Matlock
Encyclopedia
Matlock is the county town
of Derbyshire
, England
. It is situated at the south eastern edge of the Peak District
, and forms part of the Sheffield City Region
. The town is twinned
with the French town Eaubonne
. The former spa resort Matlock Bath
lies immediately south of the town on the A6. Matlock, as a town, has a population of 10,689. The wider population of the Matlock urban area is approximately 20,000 (including Darley Dale
, Tansley
, Hackney
and Matlock Bath). Often, the Matlock area is considered to include Wirksworth
, due to the close proximity of the two towns. This would bring the area's population closer to 30,000.
Matlock is nine miles (14 km) south west of Chesterfield
, surrounded by the cities of Derby
(19 miles), Sheffield
(20 miles), Nottingham
(29 Miles) and the Greater Manchester
conurbation (30 miles). Although officially occupying a central England position geographically, Matlock is in the west of Derbyshire in what is known as the Derbyshire Dales
which includes the towns of Wirksworth
, Bakewell
and Ashbourne
.
, Matlock ( from the Old English for Moot Oak
) lies on the River Derwent
, and has prospered from both the hydrotherapy
industry and the mills constructed on the river and its tributary Bentley Brook
. It was an unimportant collection of small villages — Matlock Town, Matlock Green, Matlock Bridge, Matlock Bank — until thermal springs were discovered in 1698. The population
increased rapidly in the 1800s, largely due to hugely popular hydros being built. At one stage there were around twenty hydros, most on Matlock Bank. The largest was built in 1853 by John Smedley
. This closed in 1955, and re-opened in 1956 as the headquarters of the Derbyshire
County Council
. Matlock is also home to the Derbyshire Dales
District Council as well as Matlock Town council
.
In 1893, Matlock Cable Tramway
, a cable tramway
was built up Bank Road
from Crown Square at Matlock Bridge to Wellington Street (at the top of Bank Road
) with a stop half way up at Smedley Street where Smedley's Hydro
(built by John Smedley
) was situated. Conceived by Job Smith, the tram was inspired by San Francisco's
famous cable cars, and cost £20,000. When it was built it was the steepest tramway in the world at a gradient
of 1 in 5½, and it rose 300 feet (91.4 m). The fare
was tuppence up, penny down. It closed in 1927 after losing business to cars
and buses.
In 1849, the railway came to Matlock. Matlock railway station
was opened on the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway
, later the Midland
, line between London
and Manchester
, until the section between Matlock and Buxton
was closed in 1968 during the Beeching Axe
. Network Rail considered re-opening the line, with a study carried out by the county council. Although it proved to be unfeasible in the short term, the track bed will be kept free of development as the study showed that the line could be economically viable from around 2025. The section from Wye Dale (about 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Buxton) to Coombs viaduct, a point about a mile south-east of Bakewell, has now become the Monsal Trail
, an 8.5 miles (13.7 km) walk and cycle trail.
Trains still run between Matlock and Derby
on the Derwent Valley Line
. Peak Rail
, a preserved railway, runs steam trains on a section of the closed line between Matlock, Darley Dale
and Rowsley
. Previously it used its own station, Matlock Riverside
, a short distance to the north of the mainline station, however as of 2011 both Peak Rail and trains on the Derwent Valley Line share the same station.
, a large Victorian
park next to the River Derwent
which opened in 1898. The park boasts a miniature railway, bandstand and a boating pond, with the oldest running powered boats in Britain, for many years, as well as tennis court
s and a war memorial
. There is an ongoing project to update and upgrade all the parks in the Matlock area - Hall Leys Park was the first to benefit from this and the children's play area has been greatly modernised. There has also been a skateboard
park added replacing grass
tennis courts. The park hosts an arts festival, Matlock Live, every June and the Matlock Victorian Christmas Weekend on the first weekend of December.
which gives the road its name, to Wellington Street. Although many consider the whole incline to be Bank Road, just over half-way up beyond Smedley Street the road is called Rutland Street.
Bank Road has many local landmark buildings along it - from the bottom of the hill (Crown Square) travelling north:
NB. Beyond Smedley Street Bank Road is actually Rutland Street.
. They are currently in the Northern Premier League Premier Division
and play home matches at their Causeway Lane ground.
Matlock is also home to Matlock Cricket Club who play their games next to the football ground, and Matlock and District Swimming Club (also known as MAD Swimming) who train and compete in the nearby Matlock Lido.
Matlock has a regular rugby team who play their home matches at nearby Cromford Meadows. They run 3 senior teams and the 1st XV compete at Level 6 in the RFU league structure
. Matlock Rugby Club also has a thriving minis and junior section with over 250 members all supported by fully qualified mini and junior coaches. In 2007 the club was awarded the Derbyshire Tigger Price Memorial trophy for the team of the year award
, Highfields School
, achieved status as a Performing Arts College
due to its connections with Matlock Live! As part of the summer event, Matlock Live invites Buskers / Street performers to form a busking trail around Matlock raising money for the charity Aquabox. More information on Matlock Live events can be found at the website. Matlock Music present a series of public concerts at Highfields School (Upper Lumsdale site). Storytelling is also well represented with a monthly Storytelling Cafe at the Imperial Rooms.
The first school in Matlock was founded in 1647 as a free school for local boys, originally funded by local George Spateman of Tansley
and from 1668 by Anthony Wolley. This school was rebuilt in 1829 and expanded in 1860 and 1889 and girls first attended in 1816. This school has since been demolished (the date is unknown).
Another school, All Saints Primary School was founded in 1875 to provide for the population of the newly developed Matlock Bank. This school still operates and is the biggest primary school in Matlock. In 1897, a third school, the Council School, was constructed on Matlock Bank, at the junction of Smedley Street and Chesterfield Road. It also still operates as Castle View Primary School.
Before Highfields School
was founded in 1982, when the tripartite education system
in Matlock ended, there were two secondary schools in Matlock; Charles White Secondary Modern (founded in 1956, and named after two local MPs, father
and son
, the latter of who died in 1956) and Ernest Bailey's Grammar School (founded in 1924 and named after its wealthy founder).
As a Grammar school
, Bailey's accepted students whose parents paid or who gained scholarships (by passing the Eleven plus exam) until fees were phased out, leaving scholarship as the only means of entry. Everyone else attended Charles White, a Secondary modern school
, hence it is estimated that Charles White students outnumbered Bailey's students 3:1. White had been built especially by Derbyshire County Council to accommodate the children who couldn't attend Bailey's.
The two schools were merged to create Highfields, a comprehensive. The site of Charles White became lower site of Highfields, Ernest Bailey was converted to the county council record offices and a new school was built to house the new Upper Lumsdale site.
, a disused quarry next to the railway station. In early 2007 building work started, and it was opened on Thursday 4 October 2007. The access road for the supermarket forms part of a new one way system, whereby the A6 bypasses the town centre. A footbridge from the railway station allows pedestrian access to the supermarket from the town centre. A newly built bus station next to the train station is intended to create an integrated transport terminal. However, several bus routes will continue to serve only the old Bus Station on Bakewell Road, making Matlock one of the smallest towns in Britain to boast two bus stations.
There has recently been a negative image of Matlock Town centre due to the limited retail offer for a town of Matlock's size which was identified in the Matlock Masterplan - a document produced by the district council. There has been a worry that many locals now choose to shop in neighbouring towns due to this perceived problem. There has been a call from some locals and the authorities for some national "High Street" retailers to set up in the town . The local council had a wider development planned for the future with key development sites on Bakewell Road, Firs Parade and Imperial Road which were identified in 2007 in the masterplan. However, as of December 2009 no movement on the development has been planned let alone started.
(YHA) has its national headquarters
in the former Severn Trent Water building on Dimple Road, Matlock. YHA has had two hostels in the town. The first (1933–1934) in Tor Dale and the second (1983–2007) in Bank Road. Despite the close proximity of the Head Office, Bank Road closed in 2007 as part of a restructuring exercise. It has subsequently been redeveloped.
County town
A county town is a county's administrative centre in the United Kingdom or Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county. The concept of a county town eventually became detached from its...
of Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is situated at the south eastern edge of the Peak District
Peak District
The Peak District is an upland area in central and northern England, lying mainly in northern Derbyshire, but also covering parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, and South and West Yorkshire....
, and forms part of the Sheffield City Region
Sheffield city region
#Sheffield#Rotherham#Barnsley#Doncaster#Chesterfield#North East Derbyshire#Bolsover#Bassetlaw#Derbyshire DalesThe Sheffield City Region is an area of England centred on Sheffield...
. The town is twinned
Town twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with the French town Eaubonne
Eaubonne
Eaubonne is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Twin towns:It is twinned with Matlock, Derbyshire, England, Budenheim, Germany and Vălenii de Munte, Romania.-Transport:...
. The former spa resort Matlock Bath
Matlock Bath
Matlock Bath is a village south of Matlock in Derbyshire, England. Built along the River Derwent, it developed, in the 19th century, as a spa town and still thrives on tourism.-History:In 1698 warm springs were discovered and a Bath House was built...
lies immediately south of the town on the A6. Matlock, as a town, has a population of 10,689. The wider population of the Matlock urban area is approximately 20,000 (including Darley Dale
Darley Dale
Darley Dale, also known simply as Darley, is a town in Derbyshire, England, with a population of around 6,000 people. It lies north of Matlock, on the River Derwent and the A6 road.- History :...
, Tansley
Tansley
Tansley is a village on the southern edge of the Derbyshire Peak District, two miles east of Matlock.-History:Tansley is recorded in the Domesday Book as Tanslege, and its name comes from the combination of the Old English words lega, meaning "wood or glade" and tan meaning "a branch of a...
, Hackney
Hackney, Derbyshire
Hackney and Upper Hackney are areas of settlement in Derbyshire, England They are located to the north-east of Matlock, and separated from the River Derwent by the A6 road and the Peak Rail railway line. There is a Methodist chapel in the village, whilst the nearest church is St. Helens C of E in...
and Matlock Bath). Often, the Matlock area is considered to include Wirksworth
Wirksworth
Wirksworth is a small market town in Derbyshire, England, with a population of over 9,000.The population of the Wirksworth area including Cromford, Bolehill and Middleton-by-Wirksworth is about 12,000. Wirksworth is listed in the Domesday Book in 1086. Within it is the source of the River...
, due to the close proximity of the two towns. This would bring the area's population closer to 30,000.
Matlock is nine miles (14 km) south west of Chesterfield
Chesterfield
Chesterfield is a market town and a borough of Derbyshire, England. It lies north of Derby, on a confluence of the rivers Rother and Hipper. Its population is 70,260 , making it Derbyshire's largest town...
, surrounded by the cities of Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
(19 miles), Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
(20 miles), Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
(29 Miles) and the Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
conurbation (30 miles). Although officially occupying a central England position geographically, Matlock is in the west of Derbyshire in what is known as the Derbyshire Dales
Derbyshire Dales
Derbyshire Dales is a local government district in Derbyshire, England. Much of the district is situated in the Peak District, although most of its population lies along the River Derwent....
which includes the towns of Wirksworth
Wirksworth
Wirksworth is a small market town in Derbyshire, England, with a population of over 9,000.The population of the Wirksworth area including Cromford, Bolehill and Middleton-by-Wirksworth is about 12,000. Wirksworth is listed in the Domesday Book in 1086. Within it is the source of the River...
, Bakewell
Bakewell
Bakewell is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales district of Derbyshire, England, deriving its name from 'Beadeca's Well'. It is the only town included in the Peak District National Park, and is well known for the local confection Bakewell Pudding...
and Ashbourne
Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Ashbourne is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales, England. It has a population of 10,302.The town advertises itself as 'The Gateway to Dovedale'.- Local customs :...
.
History
A former spa townSpa town
A spa town is a town situated around a mineral spa . Patrons resorted to spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word comes from the Belgian town Spa. In continental Europe a spa was known as a ville d'eau...
, Matlock ( from the Old English for Moot Oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
) lies on the River Derwent
River Derwent, Derbyshire
The Derwent is a river in the county of Derbyshire, England. It is 66 miles long and is a tributary of the River Trent which it joins south of Derby. For half its course, the river flows through the Peak District....
, and has prospered from both the hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy, formerly called hydropathy, involves the use of water for pain-relief and treating illness. The term hydrotherapy itself is synonymous with the term water cure as it was originally marketed by practitioners and promoters in the 19th century...
industry and the mills constructed on the river and its tributary Bentley Brook
Bentley Brook
Bentley Brook is a stream located in Derbyshire, England. It rises at Matlock Moor, flowing south through Cuckoostone Dale, under the A632, into Lumsdale, gathering the valley's waters--notably from Knabhall Brook, out of Tansley, itself dammed and supporting large mills...
. It was an unimportant collection of small villages — Matlock Town, Matlock Green, Matlock Bridge, Matlock Bank — until thermal springs were discovered in 1698. The population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
increased rapidly in the 1800s, largely due to hugely popular hydros being built. At one stage there were around twenty hydros, most on Matlock Bank. The largest was built in 1853 by John Smedley
John Smedley (industrialist)
John Smedley is the name of four generations of owners of Lea Mills, near Matlock, Derbyshire. The most famous of these was John Smedley , born Wirksworth, Derbyshire.-Lea Mills:...
. This closed in 1955, and re-opened in 1956 as the headquarters of the Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
County Council
County council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
. Matlock is also home to the Derbyshire Dales
Derbyshire Dales
Derbyshire Dales is a local government district in Derbyshire, England. Much of the district is situated in the Peak District, although most of its population lies along the River Derwent....
District Council as well as Matlock Town council
Town council
A town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
.
Bank Road Tram
Matlock Cable Tramway
Matlock Cable Tramway was cable tramway that served the town of Matlock between 28 March 1893 and 30 September 1927. The tramway ran between Matlock railway station and the Hydro Spa Hotels of Smedley's and Rockside...
, a cable tramway
Cable car (railway)
A cable car or cable railway is a mass transit system using rail cars that are hauled by a continuously moving cable running at a constant speed. Individual cars stop and start by releasing and gripping this cable as required...
was built up Bank Road
Bank Road
Bank Road is a road in Matlock, Derbyshire which runs from Crown Square up Matlock Bank, a steep hill which gives the road its name, to Wellington Street. Although many consider the whole incline to be Bank Road, beyond Smedley Street, just over half-way up, the road is called Rutland...
from Crown Square at Matlock Bridge to Wellington Street (at the top of Bank Road
Bank Road
Bank Road is a road in Matlock, Derbyshire which runs from Crown Square up Matlock Bank, a steep hill which gives the road its name, to Wellington Street. Although many consider the whole incline to be Bank Road, beyond Smedley Street, just over half-way up, the road is called Rutland...
) with a stop half way up at Smedley Street where Smedley's Hydro
Smedley's Hydro
Smedley's Hydro is a former hydrotherapy complex in Matlock, Derbyshire.It was built on Matlock Bank by John Smedley in 1853 when it was the largest hydro in the town. Matlock had developed as a spa town after thermal springs were discovered...
(built by John Smedley
John Smedley (industrialist)
John Smedley is the name of four generations of owners of Lea Mills, near Matlock, Derbyshire. The most famous of these was John Smedley , born Wirksworth, Derbyshire.-Lea Mills:...
) was situated. Conceived by Job Smith, the tram was inspired by San Francisco's
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
famous cable cars, and cost £20,000. When it was built it was the steepest tramway in the world at a gradient
Gradient
In vector calculus, the gradient of a scalar field is a vector field that points in the direction of the greatest rate of increase of the scalar field, and whose magnitude is the greatest rate of change....
of 1 in 5½, and it rose 300 feet (91.4 m). The fare
Fare
A fare is the fee paid by a passenger allowing him or her to make use of a public transport system: rail, bus, taxi, etc. In the case of air transport, the term airfare is often used.-Uses:...
was tuppence up, penny down. It closed in 1927 after losing business to cars
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
and buses.
Railways
Matlock railway station
Matlock Railway Station is a railway station owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Trains. It is located in the Derbyshire town of Matlock in Derbyshire, England. The station is now currently the terminus of both the Derwent Valley Line from Derby and Peak Rail who operate heritage...
was opened on the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway
Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway
The Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway ran from a junction with the Midland Railway at Ambergate to Rowsley north of Matlock and thence to Buxton....
, later the Midland
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
, line between London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, until the section between Matlock and Buxton
Buxton
Buxton is a spa town in Derbyshire, England. It has the highest elevation of any market town in England. Located close to the county boundary with Cheshire to the west and Staffordshire to the south, Buxton is described as "the gateway to the Peak District National Park"...
was closed in 1968 during the Beeching Axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
. Network Rail considered re-opening the line, with a study carried out by the county council. Although it proved to be unfeasible in the short term, the track bed will be kept free of development as the study showed that the line could be economically viable from around 2025. The section from Wye Dale (about 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Buxton) to Coombs viaduct, a point about a mile south-east of Bakewell, has now become the Monsal Trail
Monsal Trail
The Monsal Trail is a cycle, horse riding and walking trail in the Derbyshire Peak District.-Route description:It follows a section of the former Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway, built by the Midland Railway in 1863 to link Manchester with London...
, an 8.5 miles (13.7 km) walk and cycle trail.
Trains still run between Matlock and Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
on the Derwent Valley Line
Derwent Valley Line
The Derwent Valley Line is a railway line from Derby to Matlock in Derbyshire.The line follows the Midland Main Line as far as Ambergate Junction, which is just south of Ambergate railway station, continuing to Matlock, following the course of the River Derwent.*Derby*Duffield**Former branch line...
. Peak Rail
Peak Rail
Peak Rail is a preserved railway in Derbyshire, England, which operates a steam service for tourists and visitors to both the Peak District and the Derbyshire Dales....
, a preserved railway, runs steam trains on a section of the closed line between Matlock, Darley Dale
Darley Dale
Darley Dale, also known simply as Darley, is a town in Derbyshire, England, with a population of around 6,000 people. It lies north of Matlock, on the River Derwent and the A6 road.- History :...
and Rowsley
Rowsley
Rowsley is a village on the A6 road in the English county of Derbyshire.It is at the point where the River Wye flows into the River Derwent and prospered from mills on both.-Overview:...
. Previously it used its own station, Matlock Riverside
Matlock Riverside railway station
Matlock Riverside was the terminus of Peak Rail, a preserved steam railway of approximately 4 miles in length. For many years Peak Rail had planned to run trains into Matlock station, shared with the main line from Derby ....
, a short distance to the north of the mainline station, however as of 2011 both Peak Rail and trains on the Derwent Valley Line share the same station.
Hall Leys Park
The tram shelter from Crown Square is now in Hall Leys ParkHall Leys Park
Hall Leys Park is a Victorian public park in the centre of Matlock, Derbyshire which opened in 1898. It lies between the River Derwent to the south and Causeway Lane to the north....
, a large Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
park next to the River Derwent
River Derwent, Derbyshire
The Derwent is a river in the county of Derbyshire, England. It is 66 miles long and is a tributary of the River Trent which it joins south of Derby. For half its course, the river flows through the Peak District....
which opened in 1898. The park boasts a miniature railway, bandstand and a boating pond, with the oldest running powered boats in Britain, for many years, as well as tennis court
Tennis court
A tennis court is where the game of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles.-Dimensions:...
s and a war memorial
War memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...
. There is an ongoing project to update and upgrade all the parks in the Matlock area - Hall Leys Park was the first to benefit from this and the children's play area has been greatly modernised. There has also been a skateboard
Skateboard
A skateboard is typically a specially designed plywood board combined with a polyurethane coating used for making smoother slides and stronger durability, used primarily for the activity of skateboarding. The first skateboards to reach public notice came out of the surfing craze of the early 1960s,...
park added replacing grass
Grass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
tennis courts. The park hosts an arts festival, Matlock Live, every June and the Matlock Victorian Christmas Weekend on the first weekend of December.
Bank Road
Bank Road runs from Crown Square up Matlock Bank, a steep hillHill
A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills often have a distinct summit, although in areas with scarp/dip topography a hill may refer to a particular section of flat terrain without a massive summit A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills...
which gives the road its name, to Wellington Street. Although many consider the whole incline to be Bank Road, just over half-way up beyond Smedley Street the road is called Rutland Street.
Bank Road has many local landmark buildings along it - from the bottom of the hill (Crown Square) travelling north:
- The Crown Hotel - the original site of the hotel which gave its name to Crown Square is now a building societyBuilding societyA building society is a financial institution owned by its members as a mutual organization. Building societies offer banking and related financial services, especially mortgage lending. These institutions are found in the United Kingdom and several other countries.The term "building society"...
office. This was built prior to 1899. The Crown is now a Wetherspoon's pub just along Bakewell Road. - Crown Buildings, opposite the original Crown Hotel at the bottom of Bank Road, was built in 1889 and currently houses a cafe on its ground floor.
- Post Office and Sorting Office. These were built prior to 1922.
- Police Station - built after the second world war.
- Derbyshire DalesDerbyshire DalesDerbyshire Dales is a local government district in Derbyshire, England. Much of the district is situated in the Peak District, although most of its population lies along the River Derwent....
District Council Offices. Formerly Bridge Hall, then a hydro called Bridge House (established by 1861). In 1894 the Matlock Urban District Council bought Bridge House hydro for use as the Town Hall and added a large wing in the Italianate style to house an assembly room etc. It was reopened in 1898 and also housed most local authority undertakings, magistrates courts, etc. Following local government reorganisation in 1974, the Town Hall became the headquarters of West Derbyshire District Council (which later changed its name to Derbyshire Dales District Council). To enable the District Council to centralise its several offices spread over the district, the Town Hall was substantially extended in 1979. - Our Lady & St. Joseph's Catholic Church - built in 1883 with a presbytery added in 1896. The church was described as a ‘mission’, established under St Mary’s of Derby. A church hall was built alongside in the 1990s.
- Youth Hostel - a YHAYouth Hostels Association (England & Wales)The Youth Hostels Association is a charitable organisation, registered with the Charity Commission, providing youth hostel accommodation in England and Wales...
youth hostel - Built in 1882 as Smedley Memorial Hospital. There is a later (Hunter) wing with a datestone of 1897 set further back from the road. The Youth Hostel opened in 1983 and closed on 30 September 2007. - Matlock Methodist & United Reformed Church - originally Matlock Wesleyan Chapel, and later the Trinity Methodist Church. The church was designed by C.O. Ellison of Liverpool, with additions designed by Horace G. Bradley. The neo-gothic church was originally built in 1882 without the slender steeple, which is now a landmark feature reaching above the roofs of neighbouring buildings, and, from higher levels, an elegant feature against the backdrop of the hills beyond. The Manse was built at the west of the site, fronting New Street.
- Old Sunday School which is now a B&BBed and breakfastA bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
. - Old Methodist Church - the Primitive Methodist congregation was founded in 1838, although the current church on Bank Road, opposite the entrance to County Hall, was rebuilt in 1856 and the adjacent School Room below was added in 1878. Until recently, the Old Methodist Church housed the Matlock WurlitzerWurlitzerThe Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to simply as Wurlitzer, was an American company that produced stringed instruments, woodwinds, brass instruments, theatre organs, band organs, orchestrions, electronic organs, electric pianos and jukeboxes....
.
- County Hall - formerly Smedley’s HydroSmedley's HydroSmedley's Hydro is a former hydrotherapy complex in Matlock, Derbyshire.It was built on Matlock Bank by John Smedley in 1853 when it was the largest hydro in the town. Matlock had developed as a spa town after thermal springs were discovered...
is a grade II listed building which dominates Matlock Bank. The earliest (western) section seen today was built in c.1867 by Smedley. Much of today's building was added after Smedley’s death in 1874. The first phase, in 1881, included the entrance hall and staircase, now in the middle section. In 1886, the eastern section was added by architect George Statham of Nottingham. Later extensions include the tall chimney, impressive for its height on the already prominent site, along with boiler house and bath in 1894. The domed glass Winter Gardens, which housed a ballroom, and the northern block on the other side of Smedley Street were added in 1901. The northern block was linked by the unusual two storey bridge over Smedley Street. The hydro closed in 1955 and re-opened in 1956 as “County Offices”, when Derbyshire County Council moved its headquarters from St Mary’s Gate in Derby. Its name was changed to “County Hall” during the 1990s. Part of the County Hall complex is seen in Women in Love, Ken Russell'sKen RussellHenry Kenneth Alfred "Ken" Russell was an English film director, known for his pioneering work in television and film and for his flamboyant and controversial style. He attracted criticism as being obsessed with sexuality and the church...
Oscar winningAcademy AwardsAn Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
1969 filmFilmA film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
. As the Brangwen sisters walk out of their house (in reality No. 80, New Street) near the beginning of the film they are seen walking towards Bank Road. - Smedley Street traverses Bank Road. It has its own parade of shops and a post office (now closed). The east end of Smedley Street (known as Smedley Street East) is home to Laser Rail, a designer and manufacturer of rail measurement equipment now incorporated into Balfour BeattyBalfour BeattyBalfour Beatty plc is a British construction, engineering, military housing, rail and investment services company. It is one of the largest construction companies in the UK, and the 15th largest in the world...
's rail division.
- The Gate public housePublic houseA public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
- There were known to have been numerous public houses on Matlock Bank, thought to have been the result of the ban on alcohol consumption within the hydros themselves, especially at Smedley’s. The whereabouts of many is no longer known. The Gate (dated 1869) was one of these, and still stands on the corner of Smedley Street and Bank Road, opposite Smedley's.
NB. Beyond Smedley Street Bank Road is actually Rutland Street.
- Rutland Court - the former Matlock House Hydro stands prominently on the east side of Rutland Street. The hydro was built in 1863 and an engraving of 1870 shows that the main block, at least that which is visible from the roadside today, is largely unaltered.
- Elmtree House - a former hydro, now 70-74 Rutland Street, was opened in 1862. It is located just to the north of the dominant Matlock House (now Rutland Court).
- The Old Tram Depot which is now a garage and carAutomobileAn automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
repair centre.
- Rockside Hydro - an imposing building with views across Matlock, is a grade II listed building, on higher ground above Smedley's and is distinctive for its two octagonal corner turrets with conical roofs topped by lanterns. Rockside was built circa 1860, but extended significantly by the firm of architects Parker and Unwin between 1901 and 1905, The building was also extended later in 1923 and 1928. An upper floor glazed conservatory with a glazed curved roof was added in c. 1923, and a block was added on Cavendish Road in 1928. It probably isn't so well known that during the Second World War, Rockside Hall was used as an RAF psychiatric hospital, where mentally-scarred service personnel (mostly aircrew) were rehabilitated. It was somewhat unkindly known as "Hatters Castle" by locals. The building became a hall of residence to Matlock College of Further Education in 1950 but following closure, stood empty and derelict for many years but has recently been renovated and converted into apartments. Large sections have been replaced, including the Cavendish Road block and the curved conservatory roof.
Sport
Matlock is home to Matlock Town Football ClubMatlock Town F.C.
Matlock Town F.C. is an English football club based at Causeway Lane in Matlock, Derbyshire.-History:The club was established in the late 1870s and have competed in the Central Alliance and the Midland Counties League before reaching the Northern Premier League.In the 1974–75 season the club won...
. They are currently in the Northern Premier League Premier Division
Northern Premier League Premier Division
The Premier Division is the top division of the Northern Premier League. It is at Step 3 of the National League System, placing it six divisions below the Premier League...
and play home matches at their Causeway Lane ground.
Matlock is also home to Matlock Cricket Club who play their games next to the football ground, and Matlock and District Swimming Club (also known as MAD Swimming) who train and compete in the nearby Matlock Lido.
Matlock has a regular rugby team who play their home matches at nearby Cromford Meadows. They run 3 senior teams and the 1st XV compete at Level 6 in the RFU league structure
English rugby union system
England has a comprehensive league structure in place, including national fully professional leagues to amateur regional leagues.The format and competitiveness of the leagues have changed greatly since their beginnings in 1987...
. Matlock Rugby Club also has a thriving minis and junior section with over 250 members all supported by fully qualified mini and junior coaches. In 2007 the club was awarded the Derbyshire Tigger Price Memorial trophy for the team of the year award
Education and the arts
Matlock creative and performing arts were enhanced in 2004 when the annual arts festival Matlock Live! began. It takes place in June or July each year featuring local musicians, dancers, artists, etc. The local secondary schoolSecondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
, Highfields School
Highfields School
Highfields School is a coeducational secondary comprehensive school located in Matlock, Derbyshire. The school has 1,414 pupils on roll with 247 in the sixth form and is split across two sites in the town 1.7 miles apart...
, achieved status as a Performing Arts College
Specialist school
The specialist schools programme was a UK government initiative which encouraged secondary schools in England to specialise in certain areas of the curriculum to boost achievement. The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust was responsible for the delivery of the programme...
due to its connections with Matlock Live! As part of the summer event, Matlock Live invites Buskers / Street performers to form a busking trail around Matlock raising money for the charity Aquabox. More information on Matlock Live events can be found at the website. Matlock Music present a series of public concerts at Highfields School (Upper Lumsdale site). Storytelling is also well represented with a monthly Storytelling Cafe at the Imperial Rooms.
History of education in Matlock
Tansley
Tansley is a village on the southern edge of the Derbyshire Peak District, two miles east of Matlock.-History:Tansley is recorded in the Domesday Book as Tanslege, and its name comes from the combination of the Old English words lega, meaning "wood or glade" and tan meaning "a branch of a...
and from 1668 by Anthony Wolley. This school was rebuilt in 1829 and expanded in 1860 and 1889 and girls first attended in 1816. This school has since been demolished (the date is unknown).
Another school, All Saints Primary School was founded in 1875 to provide for the population of the newly developed Matlock Bank. This school still operates and is the biggest primary school in Matlock. In 1897, a third school, the Council School, was constructed on Matlock Bank, at the junction of Smedley Street and Chesterfield Road. It also still operates as Castle View Primary School.
Before Highfields School
Highfields School
Highfields School is a coeducational secondary comprehensive school located in Matlock, Derbyshire. The school has 1,414 pupils on roll with 247 in the sixth form and is split across two sites in the town 1.7 miles apart...
was founded in 1982, when the tripartite education system
Tripartite System
The Tripartite System was the arrangement of state funded secondary education between 1944 and the 1970s in England and Wales, and from 1947 to 2009 in Northern Ireland....
in Matlock ended, there were two secondary schools in Matlock; Charles White Secondary Modern (founded in 1956, and named after two local MPs, father
Charles Frederick White
Charles Frederick White was an English boot and shoemaker and Liberal Party politician. He was Member of Parliament for the Western Division of Derbyshire from 1918 to 1923.-Family and education:...
and son
Charles Frederick White (Jr)
Charles Frederick White was a Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom. He was Member of Parliament for the Western Division of Derbyshire firstly from 1944-1945 as an Independent Labour candidate and subsequently from 1945 to 1950 as the official Labour Party candidate...
, the latter of who died in 1956) and Ernest Bailey's Grammar School (founded in 1924 and named after its wealthy founder).
As a Grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
, Bailey's accepted students whose parents paid or who gained scholarships (by passing the Eleven plus exam) until fees were phased out, leaving scholarship as the only means of entry. Everyone else attended Charles White, a Secondary modern school
Secondary modern school
A secondary modern school is a type of secondary school that existed in most of the United Kingdom from 1944 until the early 1970s, under the Tripartite System, and was designed for the majority of pupils - those who do not achieve scores in the top 25% of the eleven plus examination...
, hence it is estimated that Charles White students outnumbered Bailey's students 3:1. White had been built especially by Derbyshire County Council to accommodate the children who couldn't attend Bailey's.
The town centre development
For over 10 years, the council had proposed to allow a Sainsbury's supermarket to be built in Cawdor QuarryCawdor Quarry
Cawdor Quarry is a dis-used quarry in Matlock, Derbyshire. Much of it is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.The Peak District is renowned for its quarrying, and stone from Cawdor Quarry was used in the construction of both Hyde Park Corner and the Thames Embankment in London.Around...
, a disused quarry next to the railway station. In early 2007 building work started, and it was opened on Thursday 4 October 2007. The access road for the supermarket forms part of a new one way system, whereby the A6 bypasses the town centre. A footbridge from the railway station allows pedestrian access to the supermarket from the town centre. A newly built bus station next to the train station is intended to create an integrated transport terminal. However, several bus routes will continue to serve only the old Bus Station on Bakewell Road, making Matlock one of the smallest towns in Britain to boast two bus stations.
There has recently been a negative image of Matlock Town centre due to the limited retail offer for a town of Matlock's size which was identified in the Matlock Masterplan - a document produced by the district council. There has been a worry that many locals now choose to shop in neighbouring towns due to this perceived problem. There has been a call from some locals and the authorities for some national "High Street" retailers to set up in the town . The local council had a wider development planned for the future with key development sites on Bakewell Road, Firs Parade and Imperial Road which were identified in 2007 in the masterplan. However, as of December 2009 no movement on the development has been planned let alone started.
Matlock on film and television
- Coming Down the MountainComing Down the MountainComing Down the Mountain is a 2007 British television movie which was shown on BBC One, written by Mark Haddon and directed by Julie Anne Robinson. The television movie was based on a radio play also written by Haddon.-Plot:David and Ben Philips are teenage brothers who live in London. Ben has...
, The BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
drama was set partly in Matlock although nothing was filmed there. - Women in Love, Ken Russell'sKen RussellHenry Kenneth Alfred "Ken" Russell was an English film director, known for his pioneering work in television and film and for his flamboyant and controversial style. He attracted criticism as being obsessed with sexuality and the church...
Oscar winningAcademy AwardsAn Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
1969 filmFilmA film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, uses a house at the top of New Street (No. 80) as the home of the Brangwen sisters, Gudrun and Ursula. The house is currently a B&BBed and breakfastA bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
. St. Giles' Church in Church Street was the setting for the wedding of Laura Crich. - Peak PracticePeak PracticePeak Practice is a British drama series about a GP surgery in Cardale — a small fictional town in the Derbyshire Peak District — and the doctors who worked there. It ran on ITV from 10 May 1993 to 30 January 2002 and was one of their most successful series at the time...
, the ITVITVITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
series, used locations in Matlock, including Highfields SchoolHighfields SchoolHighfields School is a coeducational secondary comprehensive school located in Matlock, Derbyshire. The school has 1,414 pupils on roll with 247 in the sixth form and is split across two sites in the town 1.7 miles apart...
, Victoria Hall Gardens and Henry Avenue, although the main village location is CrichCrichCrich is a village in Derbyshire in England. It has the National Tramway Museum inside the Crich Tramway Village, and at the summit of Crich Hill above, a Memorial Tower for those of the Sherwood Foresters regiment who died in battle, particularly in World War I.Built in 1923 on the site of an...
and nearby Fritchley. - Dead Man's Shoes, the 2004 film by Shane MeadowsShane MeadowsShane Meadows is an English film director, screenwriter, occasional actor and BAFTA winner.-Background:Meadows grew up in the Westlands Road area of Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. His father was a long distance lorry driver and his mother worked in a fish and chip shop...
, was filmed in and around Matlock. - In Denial of Murder, 2005 BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
dramatisation of Matlock MercuryMatlock MercuryThe Matlock Mercury is a Weekly newspaper published on a Thursday in the United Kingdom which serves Matlock, Darley Dale, Wirksworth, Bakewell and smaller villages in the Derbyshire Dales area of Derbyshire....
editor Don HaleDon HaleDon Hale OBE is a British journalist.He was the editor of the Matlock Mercury who became involved in the campaign to overturn the murder conviction of Stephen Downing. In 1973, Downing, at the time a 17-year-old with the reading age of an 11-year-old, was imprisoned for the murder of Wendy Sewell...
's campaign to free Stephen DowningStephen DowningThe Stephen Downing case involved the conviction and imprisonment in 1974 of a 17-year-old council worker, Stephen Downing, for the murder of a 32 year old legal secretary, Wendy Sewell, in the town of Bakewell in the Peak District. Following a campaign by a local newspaper, his conviction was...
.
Youth Hostels
The Youth Hostels AssociationYouth Hostels Association (England & Wales)
The Youth Hostels Association is a charitable organisation, registered with the Charity Commission, providing youth hostel accommodation in England and Wales...
(YHA) has its national headquarters
Headquarters
Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility managing all business activities...
in the former Severn Trent Water building on Dimple Road, Matlock. YHA has had two hostels in the town. The first (1933–1934) in Tor Dale and the second (1983–2007) in Bank Road. Despite the close proximity of the Head Office, Bank Road closed in 2007 as part of a restructuring exercise. It has subsequently been redeveloped.
Nearby places
Famous residents
- Simon GroomSimon GroomSimon Groom is a British Producer & Director, best known as a former presenter of Blue Peter.Groom was born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, and was brought up on a farm in Dethick, which he often visited for Blue Peter reports...
, the DJ and former Blue PeterBlue PeterBlue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
presenter. - Philip Whitehead, MP,
- Christopher GreenChris Green (writer/performer)Christopher Green is a writer and performer whose work covers comedy, cabaret, theatre and live art. Green was born in Matlock, Derbyshire, grew up in Darley Dale and lives and works in London, England.-Background:...
, comedy performer and writer - Isy SuttieIsy SuttieIsobel "Isy" Suttie is an English stand up comedian, actress, writer, and musician. She is best known for playing the role of Dobby in the British sitcom Peep Show.-Career:...
, comedian and actress. - Duncan KeithDuncan KeithDuncan Keith is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is an alternate captain for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League...
, defenceman for the Chicago BlackhawksChicago BlackhawksThe Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
of the NHL has family from Matlock - Iain O'BrienIain O'BrienIain Edward O'Brien is a New Zealand cricketer who specialises in pace bowling. He also plays for Wellington, Leicestershire County Cricket Club and recently, the Middlesex County Cricket Club....
, Former New Zealand Test cricketer. - Rhythm PlateRhythm PlateRhythm Plate are predominantly a deep house production duo who hail from Matlock, Derbyshire. They consist of Matt 'Rhythm' and Ant 'Plate' and regularly DJ mainly across the UK but also Europe and around the world .They have written incidental music that has been featured on several UK and...
, musicians and producers.
External links
- MatlockPeople.co.uk - Local news, events, galleries and discussion about Matlock
- MatlockOnline.co.uk - Dedicated to Matlock
- Extensive site on the history of Matlock and Matlock Bath.
- Remarkably extensive, well-presented bibliog. of writings on Matlock and Matlock Bath
- 140 (Matlock) Squadron Air Training Corps (Air Cadets)
- Matlock Live! website
- Matlock news from the Derby Telegraph
- Matlock Music website
- For descriptions of Matlock over several centuries.
- Matlock Mercury, local newspaper
- County Council Feasibility Study Derbyshire County Council (2004) Derby to Manchester Railway Matlock to Buxton / Chinley Link Study. Main Report, Volume 1A: Version: Final. This report also has detailed plans of the line.
- The Crown (Wetherspoon's) pub
- Derbyshire Dales District Council website
- Steep Turnpike Evangelical Church, Matlock website
- Matlock Methodist & United Reformed Church website
- Derbyshire County Council website