Pigot and Co's Commercial Directory for Derbyshire, 1835 described Little Eaton as follows: "...a chapelry and village, in that part of the parish of St. Alkmund which is in the hundred of Morleston and Litchurch, rather more than one mile from Duffield.

The wealth of gritstone, minerals and coal in the area and further north in Denby, Horsley, and Smalley, put Little Eaton on the map.

Peckwash paper mill, c. 1800, at the north end of the village was recorded in 1851 as one of the largest in the world and brought much prosperity to the area.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Her story is told in a song "Alice in the Bacon Box" by Derbyshire singer-songwriter Lucy Ward.

[4] 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).

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.

Today, one corner of the park contains a children's play area, with swings, slides, tunnels and monkey bars.

On the park a small fair sets up, along with book, white elephant and jewellery stalls, tombolas and refreshments and a barbecue serving meat from the local butchers.

The deal saw the two breweries share the cost of buying and revamping the grade II-listed alehouse which dates back to 1835.

As part of the restoration, the pub returned to its original layout, with a central entrance leading directly into a newly positioned bar area.

The pub re-opened on 17 November 2011 but some years later Derby Brewing company pulled out leaving it to be run by Everards.