Description
Bakewell a market-town and parish in Derbyshire. The town stands at the foot of a hill, on the river Wye, adjacent to the Buxton railway, 11 miles W by S of Chesterfield. Its name is a corruption of Bath-well, originally Bath-quelle, and was derived from a mineral well, used for the supply of baths, and supposed to have been in repute prior to the year 924. The manor of it was known to the Saxons under the name of Badecanwylla; probably had a Roman station, and certainly had a castle of Edward the Elder, on Castle Hill, on the road to Chatsworth; was given at the Conquest to the family of Peveril; passed to successively the Gemons and the Vernons; and belongs now to the Duke of Rutland. The town is clean and pleasant, has most picturesque environs, and is much visited by strangers, both for its own sake, and for the sake of the splendid neighbouring scenery. It is a seat of petty sessions, and has a station on the M.R., a head post office, three banks a parish church, four dissenting chapels, an endowed grammar-school, two other schools, an hospital ar-id other charities, a workhouse, a six-arched bridge, a public library and reading-room, a museum, public baths, a cemetery, and several good inns. The parish church stands on an eminence; is a spacious cruciform structure, in Norman and Early English style; has transepts, and octagonal tower and spire, erected during 1841-52, when the church was thoroughly restored; and contains an ancient font and interesting tombs of the Vemons, the Folijambes, the Mannerses, and others. A very ancient cross, 8 feet high, decorated with rude sculpture, but much mutilated, is in the churchyard. The public baths were rebuilt by the Duke of Rutland, contain good accommodation, and include a large swimming bath, and separate shower and warm baths. The water from the mineral spring is chalybeate and slightly tepid; and that for the warm baths may be had of any temperature by artificial heating. A pleasant promenade is attached, called the Bath Garden, well laid out in walks and grottoes. The public museum contains a great variety of British, Roman, and Saxon relics, obtained from places in the neighbourhood, and a private museum, connected with a shop, exhibits splendid specimens of spar ornament and inlaid marble. A number of the inhabitants are employed in the working of marble and chert, and others in a cotton mill. The town, which is governed by a Local Board, is supplied with water from a reservoir, paved, and lighted with gas. A weekly market is held on Friday for butter, and on Monday for corn and cattle, and fairs for horses, cattle, and cheese, on Easter Monday, Whit Monday, 26 August, the Monday after 10 October, and the Monday after 11 November. The township of Bakewell includes the town, together with a circumjacent tract. Acreage, 3064; population of the civil parish, 2748; of the ecclesiastical, 3236.
Two objects of great interest in the neighbourhood are the ducal seats of CHATSWORTH and HADDON-HALL. Mines of lead and zinc, and quarries of stones and marble are worked. Rocking stones and a Druidical circle occur on Stanton manor. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Southwell; gross value, £426 with residence. Patrons, the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield.
