Coordinates: 53°15′32″N 1°54′40″W / 53.259°N 1.911°W
| Buxton | |
 Buxton from Solomon's Temple looking northwards |
|
  Buxton
Buxton shown within Derbyshire |
|
| Population | 20,836 (2001 Census) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| District | High Peak |
| Shire county | Derbyshire |
| Region | East Midlands |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BUXTON |
| Postcode district | SK17 |
| Dialling code | 01298 |
| Police | Derbyshire |
| Fire | Derbyshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament | High Peak |
| List of places: UK • England • Derbyshire | |
Buxton is a spa town in Derbyshire, England. It has the highest elevation of any market town in England.[1] 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".[1] A municipal borough until 1974, Buxton was then merged with other localities including Glossop, lying primarily to the north, to form the local government district and borough of High Peak within the county of Derbyshire. Buxton is within the sphere of influence of Greater Manchester due to its close proximity to the area.
Buxton is home to Poole's Cavern, an extensive limestone cavern open to the public, and St Ann's Well, fed by the geothermal spring bottled and sold internationally by Buxton Mineral Water Company. Also in the town is the Buxton Opera House, which hosts several music and theatre festivals each year. The Devonshire Campus of the University of Derby is housed in one of the town's historic buildings. Other attractions for visitors include two speedway stadia, two golf courses, a pedestrian-only street with small shops and an indoor shopping mall.
Contents |
Built on the boundary of the Lower Carboniferous limestone and the Upper Carboniferous shale, sandstone and gritstone, the original settlement was largely of limestone construction[citation needed], of which only the parish church of St Anne, built in 1625, remains. The present buildings, of locally quarried sandstone, mostly date from the late 18th century.
At the southern edge of the town the River Wye has carved an extensive limestone cavern, known as Poole's Cavern, whose more than 300 yards of chambers are open to the public. Once used by Neolithic and early Bronze Age cave dwellers[citation needed], the cavern contains Derbyshire's largest stalactite. There are also unique 'poached egg' stalagmites. There are various stories connected with the cavern, such as that of a notorious local highwayman called Poole, who gives the cavern its name.[2]
Built on the River Wye, and overlooked by Axe Edge Moor, Buxton has a long history as a spa town due to its geothermal spring which rises at a constant temperature of 28 °C. The source of the spring is behind Eagle Parade and piped to St Ann's Well (often mistaken for the source) opposite The Crescent near the town centre. Each summer the wells are decorated according to the local tradition of well dressing. The Well Dressing weekend has developed to become something of a town carnival, including live music and funfair.
The Romans developed the settlement when it was known as Aquae Arnemetiae[1] (or the spa of the goddess of the grove). Findings of coins indicate that the Romans were in Buxton throughout their occupation.[3] The town largely grew in importance in the late 18th century when it was developed by the Dukes of Devonshire, with a second resurgence a century later as the Victorians were drawn to the reputed healing properties of the waters.
The Dukes of Devonshire have been closely involved with Buxton since 1780, when the 5th Duke used the profits from his copper mines to develop the town as a spa in the style of Bath. Their ancestor Bess of Hardwick had taken one of her four husbands, the Earl of Shrewsbury, to "take the waters" at Buxton shortly after he became the jailer of Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1569, and they took Mary there in 1573—[citation needed]she called Buxton "La Fontagne de Bogsby", but stayed at the site of the Old Hall Hotel.
Instrumental in the popularity of Buxton was the recommendation by Dr.Erasmus Darwin of the waters at Buxton and Matlock to Josiah Wedgwood I. The Wedgwood family subsequently often journeyed to Buxton on holiday and recommended the area to their friends.[citation needed] Two of Charles Darwin's half-cousins, Edward Levett Darwin and Reginald Darwin also decided to settle there.[4]
The introduction of the railway to the town in 1863 considerably stimulated its growth; the population of 1,800 in 1861 had grown to over 6,000 by 1881.[5]
The annual Buxton Festival, Four Four Time music festival, and International Gilbert and Sullivan Festivals are held in the Opera House.
The Buxton Festival, founded in 1979, which runs for about two weeks in mid-July, is particularly noted for its Handel productions and the presentations of rare operas, with top-quality artists and orchestras. Running alongside it is the Buxton Festival Fringe. It is popular as a warm-up for the Edinburgh Fringe, and it now claims to be the largest 'true' fringe festival in the UK and is the second-largest Arts festival in the country after Edinburgh, which is itself the largest annual festival in the world.
The International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival, founded in 1994, which runs for over three weeks from the end of July through most of August, is an adjudicated competition among amateur G&S societies and also presents professional performances and fringe events.
Since 2004, the Opera House and the neighbouring Pavilion Gardens have also hosted the annual Four Four Time music festival which sees a wide variety of performers appearing over one week in February.
Buxton has a range of other cultural activities including Screen Buxton, an innovative new film club. In 1992, American actor Carl Weathers visited Buxton and declared it to be his "favourite town in the North of England".[9]
Buxton's mixed economy includes revenue derived from the commercialisation of the local spring waters, bottled and marketed by the Buxton Mineral Water Company (now owned by Nestlé Waters UK). Buxton Blue is a blue cheese with PDO status that can only be made in and around Buxton. The University of Derby is a significant employer.
Other major economic activities include tourism and limestone quarrying. The presence of the opera house and the festivals in the summer generate a good deal of economic activity, and Buxton has a considerable number of hotels (including the large Palace Hotel), B&B establishments and restaurants. There is a pedestrian-only street, Spring Gardens, that caters to tourists; an enclosed shopping centre with various shops, including branches of Marks & Spencer and Waitrose; and a market square in the town. Potter's of Buxton is one of the oldest retailers in the town, established in 1860. The department store still retains many of its original Victorian features.
In 2004, Barclay's Bank published a survey of its customers showing that the High Peak borough had the largest percentage year-on-year increase of people earning over £60,000 of anywhere in Britain.
Buxton is twinned with two other towns: Oignies in France and Bad Nauheim in Germany.
In the high land above the town there are two small speedway stadia. The High Edge Raceway was the original home of the speedway team Buxton High Edge Hitmen in the mid-1990s before the team moved to the custom-built track immediately to the north of the original circuit. The original track in the High Edge Raceway[10] was amongst the shortest and trickiest tracks in the UK. The custom-built track is of a more conventional shape and length. Buxton have been regular competitors in the Conference League.[11][12]
Buxton has a football club, Buxton F.C. who play at The Silverlands, a rugby club, Buxton Rugby Club and a hockey club, Buxton Hockey Club. In addition 4 Hope Valley League clubs are based in Buxton. Buxton Christians and Queens Reserves play at the Fairfield Centre with Blazing Rag and Buxton Town playing at the Kents Bank Recreation Ground.
There are two 18-hole golf courses in Buxton. In the eastern suburb of Fairfield is the Buxton & High Peak club. Founded in 1887 it is the oldest in Derbyshire.[13] On the western edge of the town is the Cavendish Club (1925), designed by the renowned course architect Dr. Alister MacKenzie.[14]
The hillside around Solomon's Temple is a popular local bouldering venue with many small outcrops giving problems mainly in the lower grades. These are described in the 2003 guidebook High over Buxton: A Boulderer's Guide.[15] Hoffman Quarry at Harpur Hill, sitting prominently above Buxton, is a local venue for sport climbing.[16]
At 1,000 above sea level (307 metres), Buxton is the highest market town in England. Alston, Cumbria also makes this claim (but lacks a regular market). Buxton has an annual rainfall (1959–1995) of 1,286 mm (50.6") with a mean temperature (1959–1995) of 7.8 °C. The town is sometimes described by Derbyshire locals as being 'a top coat colder'.
Buxton railway station is served by the ex L&NWR and LMS line via Whaley Bridge. It has frequent trains to Stockport and the nearby city of Manchester. The journey from Buxton to Manchester Piccadilly takes just under an hour. Like most busy towns, Buxton had two stations, but the Midland Railway station was closed on 6 March 1967, later becoming the site for the Spring Gardens shopping centre. The trackbed of the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway has in part been utilized as a walk and cycleway called the Monsal Trail. Peak Rail, a heritage railway group, have restored the section from Rowsley to Matlock, with the long-term objective of trying to re-open back to Buxton.
The town's buses offer affordable travel into the Peak District National Park. Other buses run to the nearby towns of Whaley Bridge, Chapel en le Frith, New Mills and Glossop, and the 'Transpeak' coach service offers an hourly link to Taddington, Matlock, Derby and Nottingham. There is a Trent Bus directly from Manchester Airport to Buxton. Other buses provide roughly two-hourly services linking Buxton with Macclesfield, Stoke-on-Trent and Sheffield.
 |
Whaley Bridge, Manchester | Chapel-en-le-Frith, Glossop | Castleton, Sheffield | |
| Macclesfield, Congleton |  |
Chesterfield, Baslow | ||
 Buxton  |
||||
 |
||||
| Leek, Stoke-on-Trent | Ashbourne, Derby | Bakewell, Matlock |
|
|||||||||||||||||
Buxton [1] is an ancient spa town in the Peak District, England. It is in the county of Derbyshire which is officially classified as part of the East Midlands but it is probably more associated with the North West of England. It is the main place for the High Peak Borough, for both administrative and for retail.
Buxton is known across the world for its bottled spring water which is marketed by the Buxton Mineral Water Company (owned by Nestlé Waters UK). During the summer months, the local economy benefits from an influx of tourists who visit the surrounding Peak District region. Buxton also plays host to a number of summer festivals which draw large numbers of visitors too.
Buxton is served by Northern Rail, the last station on the line from Manchester Piccadilly; however, Buxton is served by regular trains to Blackpool North and Preston which run through Manchester Piccadilly and Stockport. Visit Northern Rail [2] for timetable.
Buxton is arguably the best connected place in the High Peak, mainly due to its location. Notable bus routes include the Transpeak (TrentBarton) which runs from Manchester - Stockport - Buxton - Bakewell - Matlock - Belper - Derby - Nottingham and many more places on route, the service is 2-hourly from Manchester to Nottingham and hourly from Buxton to Nottingham Transpeak [3]. This service is funded and promoted by Derbyshire County Council. Additional services include the 199 which runs from Buxton - Chapel-en-le-frith - Whaley Bridge - Disley - Stockport - Manchester Airport and runs express between Stockport and Manchester Airport. This service is half-hourly Mon–Sat and operated again by Trent Barton [4]. Other bus services include services to Glossop, Sheffield, Hanley, Macclesfield, Chesterfield, Ashbourne, Leek, Holmfirth and many more places; call on 0871 200 22 33 or visit Traveline East Midlands [5] for all local public transport information or visit Derbyshire County Council Public Transport Unit [6] for maps and information on printed timetables.
Buxton is not close to Britain's motorway network. However, it is a crossing point of some major trunk roads, such as the A6 from Both Manchester and Matlock, the A54 from Congleton, the A537 from Macclesfield, the A53 from Stoke-on-Trent and the A515 coming in from Derby and Ashbourne. Each route is very picturesque, but be wary of of the A53, A54 and A537, as these are currently considered (as of 2007) amongst the most accident-prone roads in England, but are getting safer.
Due to its proximity to the Peak District, Buxton does not have its own airport, but is easily accessible from Manchester Airport, via rail (see getting there by train) and bus, and East Midlands Airport.
Buxton is the home of Buxton Spring Water [7] which is sold round the world, but if you are in town make sure you get some free water from the well that is in the centre by the Royal Crescent.
To the southwest of the town centre is the show cave of Poole's Cavern [8]. A pleasant (and free) walk through woodland from here leads to Solomon's Temple, a folly on a limestone hill with elevated views over Buxton and the surrounding area. Another interesting and little-known local curiosity lies in a small valley between Solomon's Temple and the village of Harpur Hill, where water issuing through lime-rich waste rock has created an intriguing area of white calcite deposits.
There is always something going off at the Opera House [9] from stage productions to fairs. These include the Buxton Opera Festival, running for two and a half weeks in July, and the International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival, running for the better part of three weeks in August.
There is a large selection of shops on the main pedestrian street.
Buxton offers a wide range of accommodation, from Bed and Breakfast establishments to luxury hotels. However, during the more popular summer festivals, all accommodation within reasonable walking distance of the Opera House may be booked well in advance.
| This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow! |
Category: Outline articles
BUXTON, a market town and fashionable health-resort in the High Peak parliamentary division of Derbyshire, England, on the London & North-Western and Midland railways, 36 m. N.W. by N. of Derby. Pop. of urban district (1901) 10,181. It occupies a high position, lying between 1000 and 1150 ft. above sea-level, in an open hollow, surrounded at a distance by hills of considerable elevation, except on the south-east side, where the Wye, which rises about half a mile away, makes its exit. The old town (High Buxton) stands a little above the new, and consists of one wide street, and a considerable market-place with an old cross. The new town is the richer portion. The Crescent is a fine range of buildings in the Doric style, erected by the duke of Devonshire in 1779-1788. It contains hotels, a ball-room, a bank, a library and other establishments, and the surrounding open grounds are laid out in terraces and gardens. The Old Hall hotel at the west end of the Crescent stands on the site of the mansion built in 1572 by the earl of Shrewsbury in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, which was the residence of Mary queen of Scots when she visited the town. The mineral waters of Buxton, which have neither taste nor smell, are among the most noted in England, and are particularly efficacious in cases of rheumatism and gout. There are numerous public and private baths, the most important of which are those in the establishment at the eastern end of the Crescent. The springs supply hot and cold water at a very short distance from each other, flowing at the rate of 60 gallons a minute. The former possesses a uniform temperature of 82° Fahr., and the principal substances in solution are bicarbonate of calcium, bicarbonate of magnesium, chloride of sodium, chloride of magnesium and silica acid. There is also a chalybeate spring known as St Anne's well, situated at the S.W. corner of the Crescent, the water of which when mixed with that of the other springs proves purgative. The Devonshire hospital, formerly known as the Bath Charity, is a benevolent institution, supported by voluntary subscriptions. Every year some thousands of poor patients are treated free of cost; and the hospital was enlarged for their accommodation, a dome being added which is of greater circumference than any other in Europe. In 1894 the duke of Devonshire erected a handsome pump-room at St Anne's well. The Buxton season extends from June to October, and during that period the town is visited by thousands, but it is also popular as a winter resort. The Buxton Gardens are beautifully laid out, with ornamental waters, a fine opera-house, pavilion and concert hall, theatre and reading rooms. Electric lighting has been introduced, and there is an excellent golf course. The Cavendish Terrace forms a fine promenade, and the neighbourhood of the town is rich in objects of interest. Of these the chief are Poole's Hole, a vast stalactite cave, about half a mile distant; Diamond Hill, which owes its name to the quartz crystals which are not uncommon in its rocks; and Chee Tor, a remarkable cliff, on the banks of the Wye, 300 ft. high. Ornaments are manufactured by the inhabitants from alabaster and spar; and excellent lime is burned at the quarries near Poole's Hole. Buxton is an important centre for horse-breeding, and a large horse-fair is held annually. Although the annual rainfall, owing to the situation of the town towards the western flank of the Pennine Hills, is about 49 in., the air is particularly dry owing to the high situation and the rapidity with which waters drain off through the limestone. The climate is bracing and healthy.
The waters were known and used by the Romans, but to a limited extent, and no remains of their baths survive. Roman roads connected the place with Derby, Brough in Edale and Manchester. Buxton (Bawdestanes, Bue-stanes), formed into a civil parish from Bakewell in 1895, has thus claims to be considered one of the oldest English spas. It was probably the "Bectune" mentioned in Domesday. After the departure of the Romans the baths seem to have been long neglected, but were again frequented in the 16th century, when the chapel of St Anne was hung round with the crutches of those who were supposed to owe their cure to her healing powers; these interesting relics were destroyed at the Reformation. The baths were visited at least four times by Mary queen of Scots, when a prisoner in charge of George, earl of Shrewsbury, other famous Elizabethan visitors being Lord Burleigh, the earl of Essex, and Robert, earl of Leicester. At the close of the 18th century the duke of Devonshire, lord of the manor (whose ancestor Sir Ralph de Gernons was lord of Bakewell in 1251), spent large sums of money on improvements in the town. In 1781 he began to build the famous Crescent, and since that time Buxton has steadily increased in favour as an inland watering-place. In 1813 a weekly market on Saturday and four annual fairs were granted. These were bought by the local authorities from the duke of Devonshire in 1864.
See Gough's edition of Camden's Britannia; Stephen Glover, History of the County of Derby (Derby, 1829); W. Bemrose, Guide to Buxton (London, 1869).
Buxton
| Buxton | |
|
Buxton shown within Derbyshire | |
| Population | 20,836 |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| District | High Peak |
| Shire county | Derbyshire |
| Region | East Midlands |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BUXTON |
| Postcode district | SK17 |
| Dialling code | 01298 |
| UK Parliament | High Peak |
| European Parliament | East Midlands |
| List of places: UK • England • Derbyshire | |
Buxton is a spa town in Derbyshire, England. It is the highest market town in England.[1] Buxton is near to Cheshire and Staffordshire, Buxton is described as "the gateway to the Peak District National Park".[1] Buxton is also close to Manchester.
Poole's Cavern, a limestone cavern, and St Ann's Well are in Buxton. Also in the town is an Opera House.
Contents |
The Romans developed the town when it was called Aquae Arnemetiae[1](or the spa of the goddess of the grove). Roman coins have been found in Buxton.[2] The town largely grew in importance in the late 18th century when it was developed by the Dukes of Devonshire, with a second revival a hundred years later as the people visited to use the healing properties of the waters.
The Dukes of Devonshire have been helping Buxton since 1780, when the Duke used his money from his copper mines to develop the town as a spa like Bath.
Bess of Hardwick had taken one of her four husbands, the Earl of Shrewsbury, to "take the waters" at Buxton shortly after he became the jailer of Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1569.
Dr. Erasmus Darwin recommended the waters at Buxton to Josiah Wedgwood. The Wedgwood family often went to Buxton on holiday. Two of Charles Darwin's half-cousins, Edward Levett Darwin and Reginald Darwin also settled there.[3]
Buxton is twinned with two other towns—Oignies in France and Bad Nauheim in Germany.
| |||||
   | Buxton's local newspaper - Buxton Today: News, Sport, Jobs, Property, Cars, Entertainments & More |
| | Visit Buxton.co.uk - NS, Visit Buxton : Welcome : Accommodation Finder, What's On, Local Activities, Cultural Days Out, Festivals all within the Peak District |
| | Buxton Opera House - Buxton Opera House : Season Highlights |
| | Buxton Opera House - Buxton Opera House : Season Highlights |
| | Robert Stevenson at IMDb - Robert Stevenson (I) |
| | Tim Brooke Taylor Bigraphy at IMDb - Tim Brooke-Taylor |
| | Palace Hotel's website - Barceló Buxton Palace Hotel - Buxton, Northern England |
| | "Speedway in Derbyshire", - Speedway in Derbyshire - Bygone Derbyshire | Bygone Derbyshire |
|
|
Top topics
Wikis
Quiz
Facts
Map
Search
