Buxton

The Public Free Library was erected with the Town Hall in 1888-89.

The Buxton Library on Kents Bank Road is normally open six days a week. Additionally, they have a Local Studies and Family History section to help you with your research.

Basher EYRE has a photograph of the Buxton Library entrance on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2015.

Cowdale hamlet is served by the Mobile Library on route N, which makes a stop every fourth Wednesday morning around 10am.

The Buxton Museum And Art Gallery is on Terrace Road on the Eastern side of the town centre, about a block from the High Peak Borough Council office.

• BENTLEY, LANGHAM and WELLS - Buxton and the High Peak. Tempus, 2006. ISBN 0-7524-3951-0.
   
• BOWER, Alan - "The Water Cure". Derbyshire Heritage Series, 1985.
  Published by J H Hall & Sons Ltd, Siddals Road, Derby. 44 pages. ISBN 0 946404 55 0.
  
  A small, but very useful booklet containing a collection of postcards, focussing on hydropathic treatment at Hydros predominantly in Buxton and Matlock, but also has illustrations of the Hydros at Darley Dale (now St Elphin's School), Ashover, Baslow and Chesterfield. There is a brief introduction, describing the growth of the 'Water Cure' from Roman times through the Middle Ages and into the 1780's when " social life of a spa at this time was more important than the cure" through to the heady days of John Smedley, and his followers to its eventual demise with the advent of the National Health Service in 1948.
  
  Quoting from its back cover: "This book is primarily a picture book about the Water Cure in Derbyshire. The picture postcard holds a wealth of information about our recent past and is an invaluable aid to any Historian. The postcards used to illustrate the Cure and Hydros date from 1904 to 1920 and aim to show what the life and treatment at a Hydro was like."
   
• LOMAS, Peter - Buxton Hydro (Spa Hotel). Ashridge Press/Country Books, 2007. ISBN 9-781901-214833.
   
• ROBERTS, Alan E & LEACH, John R - The Coal Mines of Buxton. Scarthin Books, 1985. 96 pages. ISBN 0 907758 10 X.
  
  Quoting from its back cover: "THE COAL MINES OF BUXTON may seem like a fictional title, but it is fact. The book traces the rise of the coal industry in the neighbourhood of Buxton, examines its hey-day, and details its decline, quoting extensively from contemporary documents. If you still need proof of its existence, check out the numerous industrial remains which are also described in these pages."
  
  This is an evocative book which opens by contrasting the harsh realities of a coal miner's life in the late 18th century against the heady life of the upper class. Whilst the 5th Duke of Devonshire was developing Buxton as a spa town, and his visitors were paying their three shillings admission fee to the Card Room, a boy working in the coal mines would have to drive an engine horse around its circular track for six whole days to earn the same amount of money.
  
  Strictly speaking the mines were not in Buxton, but in the parish of Hartington Upper Quarter, about 2 miles away from Buxton. Nevertheless, this book is a real treasure trove for the family historian, containing many personal names, drawing extensively on the accounts of Thomas WYLD, of 1790 (WYLD was the mines' manager on behalf of their owner, the Duke of Devonshire). The several appendices contain more personal names, including lists of colliers and coal miners recorded on the 1841, 1851 and 1881 censuses.

• Mike SPENCER has created a list of Buxton burial extracts (partial) in a text file for your review. Your additions and corrections are welcomed.
   
• Buxton Cemetery was laid out in 1896 about one mile south-east of the town as it then existed, on the London Road. It covered 13 acres and had two mortuary chapels; one for the Church of England and one for non-conformists.
   
• Richard LAW has a photograph of the Buxton Cemetery entrance in the Ashbourne Road (the A515) on Geo-graph, taken in May, 2010.
   
• Basher EYRE has a photograph of the Harpur Hill Road Cemetery in Grin Low Road on Geo-graph, taken in May, 2010.
   
• Basher EYRE has a photograph of St John the Baptist, Fairfield: churchyard on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2015. Several people have identified this church as Saint Peter's Church, but it is in fact St. John's.
   

• The parish was in the Buxton sub-district of the Chapel en le Frith Registration District.
   
• The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
   

• Anciently this place was a Chapelry of Bakewell and had a small chapel of ease.
   
• An old church, dedicated to Saint Anne, was built in 1625. It was used for a school for some decades and was re-opened as a chapel around 1850.
   
• The church was restored in 1885.
   
• The Anglican parish church is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist and was built in 1811 on St. Peter's Road just north of the A6 trunk road near the Fairfield portion of the town.
   
• The church opened for worship on 9 August 1812.
   
• St. John's will seat about 1,000.
   
• Basher EYRE has a photograph of St John the Baptist Church in Fairfield on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2015.
   
• The churchyard of St. Anne's and St. John's was closed to burials before 1912 (Probably 1896 when the cemetery was opened).
   
• The Chapel of St. James the Great was built in 1871 as a chapel of ease to St. Anne's. This church was enlarged in 1898.
   
• Basher EYRE has a photograph of St. James Church in Harpur Hill on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2015.
   
• St. Mary's Church was built in 1897 on the Dale Road.
   

• Marriages at Buxton, 1718-1837 are available in Nigel BATTY-SMITH's database of scanned images of Phillimore's Parish Registers.
   
• The church was in the rural deanery of Buxton.
   
• A Congregational chapel in Hardwick Mount was built in 1810.
   
• A Wesleyan Methodist chapel in Higher Buxton was built in 1849.
   
• A Primitive Methodist chapel in Back Lane was built before 1857. This was replaced by a chapel built in the London Road in 1890.
   
• An Independent chapel in Spring Gardens was built before 1857.
   
• A Catholic chapel in Scarsdale Place was set up in Dr. Darwin's former house circa 1852.
   
• St. Anne's Catholic church in Terrace Road was built in 1861. In 1895 a chancel and side chapels were added.
   
• Buxton's Catholics erected the Corbar Cross just north of town in 1950. Photo taken in July, 2019.
   
• A Unitarian chapel in Hartington Road was built in 1875. It had been founded in 1725.
   

• Civil Registration began in July, 1837.
   
• The parish was in the Buxton sub-district of the Chapel en le Frith Registration District.

• The village had a Lock-up on Back Lane.

"BUXTON is a market-town and chapelry, in the parish of Bakewell, and hundred of High Peak; 160 miles from London, 24 S.E. from Manchester, the like distance W. of Chesterfield, 22 N.E. from Matlock, 20 N.E. from Wirksworth, 10 S.W. from Castleton, & 6 S. from Chapel-en-le-Frith. Antiquaries agree that this was a Roman station, although unable to ascertain its name - in later days it was called Bawkenstanes, supposed to be a corruption of Bathanstanes, signifying bath stones; and one of the Roman roads still retain the name of Bathorn-gate."

[Description from Pigot and Co's Commercial Directory for Derbyshire, 1835]

Buxton is on the high road from Derby to Manchester, 159 miles north of the city of London. It has the highest elevation of any market town in England (at about 300 meters). Buxton is nestled in a deep valley where the Hawkshaw Brook flows into the River Wye. The town sits in the Derbyshire High Peak area, 1,025 feet above sea level.

Cowdale is a halmet about 2 kilometers south of Buxton. Fairfield is an area of the town on the east side of the town.

• Geograph
• Flickr

• Rosemary LOCKIE provides a transcription of the Buxton entry from Pigot & Co's Commercial Directory for Derbyshire (1835).
   

• Mel LOCKIE provides a transcription of the Buxton entry from Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England, 1831.
   
• Colin HINSON provides the transcription of the section for Buxton from the National Gazetteer (1868).

• Ask for a calculation of the distance from Buxton to another place.

• Roman coins have been found in the parish. The Romans likely enjoyed bathing in the warm springs here. The Romans were in Buxton throughout their occupation of England.
   
• Richard LAW has a photograph of the Bronze Age Fairfield Low barrow just east of the town on Geo-graph, taken in April, 2010.
   
• The parish was famous for centuries for its warm springs. Mary Queen of Scots was brought here four times whilst a prisoner in 1573 to enjoy the waters.
   
• The parish held an annual feast on June 24th.
   
• Transcription of section of Lysons' Topographical and Historical Account of Derbyshire, 1817, for Buxton by Barbarann AYARS.
   
• Graham HOGG has a photograph of the Robin Hood on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2012.
   
• Alexander P. KAPP has a photograph of The Devonshire Arms on the North Road on Geo-graph, taken in May, 2012.
   
• The railway arrived in Buxton in 1863, allowing tourists from all over Britain to "take the waters".
   
• Ben BROOKSBANK takes us back to 1963 with his photograph of LNER B1 4-6-0 on turntable at Buxton on the North Road on Geo-graph, taken in May 1963.
   
• The Buxton Museum and Art Gallery has a collection of ancient coins found at Reynard’s Kitchen in the Peak Range.

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK076718 (Lat/Lon: 53.243568, -1.88703), Buxton which are provided by:

• OpenStreetMap
• Google Maps
• StreetMap (Current Ordnance Survey maps)
• Bing (was Multimap)
• Old Maps Online
• National Library of Scotland (Old Ordnance Survey maps)
• Vision of Britain (Click "Historical units & statistics" for administrative areas.)
• English Jurisdictions in 1851 (Unfortunately the LDS have removed the facility to enable us to specify a starting location, you will need to search yourself on their map.)
• Magic (Geographic information) (Click + on map if it doesn't show)
• GeoHack (Links to on-line maps and location specific services.)

• All places within the same township/parish shown on an Openstreetmap map.
• Nearby townships/parishes shown on an Openstreetmap map.
• Nearby places shown on an Openstreetmap map.

• In 1890 the local urban council board built a sanatorium with four wards on a hill above the gas works. It was designed to house up to 36 patients.
   
• These facilities typically did not archive patient records, but the archives may hold financial records, photographs and other administrative material.
   
• In 1912 the Buxton and District Cottage Hospital was built. It is recorded that there are patient record back to 1917 in the attic.
   

• At Coomb's Moss, 3 miles north of the town, are the remains of ancient military works.
   
• In 1912 the Territorial Force in the town was the 6th Battalion Sherwood Foresters, C Company, at the armory in Rock Terrace. Captain V. H. E. LANGFORD, commanding; Color-Srgt. George WAIN, drill instructor.
   
• During World War I the Red Cross established a VAD Hospital here, Devonshire Hospital. They also had St. John's VAD Hospital, Royal Exchange Buildings. This last transferred to Holker House, then to The Balmoral.
   
• In 1938 the RAF opened an underground ammunition storage at Harpur Hill village, just outside Buxton. After the war, the tunnels were used as a mushroom farm.
   
• Here is a photograph of the Harpur Hill War Memorial made from local stone.
   
• The Traces of War website shows us that Buxton Cemetery has 54 Commonwealth War Graves from WWI and 22 from WWII.
   
• Basher EYRE has a photograph of the St. James World War I Memorial on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2015.
   
• Basher EYRE has a photograph of the St. James Roll of Honour on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2015.
   
• The Cemetery also has its own War Memorial for those who fell in WWI and WWII.

For a photograph of the Buxton War Memorial and the list of names on it, see the Roll of Honour site.

Basher EYRE has a photograph of the George MITCHELL plaque inside the Library on Geo-graph, taken in July, 2015.

There is a possibility that this was the Roman Station Bucostenum. It is also listed as Auqae Arnemetiae. Arnemetia was the British Celtic goddess of healing springs. It is thought that the local British tribe, the Corieltauvi, worshipped Arnemetia.

Around 1912 there were four newspapers published in Buxton:

1. Buxton Advertiser, published every Saturday.
2. Buxton Herald, published Tuesday evening.
3. High Peak News, published every Thursday for Saturday delivery.
4. Matlock Visitors, published every Friday for Saturday delivery.

All were printed by the Derbyshire Printing Co. Limited on the market place, except for the Herald, which was printed by the Herald Publishing Co. on South Avenue.

The Buxton Advertiser is still published today by the Johnston Press. It merged with the Buxton Herald in 1951. Recent obituaries are available online.

Jane TAYLOR in Redcar provides this notice from the Derby Mercury of 22 August 1804: "MARRIED: On the 8th inst. at Buxton, in this county, Mr. Robert SHAW, of Sawley, to Miss RICHARDSON, of Park-street, Nottingham."

Jane TAYLOR in Redcar provides this announcement from the Derby Mercury of 1st July, 1802: "DIED: On Thursday evening, at Buxton, in this county, Tho. B. BAYLEY, Esq. of Hope.- As an active and intelligent Magistrate, this gentleman's death is a public loss; by his family it must be felt with the deepest sorrow; and by his family if must be felt with the deepest sorrow; and by his numerous friends his memory will long be honoured with the highest regard."

Jane TAYLOR in Redcar provides this clipping from the Derby Mercury of 27 January, 1803: "DIED: On Monday last, at Matlock Bath, Mr. Nathan PORTEUS, of Buxton."

Jane TAYLOR in Redcar provides this notice from the Derby Mercury of 17 February 1803: "DIED: On the 31st ult. George LOMAS of Buxton, in this county, whose knowledge in the art of farriery (horse shoeing) was very extensive, and whose assistance to the farmers in the vicinity of Buxton made him much respected; and the loss of so useful a man will be much regretted."

Jane TAYLOR in Redcar provides this announcement from the Derby Mercury of 6 October, 1803: "DIED: A few days ago, far advanced in years, Mrs WHEELDON, of Buxton, formerly of the Whiter Hart Inn, at that place." I wonder if "Whiter" should have been "White".

Jane TAYLOR in Redcar contributes this snippet from the Derby Mercury of 13 October, 1803: "DIED: At Buxton, on Tuesday se'nnight, of a typhus fever, in the 43rd year of his age, Mr. Thomas TAYLOR, late a merchant of Liverpool."

And in the same issue: "DIED: Last week, much respected, Mr. Tho. BARKER, of Cowdale, in this county; also a few days afterwards, Mrs. BARKER, his widow."

Jane TAYLOR in Redcar contributes this snippet from the Derby Mercury of 5 April 1804: "DIED: On Friday last, at White Hall, near Buxton, after a lingering illness, in the 77th year of her age, Mrs. LOMAS, wife of Mr. Thomas LOMAS.- She was an affectionate wife, a good mother, and kind friend to all the neighboring poor."

Jane TAYLOR in Redcar provides this notice from the Derby Mercury of 15 August 1804: "DIED: On Sunday se'nnight, at Buxton, in this county, Mrs HEMMING, wife of Mr. Richard HEMMING, of Ridditch."

Jane TAYLOR offers this extract from the Derby Mercury of 28 Feb 1805: "DIED: On Saturday se'nnight, at Platt Cottage, near Manchester, Mr. Wm. CHETHAM, late of Buxton."

Jane TAYLOR in Redcar shares this extract from the Derby Mercury of 5 January 1904 "DIED: On Wednesday evening, at Buxton in this county, whither she had been sent for the water, the Lady of Sir Robert PEEL, Bart. of Drayton Manor, in the county of Stafford, Member of Parliament for the borough of Tamworth.-Her Ladyship was the daughter of Wm. YATES, Esq. of Springfield, near Bury, in Lancashire."

Jane TAYLOR in Redcar reveals this tidbit from the Derby Mercury of 16 Feb 1904 "DIED: On Saturday last, after a short illness, Mr. CUMMING, master of Buxton Hall. A man sincerely regretted, and respected by all his friends and acquaintance."

• This place was an ancient Chapelry in Bakewell parish in Derby county and it was incorporated as a separate, modern Civil Parish in December, 1866.
   
• This parish was in the ancient High Peak Hundred (or Wapentake).
   
• Buxton formed an Urban District in 1917 which encompassed several local villages and hamlets.
   
• In 1974, the Urban District of Buxton was merged with other localities lying primarily to the north, including Glossop to form the High Peak Borough Council.

• Gisbourne's Charity of 1818 provided the poor with a gift of woolen or flannel cloth each year.
   
• Bastardy cases would be heard here in the Town Hall in the petty session hearings held every other Saturday of each month.
   
• There is an index of a single Buxton Bastardy Paper held at the DRO on the Yesterdays Journey website. Select "Bastardy Papers" on the left side, then "Buxton" from the list of parishes displayed.
   
• As a result of the Poorlaw Amendment Act reforms of 1834, this parish became a member of the Chapel-en-le-Frith Poorlaw Union.

Year	Inhabitants
1851	1,235
1871	2,531
1881	4,110
1891	4,658

Thomas Sutton GOODWIN, died 19 Dec 1881, had his estate probated in Derby, Derbyshire, on 30 Jan 1882.

• Buxton College, previously independent, became a County Grammar School in 1924. In the few years prior to that, pupils from Buxton may have attended the Lady Manners School, in Bakewell, following its reopening in 1896.
   
• The Cavendish High School for Girls on Corbar road was constructed in 1912. There is some material in the National Archives (Ref: ED 35/3804), but the material has not been digitized.