Bakewell

With its picturesque location alongside the River Wye, the pretty market town of Bakewell has been attracting visitors for centuries. Although settlements in the area date from Roman times, the town was established in 924 under the Saxons, when Edward the Elder fortified the borough and built a church. Today, Saxon traces can still be found in All Saint’s Church and the churchyard contains an unusual carved stone cross, which is believed to be more than 1,200 years old.

The Domesday Book recognises Badequella or bath-well as a place of importance, boasting a church and two priests and it was after the Norman Conquest that the town really began to develop. As a Royal Manor with eight hamlets, it came under the control of William Peveril, he sub-let the Haddon Manor to the Avenel family, who built a family home and chapel on the land, which would later become of one of the Peak Districts finest stately homes, Haddon Hall. When Avice Avenal married Richard de Vernon in 1180, the Haddon estate passed into the Vernon family, under whom it flourished, being extensively remodelled into the distinctive blend of medieval and Tudor architecture, for which Haddon Hall is now famous.          

Bakewell owes much of its early development to the influence of the Vernon family, who became one of the wealthiest families in Derbyshire, holding positions of importance both at Court and in Parliament. It was during the 13th century that the first stone bridge was constructed over the River Wye, although the medieval bridge with its five arches has been restored and widened over the years, it is still a popular and much photographed landmark. As early as 1254, Bakewell held its first fair, followed soon afterwards by regular markets, although the market charter was not granted until 1330. With such a long history, the market has always played a significant role in Bakewell and by the 1670’s, local miners were even trading lead there.

In 1565, there was a change in allegiance when Sir George Vernon, who was known as ‘the King of the Peak’ for his lavish lifestyle died and his daughter Dorothy, who had famously eloped with Sir John Manners, inherited Haddon Hall. Despite the elopement, it was a good match, the Manners family held the title of Dukes of Rutland and soon their family crest - the Peacock, came to prominence around Bakewell. However, it was a difficult period in history, which even rural Derbyshire could not avoid. With the Spanish persistently threatening invasion, the Earl of Shrewsbury was ordered to maintain a series of warning beacons around Bakewell and the neighbouring villages from 1584 onwards and on the 1st of May 1588, with the country anticipating the imminent arrival of the Spanish Armada, 200 local men assembled in Bakewell to receive training for a Tudor style Home Guard, they were paid 12d a day, but fortunately were never called upon.

The fascinating Old House Museum in Cunningham Place, is the only surviving house from this time. Built in 1534, it has a long and interesting history, being owned by many notable families. In 1798, under the ownership of Sir Richard Arkwright, it was roughly converted into tenement style accommodation for workers at Lumford Mill and began a downward spiral, which almost lead to its demolition in the 1950’s when the building was condemned. Fortunately it was saved and gradually as decades of neglect were stripped away, many original features and the beauty of the building were revealed. Opened as a museum in 1959,  The Old House has been carefully restored and extended to house an award winning collection of artefacts and exhibitions and is now one of the top tourist attractions in the town.   
 
Reflecting its importance as a county town, Bakewell continued to grow, with the first Town Hall and St John’s Hospital being built as early as 1602 and by 1636, the Manners family were making their presence felt with Lady Grace Manners opening the Free School. As the market flourished and traders and visitors filled the town, Bakewell Bridge, which was also known as The Great Bridge became increasingly busy and by 1664 a second bridge had been built to cross the River Wye. Today, Holme Bridge is a beautiful example of a packhorse bridge, but for over two centuries it was a bustling and congested river crossing. Also surviving from the 1600’s is the Bath House, built in 1697 for the Duke of Rutland, despite a couple of attempts, Bakewell never managed to become a successful spa town.

During the 18th century, industry was beginning to change the town. The Bakewell to Matlock Turnpike opened in 1759 and by 1778, Sir Richard Arkwright had built Lumford Mill, employing over 300 people to spin cotton. In 1772, following a visit to Bakewell, Josiah Wedgewood recommended that the Club of Potters, should use the white china stone chert mined around Holme Bank, in the Stoke potteries. The chert was transported to Cromford on the new turnpike and then by canal to Stoke and during the early 1800’s plans were even drawn up to build a canal linking Bakewell with Cromford. 

One of the most notable events in Bakewell’s history occurred in 1796, when the town was the scene of The Militia Ballot Riot, an event which resulted in the permanent removal of the Quarter Sessions to Derby. During the Napoleonic Wars, parishes were called on to provide a number of men for the militia and local lead miners felt they were being unfairly targeted. A group of miners armed with picks and shovels marched through the town and forced their way into the Town Hall, where they seized the militia papers and then burnt them in nearby streets. The Cavalry were called and six men arrested and the Quarter Sessions, which had been held in Bakewell since Tudor Times, moved to Derby.

By 1818, coach travel was bringing a steady influx of visitors every week. As many as 650 travellers would pass through, many of them stopping to enjoy hospitality in the numerous inns and taverns. In 1804, the Rutland Arms Hotel was prominently built in the centre of Bakewell and facilities around the Bath House and Botanical Gardens were improved to attract visitors. The Rutland Arms later became famous as the place where the Bakewell Pudding originated. Following a misunderstanding between Mrs. Greaves and her cook, what should have been a strawberry tart became the well known Bakewell speciality and is now made and sold in several locations around the town. In 1819, the annual show was established. Held on the first Wednesday and Thursday in August, Bakewell Show has been attracting visitors for almost two hundred years and is still one of the most important events in the year. 

Today, as the only town located inside the Peak District National Park, Bakewell retains much of its old charm. The mellow stone buildings house a number of shops, pubs and restaurants and are enhanced by parks, gardens and leisure facilities in the surrounding area. The modern Agricultural Centre continues to hold traditional livestock markets    
and with the nearby attractions of Haddon Hall and Chatsworth House, not to mention the beautiful scenery of the White Peak, Bakewell is deservedly recognised by many as the unofficial capital of the Peak District.

Information provided by Jackie Thompson