Matlock Bath
Encyclopedia
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
.
loved it, and Lord Byron confirmed its romantic character, comparing it with alpine Switzerland, hence its nickname Little Switzerland
. Erasmus Darwin
had recommended the area to Josiah Wedgwood
I for its beauty and soothing waters, and members of the families vacationed and settled there. Edward Levett Darwin
, son of Francis Sacheverel Darwin
, lived at Dale House in Matlock Bath, where he was a solicitor.
When the North Midland Railway
opened in 1840, carriages plied for hire from Ambergate station
. The Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway
ran a number of excursions, taking the passengers onward from Ambergate by the Cromford Canal
. Matlock Bath is now a designated conservation area with an Article 4 Direction in relation to properties, predominantly along North and South Parade.
of the Conservative Party
.
which is a self contained park on top of a hill of the same name. The park contains a former mine
which is open to the public and a cliffside cafe. On the opposite bank of the river Derwent stands High Tor, a sheer cliff which is very popular with climbers and walkers alike. High Tor features Giddy Edge, a narrow winding path along the cliff edge. The cable cars
are close to the base of High Tor and serve the Heights of Abraham. Also in Matlock Bath are Gulliver's Kingdom
theme park, the Peak District Mining Museum, the Life in a Lens Museum of Photography & Old Times
, a petrifying well
and an aquarium
. The notable presence of amusements and museums are a strong tourist draw, and they live quite happily side by side, because the conservation area guidelines keep control of any excessive promotional activity, while allowing it to prosper along with the historical and scenic side that has made Matlock Bath so worth visiting. In autumn of each year, the "Venetian Nights" are held with illuminations along the river and illuminated boats, attracting thousands of visitors
and moped riders who flock to the village at weekends
and bank holiday
s.
was built in 1849 on the Midland Railway
line between London
and Manchester
: the section from Matlock to Buxton
was closed in 1968, during the Beeching Axe
. Trains still run between Matlock Bath and Derby
on the Derwent Valley Line
.
in Matlock Bath is a very popular location for many Canoeing events. It is used by Matlock Canoe Club to host many competitive (National level) Wild Water Racing and Slalom events. It is also used as an assessment location for the BCU
4 Star award. It is also used recreationally by many canoeists.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
south of Matlock in 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...
. Built along 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....
, it developed, in the 19th century, as a spa town
Spa 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...
and still thrives on tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
.
History
In 1698 warm springs were discovered and a Bath House was built. As the waters became more famous, access was improved by the building of the bridge into Old Matlock and in 1783, the opening of a new entrance at the south of the valley. Princess Victoria's royal visit in 1831 confirmed Matlock as a society venue of the time. RuskinRuskin
- Surname :*John Ruskin , an English author, poet and artist, most famous for his work as art critic and social critic, and for his writing on the architecture of Venice....
loved it, and Lord Byron confirmed its romantic character, comparing it with alpine Switzerland, hence its nickname Little Switzerland
Little Switzerland (landscape)
A little Switzerland or Schweiz is a landscape, often of wooded hills. This Romantic aesthetic term is not a geographic category, but was widely used in the 19th century to connote dramatic natural scenic features that would be of interest to tourists...
. Erasmus Darwin
Erasmus Darwin
Erasmus Darwin was an English physician who turned down George III's invitation to be a physician to the King. One of the key thinkers of the Midlands Enlightenment, he was also a natural philosopher, physiologist, slave trade abolitionist,inventor and poet...
had recommended the area to Josiah Wedgwood
Josiah Wedgwood
Josiah Wedgwood was an English potter, founder of the Wedgwood company, credited with the industrialization of the manufacture of pottery. A prominent abolitionist, Wedgwood is remembered for his "Am I Not A Man And A Brother?" anti-slavery medallion. He was a member of the Darwin–Wedgwood family...
I for its beauty and soothing waters, and members of the families vacationed and settled there. Edward Levett Darwin
Edward Levett Darwin
Capt. Edward Levett Darwin , author under the pen-name High Elms of Gameskeeper's Manual, a guide for gamekeepers on large estates which shows keen observation of the habits of various animals....
, son of Francis Sacheverel Darwin
Francis Sacheverel Darwin
Sir Francis Sacheverel Darwin was a physician and traveller who was knighted by King George IV.- Early life :...
, lived at Dale House in Matlock Bath, where he was a solicitor.
When the North Midland Railway
North Midland Railway
The North Midland Railway was a British railway company, which opened its line from Derby to Rotherham and Leeds in 1840.At Derby it connected with the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway and the Midland Counties Railway at what became known as the Tri Junct Station...
opened in 1840, carriages plied for hire from Ambergate station
Ambergate railway station
Ambergate railway station is a railway station owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Trains Train operating company . It serves the village of Ambergate in Derbyshire...
. The Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway
Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway
The Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway was a British railway company. From Birmingham it connected at Derby with the North Midland Railway and the Midland Counties Railway at what became known as the Tri Junct Station...
ran a number of excursions, taking the passengers onward from Ambergate by the Cromford Canal
Cromford Canal
The Cromford Canal ran 14.5 miles from Cromford to the Erewash Canal in Derbyshire, England with a branch to Pinxton. Built by William Jessop with the assistance of Benjamin Outram, its alignment included four tunnels and 14 locks....
. Matlock Bath is now a designated conservation area with an Article 4 Direction in relation to properties, predominantly along North and South Parade.
Government
Matlock Bath is in the local government district of Derbyshire Dales, and is part of the parliamentary constituency of the same name. The Member of Parliament is Patrick McLoughlinPatrick McLoughlin
Patrick Allen McLoughlin is a British Conservative Party politician. He has been a Member of Parliament since 1986, initially for West Derbyshire and since 2010 for its successor, the Derbyshire Dales constituency...
of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
.
Visitor attractions
Attractions in the village include the Heights of AbrahamHeights of Abraham
The Heights of Abraham is a tourist attraction in Matlock Bath, Derbyshire, England. It consists of a hilltop park on top of Masson Hill, accessed by a cable car from the village below. Amongst the attractions in the park, which has been open since Victorian times, are cavern and mine tours. The...
which is a self contained park on top of a hill of the same name. The park contains a former mine
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
which is open to the public and a cliffside cafe. On the opposite bank of the river Derwent stands High Tor, a sheer cliff which is very popular with climbers and walkers alike. High Tor features Giddy Edge, a narrow winding path along the cliff edge. The cable cars
Gondola lift
A gondola lift is a type of aerial lift, normally called a cable car, which is supported and propelled by cables from above. It consists of a loop of steel cable that is strung between two stations, sometimes over intermediate supporting towers. The cable is driven by a bullwheel in a terminal,...
are close to the base of High Tor and serve the Heights of Abraham. Also in Matlock Bath are Gulliver's Kingdom
Gulliver's Kingdom
Gulliver's Kingdom is an amusement park aimed at children aged 3 to 13 in the Derbyshire town of Matlock Bath, England. Founded in 1978 by Ray Phillips, it is still owned by the Phillips family and now has sister theme parks; Gulliver's World in Warrington and Gulliver's Land in Milton Keynes,...
theme park, the Peak District Mining Museum, the Life in a Lens Museum of Photography & Old Times
Life in a Lens Museum of Photography & Old Times
The Life in a Lens Museum of Photography and Old Times is a museum in Matlock Bath, Derbyshire, England. Opened in 2001, the museum is dedicated to presenting the history of photography from 1839 to around the beginning of the digital age ....
, a petrifying well
Petrifying well
-Nature:If an object is placed into such a well and left there for a period of months or years the object acquires a stony exterior. At one time this property was believed to be a result of magic or witchcraft, but it is an entirely natural phenomenon and due to a process of evaporation and...
and an aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
. The notable presence of amusements and museums are a strong tourist draw, and they live quite happily side by side, because the conservation area guidelines keep control of any excessive promotional activity, while allowing it to prosper along with the historical and scenic side that has made Matlock Bath so worth visiting. In autumn of each year, the "Venetian Nights" are held with illuminations along the river and illuminated boats, attracting thousands of visitors
Fancy Rafts
There is a fancy rafts event every year on boxing day on the river Derwent from Matlock through Matlock Bath to Cromford MeadowsBikers
Matlock Bath is well-known as a meeting place for motorcyclistsMotorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
and moped riders who flock to the village at weekends
Workweek
The workweek and weekend are those complementary parts of the week devoted to labour and rest respectively. The legal working week , or workweek , is the part of the seven-day week devoted to labor. In most Western countries it is Monday to Friday. The weekend comprises the two traditionally...
and bank holiday
Bank Holiday
A bank holiday is a public holiday in the United Kingdom or a colloquialism for public holiday in Ireland. There is no automatic right to time off on these days, although the majority of the population is granted time off work or extra pay for working on these days, depending on their contract...
s.
StreetSafari gathering
Since 2005, every March, participants in StreetSafari European banger rallies meet in the Midland Hotel, North Parade, Matlock Bath for their annual "north of England" meet-up. The "south of England" meet-up is held in Covent Garden, London. StreetSafari generally meets up on the last weekend of March.Railways
Matlock Bath railway stationMatlock Bath railway station
Matlock Bath railway station is a railway station owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Trains Train operating company . It is located in the village of Matlock Bath in Derbyshire, England...
was built in 1849 on the Midland Railway
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...
: the section from Matlock to 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...
. Trains still run between Matlock Bath 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...
.
Canoeing
The River DerwentRiver 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....
in Matlock Bath is a very popular location for many Canoeing events. It is used by Matlock Canoe Club to host many competitive (National level) Wild Water Racing and Slalom events. It is also used as an assessment location for the BCU
British Canoe Union
The British Canoe Union is a national governing body for canoeing in the United Kingdom, whose stated purpose is "Helping and Inspiring people to go canoeing”....
4 Star award. It is also used recreationally by many canoeists.