| Matlock Bath,
Derbyshire |
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The Switzerland of England |
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Matlock Bath has been described as 'the Switzerland
of England'. The village lies in a steep sided valley and is
bounded by the River Derwent to the east, with the limestone
crags of High Tor and Cat Tor, originally known as Wild Cat
Tor, rising almost vertically from the river's edge in places
as the river cuts its way through the limestone rocks. There
is little on this bank of the river, apart from the railway
line where it surfaces from the tunnels, a pathway up to Starkholmes
in the heart of the village, the Lover's Walks and the old colour
and gas works sites.
The houses, shops and other buildings are all on the west bank
of the river, on the slopes that lead to the mighty Masson which
rises to over 1,000 feet above sea level.
Probably the most famous and enduring image of Matlock Bath
is the view of High Tor which 'like some huge bastion, lift[s]
its grey head to the sky1'. |
High Tor, Matlock Dale. This view shows the face in the rock. |
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'If there be any object that possesses a paramount interest over every
other in this enchanting dale,
that object is High Tor. Matlock is never mentioned but the High Tor
is associated with the idea.'2
Matlock Bath is discussed below under the following sub headings:
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 Matlock Bath's Development |
Matlock Bath was part of the parish of Matlock until 1843 and the
history of the two places is intertwined. Old books and journals often
talked of Matlock, when the author was actually describing Matlock
Bath.
In early times there were few inhabitants in what we now know as Matlock
Bath because it was almost inaccessible. The village did not really
develop until a road was cut through the rocks at Scarthin Nick at
the south end of Matlock Bath and the bridle path from Matlock Bridge
was widened.
 Matlock
The old
parish of Matlock, geographical location, landowners and population
Nineteenth
century expansion, population & councils
Scarthin Nick (below)
However, the first development of any major importance followed the
discovery of the medicinal springs. 'The waters were first applied
for medicinal purposes about the latter end of the seventeenth century.
The old bath, which was of wood, lined with lead, was made in 1698'
(Lysons, p.2073). It was
this bath that gave the place its name and visitors came to use the
bath and to drink the waters.
The village was an extremely fashionable and prosperous spa in the
nineteenth century, and was visited by the then Princess (later Queen)
Victoria on 22 Oct 1832 when she was a guest of the Duke of Devonshire
at Chatsworth House (Bryan, 19034).
Water Cures
Visitors came to enjoy the spectacular scenery as well as for the
water cure. There were plenty of books to tempt the prospective tourist
about the village, which had become really popular during the Napoleonic
Wars when foreign travel was difficult for the wealthy. Matlock Bath
responded to the demand.
Several early
Matlock & Matlock Bath Guides are on this website
Bemroses
Guide: Walks and Places of Interest, about 1869
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| Famous 19th Century People
Who Wrote About or Visited Matlock Bath |
- Jane Austen, who mentions Matlock in "Pride and
Prejudice" Vol. II, Chapter I
- Elizabeth Barrett Browning, as a girl
- Lord George Byron
- Erasmus Darwin
- Charles Dickens
- John Ruskin
- Sir Walter Scott
- Mary Shelley - see right
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In her Gothic novel "Frankenstein" Mary Shelley
talks of Matlock:
'We ... proceeded to Matlock, which was our next place of rest.
The country in the neighbourhood of this village resembles Switzerland;
but everything is on a lower scale ... We visited the wondrous
cave, and the little cabinets of natural history ...'
Mary actually is describing Matlock Bath.
Mary Shelley (1994) "Frankenstein"
(1818 Text) World Classics, Oxford University Press, Oxford
(Vol. III, Chapter II).
Matlock &
Matlock Bath - Poetry
Elizabeth Barrett's visit as a young girl |
Before this, in 1775, Anna Seward had written
a poem about the Derwent - her "favourite river" (Firth,
p.4065). Seward wasn't
the only person to write poetry about Matlock Bath.
John Wesley preached at Matlock Bath in 1761. |
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| There were also Royal
Visitors |
- 22 Oct 1832 - Princess (later Queen) Victoria and her mother,
Victoria Duchess of Kent.
- 31 July 1840 - Dowager Queen Adelaide, widow of King William
IV
- 23 September 1856 - ex-Queen Marie Amelie of France
- August 1899 - Princess Mary, Duchess of York - later Queen Mary,
wife of the future King George V
- 10 November 1815 - Archdukes John and Louis of Austria
- 5 February 1816 - Duke Nicholas of Russia, later Emperor
- 23rd July 1818 - Imperial Grand Duke Michael of Russia
- 10 August 1871 - Emperor Dom Pedro II of Brazil and the Empress.
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| Hotels in Matlock Bath
in the Nineteenth Century |
Ebenezer Rhodes enjoyed his visits to Matlock
Bath in the early part of the nineteenth century. His description
of the hotels he found is on the right.
At the end of the nineteenth century Matlock Bath's burgeoning
popularity amongst all levels of society is reflected in the
figures for hotel and lodging house accommodation in 1891, as
advertised in Kelly's Directory1891.
By then the number of hotels had increased from the three described
by Rhodes to nine, plus one hydropathy establishment. At that
time Thomas Tyack was the proprietor of the New
Bath and Royal Hotels, and Mrs. Sarah Evans was at the Temple
Hotel, which was 'originally built as a lodging house or appendage
to the Old Bath' (Adam, p.406).
See Tyack's advertisement
below
The Royal Hotel had been built on the site of Old Bath Hotel,
with the Old Pavilion set in 16 acres of woodland on the hillside
behind. In addition to the hotels there were some thirty-two
lodging houses! Refreshments of various kinds could be bought
at a the numerous refreshment rooms and restaurants. Gardens,
too, were used as to serve refreshments, especially those on
the climb up to the Heights.
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When the writer Ebenezer Rhodes visited the village about 1824
he stayed at Varley's Hotel. He described the three inns that
were in Matlock Bath at the time as excellent. He wrote:
"The principal one [hotel] is denominated the Old Bath,
and it is a spacious building capable of affording accommodations
to nearly one hundred visitors. At this inn there is an excellent
assembly room, lighted with elegant glass chandeliers; and a
hot and cold bath are included within the establishment."
Saxton's Hotel was "a commodious house pleasantly situated
on rising ground, nearly opposite Wild Cat Tor".
Rhodes also described the discovery of the skeleton of a moose
deer, found when the foundations for the stables were being
dug. This was taken to the British Museum. The Temple was "the
principal lodging house' at that time, kept by a Mrs. Evans;
it became an hotel shortly after this date. Rhodes deemed it
to be excellent and 'one of the most delightful residences in
the place".
"Peak Scenery"
by E. Rhodes,
pub. London, Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, Paternoster
Row (1824)
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The early postcard below shows the New Bath Hotel (Saxton's and later
Tyack's), the Bath Terrace Hotel and Holy Trinity Church with the
Royal Hotel behind it, which are at the southern end of Matlock Bath.
About Holy
Trinity Church
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Matlock Bath from Cat Tor
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The backs of the houses of Woodland Terrace
and the roof of what was Matlock Bath School at the time can
be seen in the foreground. Clifton Road winds its way up the
hillside and the domed Old Pavilion, with its 228 feet long
terrace, can also be seen.
Matlock
Bath School
Old
Pavilion
The Old Pavilion was opened by Lord Edward Cavendish in 1884
and was known as the Palais Royal. A band performed twice daily
at the Old Pavilion throughout the season. The building was
made of glass and had entrances on both Clifton Road and Temple
Walk. |
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From the latter there was a very long and wide straight
drive through planted woods. The whole valley was quite densely wooded
and the Pleasure Grounds beside the River Derwent are only just visible
on the bottom right hand side.
There's
a coloured version of Matlock Bath from Cat Tor elsewhere on this
website
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Advertisement for the New Bath Hotel when it was run by Thomas Tyack
(1888)1
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Also
see New Bath Hotel, 2 postcards
Matlock Bath has attracted both painters and writers over the centuries
and Artists Corner, opposite High Tor in Matlock Dale, was a favourite
haunt of the former. Many writers have described the spectacular scenery
in glowing terms.
Not every visitor painted a favourable picture of the scene they encountered,
though. By 1908, J. B. Firth was less flattering about the village
as he describes Matlock Bath as 'a tripper's paradise' and he clearly
disliked some of the village's less attractive sites, such as a bottling
plant and paint works in the Dale (p.3945)
. Quite a contrast with those earlier guides whose authors loved all
they saw.
Though still extremely appreciative of the scenery, Firth describes
the noise - 'the bawling of the drivers of brakes and waggonettes,
the attentions of the pushing salesmen' - and the switchback railway
that was for a time beside the river as 'a wanton outrage to one of
the fairest scenes in England'5.
The switchback railway he mentioned was in the Derwent Pleasure Gardens.
See old postcard
of Old Pavilion and Royal Hotel
Also
see old postcard of Lover's Walks and River Derwent which also
shows the Switchback railway
By the 1950's there was a small railway here for children and a paddling
pool was nearby, behind the 'New' Pavilion near the landing stage.
This second pavilion, the Royal
Pavilion, is shown on the old pre war postcard on the right.
It was built opposite the Fishpond Hotel in 1910, at a cost
of £10,000. Before and during the first war it was called the
Kursaal.
Clearly designed to impress, it was built of brick "with
a large central dome and two smaller domes; it contains a theatre,
a large ground floor room and a pump room. The council offices
are situated in one wing of the building"1912.
The Pump Room is only partially visible on the right of the
picture. The Fish Pond is in the centre of the picture.
The Pavilion was the venue for cultural events such as the Musical
Festival and dances were also held in the ballroom. The Local
Council had offices in one wing and a branch of the library
was housed here in the 1950's and 60's. It is now the home of
the Mining Museum and Tourist Information Centre.
After the war cycle clubs, whose members lived in towns such
as Derby, used to visit Matlock Bath each weekend. The cyclists
would often enjoy a hearty egg and chip tea in one or other
of the local cafés before returning home. A group of cyclists,
with their cycles parked on the pavement edge, can be see relaxing
on the wooden seats beside the bus stop in the photograph of
the Pavilion above. |
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Royal Pavilion, Matlock Bath
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The picture (right), another of a series of cards in my personal
collection, shows an omnibus belonging to William Furniss Jnr.
on South Parade and was photographed in the early part of the
twentieth century (approximately 1924). It depicts a quiet scene
as South Parade was almost deserted. However, on Bank Holidays
and summer weekends the pavements and roads and hillsides were
teeming with tourists.
Some of the houses in the village are reminiscent of Swiss chalets.
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| The Main Attractions |
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Jewett's description of the Heights of Abraham, quoted on
the right, is not an exaggeration. The view from the summit
today, which can now be reached by cable car, is truly wonderful.
Those who still chose to visit the Heights as pedestrians,
just as the Victorians did, are able to walk up through the
delightful gardens. It is well worth the effort if you are
fit.
In the picture of South Parade, immediately above this section,
'The Upper Tower' in the grounds of the Heights is the white
building amongst the trees at the top, just left of centre.
This was the home of Samuel Sprinthall who was at the Heights
of Abraham for many years and was the great grandfather of
Peter Aspey. Peter also lived there and he describes life
at the Heights, its ownership and history on his wbsite. Peter
includes a postcard dating from 1870 and describes both the
Great Rutland and Great Masson Caverns in considerable detail.
Peter
Aspey's website (see his Personal Details/Early History)
Further details of the Heights of Abraham for those wishing
to visit, either on foot or by the cable car, can be found
on their website.
Heights
of Abraham site
The Petrifying Wells also attracted tourists. In 1888, Black's
"Guide to Derbyshire" recorded that 'a penny
is the ordinary charge for admission to these wells'. (p.2251).
The
onsite transcripts of "Gem of the Peak" have more
on petrifying wells and the numerous caverns
The public promenade opened in 1874, along the riverbank
opposite North Parade. People were entertained on 'The Prom'
and there were regular performances from the bandstand on
the opposite side of the river. As well as local bands, entertainers
returned to Matlock Bath year after year to please the crowds.
On the same side of the river as the bandstand is the Lovers'
Walks, with footpaths both on the river's edge and up
through the woodland to the summit. Crossing the river by
ferry is a thing of the past and the Jubilee Bridge has spanned
the River Derwent for over a century. The bridge is at the
southern end of the North Parade, connecting the Promenade
across to the Lovers' Walks. The iron bridge was put in place
on 14 June, 1887 in time for the Jubilee of Queen Victoria
eight days later.
The Fountain Baths was on the opposite
side of the road from the promenade. There were several private
baths and a large swimming bath supplied by spring water which
had a temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
The proprietors of these attractions have been listed in
various directories. Those in 1891 included W.E. Howe at the
Fountain Baths & Assembly Room, Samuel Sprinthall who
was the lessee of the Heights of Abraham (already mentioned,
above), William B. Hunt at Matlock Bath Skating Rink, Frederick
Downs was the Manager of the Pavilion & Gardens and Robert
Hall was listed as Secretary for Matlock & High Tor Recreation
Grounds Co. Ltd. Cavern proprietors were Job Hall Cardin at
High Tor Grotto in The Dale, Jacob Rains and William Smedley1891.
Five years later little had changed, although Mrs Howe was
at the Fountain Baths and the Skating Rink was not listed.
However, by 1916 most of these concerns had changed hands:
James Fearn was at the Fountain Baths, Robert Hall had taken
over the High Tor Grotto and the Pavilion and gardens had
become the property of the Royal Hotel. There was by then
a Matlock Bath Improvements Society, based
at Riversdale, and Thomas Coates was the Hon. Secretary.1916
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"One of the greatest attractions of Matlock [Bath] is
the wooded slopes called the Heights of
Abraham, and the gigantic mountain Masson towering above
it. ... On arriving at the summit the scene is truly grand
and seems to strike the mind with awe ; the view from this
point embraces five counties".
Jewitt, L., "Nooks and Corners
of Derbyshire"
"Another truly delightful part of Matlock [Bath] is the
Lovers' Walks, on the opposite side of the river from the village
and Masson. These walks are entered from the ferry, and embrace
nearly the whole of the eastern side of the dale".
Jewitt, L., "Nooks and Corners of
Derbyshire"
Matlock Bath
Venetian Nights or Venetian Fete
This is an annual event.
Illuminations & Venetian Fête in the 1950s
describes some of the event's history. |
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Other events
that used to be held
Matlock Bath Carnival
Matlock Bath Musical Festival
Matlock Bath Floral Fete
Miss Derbyshire Contest |
One of the ways visitors travelled to Matlock Bath was by train:
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| How the Majority of the
Residents Earned a Living |
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| Scarthin Nick |
'SCARTHIN NICK is a hamlet pleasantly situated
on an eminence on the southern border of this parish [Matlock],
adjoining the village of Cromford'. (p. 107, Kelly's)1855.
Black's Guide, 1888, (pp.130-1)1,
says ' Scarthin Nick is an opening between two massive limestone
rocks, through which the turnpike road passes. Close to these
rocks is the entrance lodge to Willersley Castle, the drive
passing along between the river Derwent and the rocky boundary
of the grounds, until it reaches the bridge.'
'Here is a Mission church, erected in 1871, with a belfry, containing
one bell, in which divine service is held every Sunday and Wednesday
evenings. There are also Primitive and Wesleyan Methodist chapels,
the former erected in 1853, and the latter many years since,
but enlarged in 1840'. (p. 330, Kelly's)1916.
Roman coins were found here in March 1795, close to the head
of a human skeleton.
See
documentary evidence in The Wolley Manuscripts, Matlock
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For such a small place Scarthin
had quite a large population.
View onsite
transcripts of the census returns
There's a newborn infant, Robert James White, one of the youngest
children I've come across in a census return, who can be found
living in Scarthin with his family at Schedule 101 in the 1861
Go
to 1861 census page
Scarthin residents and businesses were listed under Matlock
in several onsite Trade Directories.
Kelly's
1848 Directory
Kelly's
1855 Directory
White's
1857 Directory
White's
1862 Directory
They were also listed under Cromford directories, which are
onsite
Cromford,
Derbyshire: A collection of trades directory transcripts
- and a quotation. An index, plus links to a good deal of onsite
material about the village. The quote I mention is from Firth's
1908 book5 about
Derbyshire and there's an old postcard of the village. |
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Photographs and scanned images provided by and
© the webmistress, unless stated.
Information researched by and © Ann Andrews. Intended for personal
use only
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References (coloured hyperlinks are to transcripts elsewhere on this
website):
1 "Black's Tourist Guide to Derbyshire"
(1888) pub. Adam and Charles Black Edinburgh
2 Jewitt, Llewellynn Frederick William (?1860)
"The Matlock Companion and Visitor's Guide to the Beauties
of the Peak of Derbyshire ... " pub. Derby Telegraph Office:
Derby
3 Lysons, Rev Daniel and Samuel Lysons Esq.
(1817) "Topographical and Historical Account of Derbyshire"
London: Printed for T. Cadell, Strand; and G. and A. Greenland, Poultry
4 Bryan, Benjamin (1903) "History
of Matlock - Matlock, Manor and Parish" London by Bemrose
& Sons, Limited
5 Firth, J.B. (1908) "Highways and
Byways in Derbyshire" MacMillan & Co., London
6 Adam, W. (1840) "The Gem of the
Peak" London; Longman & Co., Paternoster Row MDCCCXL
1855 "The Post
Office Directory of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire
and Rutlandshire", pub. Kelly and Co., London (1855)
1891 "Kelly's Directory of the
Counties of Derby, Notts, Leicester and Rutland" (May,
1891), pub. London
1895 "Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire,
Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Rutland", pub.
London (1895)
1899 "Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire,
Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Rutland", pub.
London (1899) |
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There are online
transcripts:
19th century directories |
1912 "Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire",
1912 (not transcribed on this site)
1916"Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire", 1916
} There are online transcripts: 20th century
directories
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