Buxton
Coordinates: 53°15′32″N 1°54′40″W / 53.259°N 1.911°W
Buxton is a spa town in Derbyshire, England. It is the highest market town in England.[1] Buxton is near to Cheshire and Staffordshire. Buxton is described as "the gateway to the Peak District National Park".[1] Buxton is also close to Manchester.
| Buxton | |
 Buxton from Solomon's Temple looking north |
|
 Buxton shown within Derbyshire | |
| Population | 20,836 (2001 Census) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | SK059735 |
| District | High Peak |
| Shire county | Derbyshire |
| Region | East Midlands |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BUXTON |
| Postcode district | SK17 |
| Dialling code | 01298 |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament | High Peak |
| |
Poole's Cavern, a limestone cavern, and St Ann's Well are in Buxton. Also in the town is an Opera House.
History
The Romans developed the town when it was called Aquae Arnemetiae[1] (or the spa of the goddess of the grove). Roman coins have been found in Buxton.[2] The town largely grew in importance in the late 18th century when it was developed by the Dukes of Devonshire, with a second revival a hundred years later as the people visited to use the healing properties of the waters.
The Dukes of Devonshire have been helping Buxton since 1780, when the Duke used his money from his copper mines to develop the town as a spa like Bath.
Bess of Hardwick had taken one of her four husbands, the Earl of Shrewsbury, to "take the waters" at Buxton shortly after he became the jailer of Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1569.
Dr. Erasmus Darwin recommended the waters at Buxton to Josiah Wedgwood. The Wedgwood family often went to Buxton on holiday. Two of Charles Darwin's half-cousins, Edward Levett Darwin and Reginald Darwin also settled there.[3]
Notable architecture
- The Crescent (1780–1784) was based on Bath's Royal Crescent. The crescent has a grand assembly room with a painted ceiling.
- Buxton Opera House was designed in 1903 and is the highest in the country. It is attached to the Pavilion Gardens, Octagonal Hall and the smaller Paxton Theatre. The Pavilion Gardens are 23 acres of gardens.
Economy
Buxton is twinned with two other towns—Oignies in France and Bad Nauheim in Germany.
Famous Buxtonians
- Vera Brittain (1893–1970): author of Testament of Youth and mother of Shirley Williams
- Tim Brooke-Taylor: comedy actor and one of The Goodies
- Dave Lee Travis: former BBC DJ
Buxton Media
Buxton Wells, from a 1610 map
Buxton in 1965 with shoppers and tourists filling Spring Gardens
Buxton Town Hall (on the right)
Buxton Crescent and St Ann's Well
Nocturnal view of the restored Buxton Thermal Baths, and Brian Clarke's modern stained glass canopy over the Cavendish Arcade
The view from Hall Bank Road looking across to Corbar hill in Buxton. Taking in the Old Hall Hotel and the dome of the former Royal Devonshire Hospital now home to the University of Derby Buxton Campus.View from Hall Bank to Corbar
Palace Hotel
This is a photo of listed building number 1257789.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Buxton - in pictures, BBC Radio Derby, accessed July 2009
- ↑ About Buxton Archived 2010-01-16 at the Wayback Machine, History of Buxton, accessed June 2009
- ↑ Darwin, Charles, Frederick Burkhardt and Sydney Smith. The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1985 ISBN 0521255872