Matlock and Matlock Bath Images: Matlock, The Bridge

This lovely Edwardian coloured card is of Matlock's stone bridge over the River Derwent, shortly after it was widened in 1903/4. Pictures of the mediaeval bridge before it was widened show that there were neither any pavements nor any quoins for people to view the river from, so crossing the bridge would not have been easy for those on foot when a horse and cart went past. The stonework looks new; it is interesting to see the low wall curving round in front of the shop on the far right of the card.

There were then shops on both sides of the road at the far side of the bridge but those on the right at the Parkhead were demolished during the 1920's. Work commenced in February 1926 (from the "High Peak News").

Just beyond the bridge is Crown Square and you can just make out the shape of one of the trams on this postcard.

Bank Road and The Tram: Matlock boasted it had the steepest tramway in the world

Immediately to the left of the tram, if you look hard, is the very edge of a building. I (webmistress) originally thought that this was part of the tram shelter, which was in the middle of Crown Square but eventually moved onto the Hall Leys when the trams ceased to run. However, I now think it shows the covered entrance way of the Crown Hotel, which projected over the pavement of Bank Road. The tram shelter is there, though - it almost merges with the heads of the two people who are standing in the middle of the bridge. There are trees shown on both sides of the bottom of Bank Road. In the foreground on the left can be seen the wrought iron gates of what is now a bank. The gates were replaced and the entrance way was redesigned when Williams Deacon's Matlock branch acquired the rather grand portico gateway in 1920 (from the Royal Bank of Scotland's branch history).

Colin Goodwyn comments that the telegraph pole really is a monster, for it must go down behind the wall to the garden!

Photograph kindly provided by and © Betty Atkinson
Unfortunately, whilst there's a birthday message on the back of the postcard there is no postmark and not even a stamp to help to date it. The owner has another card which would appear to be taken about the same time and this has an Edward VII stamp on it.
Information provided by Ann Andrews with additions by Colin Goodwyn