by the entrance to the park. The north-facing side of the pillar bears an engraving celebrating the coronation of King Edward VII with the legend 'Fear God, Honour the King' underneath. The south side has an inscription honouring teachers of the National school: Mrs Cocker, schoolmistress; William Bland, schoolmaster; John Latham, vicar and Samuel Lewis, Sunday school teacher. Although he is not mentioned on the pillar, the park is also dedicated to Bates. The two plaques visible on the base of the obelisk also mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II (2 June 1953), the Golden Jubilee of the park (13 June 1953) and the Centenary of the park (June 2003).

The village has four pubs today, but used to have a fifth, called The Anchor. It was on the main road, opposite the turning to Morley Lane, which leads to Drum Hill. The building still stands, but is now a house and the only indication of its past is a stained-glass picture of an anchor in one of the corner windows. The pub closed some time in the 19th century.