The ancient town of Bake well is situated at the foot of an hill, on the western banks of the river Wye. The Church is an ancient structure, standing on an eminence, and built in the form of a cross, with an octagonal tower in the centre, from which rises a lofty spire. In one of the chancels is a raised tomb for Sir George Vernon and his two wives, with their figures at full length recumbent on it; and against the wall are two magnificent monuments of alabaster, one for Sir John Manners and Dorothy his wife, daughter and co-heiress of Sir George Vernon; the other for Sir George Manners and his wife (who erected it in her life-time) and their four sons and five daughters, with all their figures. In the east chancel is a small raised tomb of alabaster for John Vernon, son and heir of Henry Vernon, who died the 12th of August, in the year 1477. The west arch of this church is of Saxon architecture, and the font is of great antiquity. In the church-yard is an old cross, said to have been brought hither from some other place. On the upper part of the west side are the remains of a crucifix. On the top of the east side is a figure on horseback, like St. George : and below are other figures of very rude sculpture, and much damaged; the whole supposed to be 800 years old. The church of Bakewell has lately been enriched with eight new bells, of the value of 500l. and an organ which cost 300l.

A chantry was founded in this town, in the 44th of Edward III. by Sir Godfrey Foljambe, Knt. then living at Hassop, and the guild of Holy Cross at Bakewell, which was valued, at the Dissolution, at four pounds per annum. Here is a large cotton manufactory, and there are several quarries of stone, and lead, and zinc mines in the neighbourhood.— Bakewell is the most extensive parish in the county, being more than 20 miles in length from north-west to south-east; and its breadth upwards of eight, and containing nine chapels of ease.

---

BAKEWELL is a market and union town, head of a petty sessional division and county court district and township, with a station on the Midland railway, 10 miles north-north-west from Matlock, 16 south-west from Sheffield, 12 east-by-south from Buxton, 12 west-by-south from Chesterfield and 152 from London, in the Western division of the county. High Peak hundred, rural deanery of Bakewell, archdeaconry of Derby and diocese of Southwell. The town, which is seated at the foot of a hill on the western bank of the river Wye, over which is a stone bridge of six arches, is first mentioned as one of the places chosen by Edward the Elder for a military post to overawe the Middle English; and on Castle Hill, near the town, he raised extensive ramparts, the mounds of which can still be traced.

The township adopted the “Local Government Act, 1858” (21 and 22 Vict. c. 98), 9 June, 1863, and was governed by a Local Board until under the provisions of the “Local Government Act, 1894” (56 and 57 Vict. c. 73) an Urban District Council was established: it is supplied with water from a reservoir fed by springs rising in the grit stone at Fallinge, near Beeley, whence it is conducted by pipes to the dwelling houses of the inhabitants: the footpaths are paved, and the streets lighted with gas; the water works and gas works are both the property of the District Council.

The parish of Bakewell is one of the largest in the county, and once contained nine chapelries and fourteen townships, and comprises a tract 20 miles in length from north-west to south-east, with an average breadth of about 8 miles, and affords scenery of the most picturesque description. The river Wye, which rises near the Axe Edge Hill, Buxton, divides this parish from Chapelen-le-Frith, Hope and Tideswell, till it enters Monsal Dale through which it flows, and then past the town of Bakewell into the Derwent, its whole course being about 21 miles.

Extensive improvements in the Wye, undertaken by the direction of the Duke of Devonshire, with a view of preventing the recurrence of disastrous inundations, have been completed, and in 1884 the river was cleaned out between Bakewell and Ashford and an island, called “Tory Island,” formed.

All Saints parish comprises, for ecclesiastical purposes, part of the old parish of Bakewell, and the whole of Nether Haddon civil parish. The church, standing on an eminence above the principal part of the town, is a large cruciform embattled structure, about 150 feet in length, and 105 feet in breadth, including the transepts, and consists of chancel, clerestoried nave, aisles, porch, transepts and a central tower, rising from a square lower stage into a battlemented octagon, with an elegant and lofty spire, and containing 8 bells, all re-cast in 1796, and again in 1895: the fabric exhibits remains of Norman work, including, at the west end, a fine Norman doorway, with an arcading above it, and other portions belonging to a very early church, the first alterations in which took place in 1250, when the Early English style was well advanced: at this time the tower piers were in part cut away and rebuilt with pointed arches; the upper part of the tower and the whole of the south transept being at the same time taken down and the transept lengthened: the chancel was rebuilt and considerably lengthened towards the commencement of the Decorated period, about 1300 or earlier; and the Vernon chapel, forming an eastern aisle to the south transept, built about 1360: the octagonal tower and spire were erected on the Early English base, at the end of the 14th or beginning of the 15th century, when also the clerestory was added, the roofs lowered and the whole of the parapets embattled: in 1825—6 the spire was removed, and in 1830 the tower also, owing to the unsafe condition of the piers; in 1841 extensive repairs of the whole fabric were begun, and completed in 1852, for a sum of £8,600; in the course of this work the old piers of the nave were mostly renewed in a lighter style, the tower piers taken down and the tower and spire rebuilt, together with the south transept and the Vernon chapel, the original forms being carefully reproduced: in 1881 the chancel was thoroughly restored and stalls added, richly carved oak screen and tiled flooring and reredos and in 1886 the choir seats were erected under the tower, within the south aisle there was anciently a chantry, founded by Sir Godfrey Foljambe, who died in 1377 and was there buried; a small and beautifully finished monument to him and his second wife, Avena, is now against one of the piers, with half-length alabaster figures of both, beneath canopies; Mr. Blore, in 1803, added to this monument an inscription on black marble; other members of the Foljambe family are also buried here: the next earliest monument is that of Sir Thomas Wendesley, consisting of a table-tomb, bearing his effigy clad in plate armour, with a shirt of chain mail, and wearing a collar of SS.; the marginal inscription records the fact of his death at the battle of Shrewsbury, 23 July, 1403, when fighting with the Lancastrians against the insurgents, under Henry Percy: of the Vernon monuments, which are in the Vernon chapel, the earliest is that of John Vernon, a small but well-carved table-tomb of alabaster, with angels holding shields, and a marginal inscription dated 1477; in the centre of the chapel is a large table-tomb, with the recumbent effigies of Sir George Vernon knt. usually styled, from his magnificent hospitality at Haddon Hall, “the King of the Feak,” and his two wives: he died 9 Aug. 1567, but the inscription on the tomb has never been dated, although blanks were left for that purpose: at the south end is the monument of Dorothy Vernon and her husband Sir John Manners, whose romantic marriage brought Haddon to the Manners family; the kneeling figures of Sir John and his lady face each other beneath an arch in the centre; between them is a pedestal with an inscription recording the decease of the knight in 1611 and of his wife in 1584; above is a shield with 16 quarterings; on the cornice are other shields, and below the central figures are those of their four children; a still larger and more costly tomb is that of Sir George Manners, their eldest son, against the opposite wall, which has also figures of the knight and his lady kneeling at a lectern; behind is a long Latin inscription dated 1623, at the top of the monument the 16 quarterings of Manners, and below the figures of four sons and five daughters, arranged in two rows, with scriptural texts above each: the east wall bears a mural monument to John Manners, third son of Sir John and Dorothy, ob. 1590: the south transept has numerous monuments of the 17th and 18th centuries, consisting chiefly of small brasses to various retainers of the family of Manners, with others to Latham Woodroffe (1648) and Basset Copwood, of Bubnell Hall (1628): in the chancel is a brass to Bernard Wells, with inscription, dated 13 June, 1653: in pulling down different ancient portions of the church, a large number of early gravestones and other remains were found among the masonry, 65 of which are preserved in the porch; 55 others having been removed to the Lomberdale museum; of these many are earlier than 1100 and none later than 1260: in the porch, a Decorated work, are a few ancient floor tiles, and above the entrance a sun-dial of 1793: the font is a large octagon bearing on each of the eight faces full-length figures under canopies, rudely carved, and may be assigned to the close of the 13th century: immediately below the Foljambe monument is an almery, and in the south chancel wall three sedilia, with seats of varying elevation, and beyond these a finely-worked piscina; another, of Early English date, being found in the Vernon chapel: an elegant traceried screen separates the Vernon chapel from the south transept, and is the finest piece of woodwork in the church; there is also an ancient parish chest, of pre-Reformation date, with numerous locks and braces: several stained windows, including an east window to John Henry, 5th Duke of Rutland, were inserted in 1862: there are 700 sittings: in the churchyard, near the east wall of the Vernon chapel, stands a fine cross, 8 feet high, exclusive of the base, and about 2 feet wide, sculptured with scriptural and other subjects on the fronts, and on the sides with an elegant spiral pattern, and not much later than the 8th century: the vestry was erected in 1898 from designs of Messrs. Naylor and Sale: in the churchyard are also several stone coffins. The ancient custom of ringing the curfew is still observed here every evening and a bell is also rung at 6 in the morning. The register, which is in very bad condition, dates from the year 1614. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £300, with 240 acres of glebe and residence, in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield, and held since 1897 by the Rev. Charles Thomas Abraham M.A. of Keble College, Oxford.

The Catholic Church, in Granby road, is an iron structure, dedicated to the English martyrs, and is served from Hassop.

The Wesleyan chapel, in Matlock street, was erected in 1866, and has a preacher’s house and school-rooms in the rear: it has 400 sittings: the Congregational chapel, in Mill street, built in 1795 and rebuilt in 1840, has 250 sittings; the Reformed Wesleyan chapel, Mill street, built in 1888, has 250 sittings: the Society of Friends have a Meeting house in Matlock street, with 250 sittings: the Primitive Methodist chapel in Water street, built in 1891, has 150 sittings.

The Cemetery, consisting of 4 acres, and situated south-west of the town, belongs in part to the parish of Over Haddon; it has two mortuary chapels and a lodge, and is very tastefully laid out and well planted; it is controlled by the Bakewell Urban District Council.

The Town Hall, the property of the Bakewell Town Hall Company Lim. opened September 18th, 1890, is a building of stone in the Gothic style, from designs by Mr. George E. Statham, architect, of Nottingham, and in plan takes the form of the letter L, giving a frontage to the Square and to Bath street, and comprising an assembly room 64 feet long and 34 feet wide, on the first floor, with a good stage for theatrical representations, and a spacious upper hall or landing, communicating with the stage, retiring and cloak rooms, and also with two large rooms, one of which is used by the Freemasons as a lodge room, and the other for meetings of the Urban Council and town committees; a spacious stone staircase leads from the main entrance hall, which has a marble mosaic pavement, and is entered from the Square; on the ground floor is a court room used both by the magistrates and county court; this room is also available for lectures, classes and smaller social gatherings; there are other offices in the building, mostly appropriated by the government and officials.

The Bakewell Library and Reading Room, established in 1897, in place of the High Peak Institute, founded in 1848, is in the Town hall, and includes a library of 1,000 volumes.

Among the attractions of the place are the tepid chalybeate baths, which are thought to have been in repute prior to the year 924; a bathing-house was erected over the spring in 1697; these baths were re-established by the 5th Duke of Rutland K.G. and contain shower and warm baths and a swimming bath inclosed with stone, 33 feet long and 16 feet wide, with a temperature of 59 or 60 degrees, and were again restored in 1885; a reading room is attached, which now forms the Conservative Club.

The Sheffield and Rotherham Joint Stock Banking Company Limited, and Crompton and Evans’ Union Bank Limited have branches here. A savings bank was also erected in 1848.

Here are works for turning and polishing the black and other marbles which are quarried in the neighbourhood; there are also chert quarries worked by several firms.

The Market is held on Friday for butter, and every Monday for corn and cattle. The fairs for horses, cattle and cheese are on Easter Monday and Whit-Monday, the Monday before the 26th of August, Monday after the 10th of October and Monday after the 11th of November.

The D Co. 2nd Volunteer Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Derbyshire Regiment) have a depot here.

There are charities of considerable value, among these being that of Mary Hague, who, in 1715, left a rent-charge for the instruction of seven poor children until they can read the Bible; this charity is now in the hands of the Charity Commissioners; St. John’s Hospital was founded in 1602 by Roger Manners, who left a rent-charge of £40 for the support of six poor men, each to receive £6 yearly; the income of this charity has since been augmented to about £10 a year by some accumulations of income invested with the official trustees; in 1665, Robert Bott left 10s. a year, to be given to the vicar for preaching a sermon at Whitsuntide, and 7s. to be given in bread to the poor; in 1700, Robert Scholler left £2 a year for the poor, which is usually given in money; St. Andrew’s charity consists of land, purchased with sums of money left by various donors, yielding an annual income of £29 4s. which is distributed to poor people of the township in apprentice fees and sums of £1 and 10s.; the Rev. Francis Gisborne, sometime rector of Staveley, left in 1818 £6 12s. yearly, which is given to the poor in flannel and warm clothing by the incumbent; Catherine Broomhead, in 1754, left £1 yearly, 10s. to be paid to the vicar for preaching a sermon, and 10s. to the poor; in 1754, Ellen Webster left £2 yearly, to be given to the poor; and in 1798, Matthew Strutt left £10, the interest to be given to poor widows; in 1786, Mrs. May, Mrs. Bagshawe and William Nailor also made gifts for the poor, which realize about £1 2s. yearly.

Burton Closes, the seat of George Hy. Taylor-Whitehead esq. J.P. standing on an eminence overlooking the Wye, is a mansion in the Gothic style, chiefly designed by the elder Pugin; the gardens, which are extensive, were laid out by the late Sir Joseph Paxton kt. Castle Hill is the residence of Robert William Mills Nesfield esq. D.L., J.P.; Brooklands, of John Edward Barker esq. Q.C., J.P.; the Hall, which is the property of the Duke of Rutland, of Herbert Brooke Taylor esq.; Burre House, of John Hamilton Openshaw esq. J.P. and Holme Hall, of Benjamin Armitage esq.

The Duke of Rutland K.G., G.C.B., P.C. is lord of the manor and the largest landed proprietor in the township, his estate here being more than 1,800 acres; he also is the owner of a great part of the buildings in the town. In 1885 the late duke gave the use of 15 acres of land to the inhabitants as a recreation ground, in which there are also chalybeate springs, known as Peat Well.

The kennels of the High Peak Harriers are here.

The soil is good, mostly meadow and pasture, the underlying rock is limestone; the land is principally used for grazing and the dairy.

The area of the parish proper is 2,632 acres; rateable value for the parish proper, £17,605; the population in 1891 of the township and urban district was 2,748; of the parish, 3,236, including 160 officers and inmates in the workhouse.

Petty Sessions are held here 1st & 3rd Fridays at 11 a.m. . The following are the places in the petty sessional division, viz.:-Abney, Ashford, Bakewell, Baslow & Bubnell, Beeley, Birchover, Blackwell, Brushfield, Curbar, Calvar, Chelmorton, Chatsworth, Elton, Edensor, Eyam, Eyam Woodlands, Froggatt, Flagg, Foolow, Gratton, Grindlow, Harthill, Hathersage, Highlow, Hucklow (Great), Hucklow (Little), Hassop, Hazelbadge, Hartington Middle Quarter, Ivonbrooke Grange, Litton, Longstone (Great), Longstone (Little), Middleton & Smerrill, Monyash, Nether Padley, Nether Haddon, Offerton, Outseats, Over Haddon, Pilsley, Rowland, Rowsley, Sheldon, Stanton, Stoke, Stony Middleton, Taddington & Priestcliff, Tideswell, Wardlow, Wheston, Winster, Youlgreave.

BAKEWELL UNION

Formed July 21, 1838.

Board day, every alternate Monday at 11.30 a.m. . at the Workhouse.

Bakewell Union comprises the following places:-Abney & Abney Grange, Aldwarke, Ashford, Bakewell, Baslow with Bubnell, Beeley, Birchover, Blackwell, Bradwell, Brushfield, Calver, Chatsworth, Chelmorton, Cromford, Curbar, Darley, Edensor, Elton, Eyam, Eyam Woodlands, Flagg, Foolow, Froggatt, Grange Moll or Ivonbrook Grange, Gratton, Great Hucklow, Great Longstone, Grindlow, Hartington Middle Quarter, Hartle or Harthill, Hassop, Hathersage, Hazelbadge, Highlow, Little Hucklow, Little Longstone, Litton, Mattock, Matlock Bath, Monyaish, Middleton & Smerril, Nether Haddon, Nether Padley, Offerton Outseats, Outseats, Over Haddon, Pilsey, Rowland, Rowsley & Alport, Sheldon, Stanton Stoke, Stony Middleton, Taddington & Priestcliff, Tansley, Tideswell, Wardlow, Wensley & Snitterton, Wheston, Winister & Youlgreave. The area of the whole union is 104,617 acres; rateable value in 1898, £208,685; the population in 1801 was 32,153.

Workhouse, for 220 inmates, Alfred Swain, master.

PLACES OF WORSHIP, with times of services

All Saints’ Church, Rev. Charles Thomas Abraham M.A. vicar; Rev. William D. Braginton & Rev. Lockhart W. Greenshields B.A. curates; 8 & 10.30 a.m. . & 6.30 p.m. & daily at 8 a.m. . & 5 p.m. except Wed. which is 7.30 p.m.

Catholic, Granby road, served from Hassop, mass with sermon, 9 a.m. .; devotions, sermon & benediction 4 p.m.; Thur. 7 p.m.; Fri. mass 8 a.m.

Congregational, Buxton road, Rev. F. Eustace Tozer; 10.45 a.m. . & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 8 p.m.

Salvation Army, Matlock street.

Primitive Methodist, Water street. Rev. A. Beavan; 2.30 & 6.30 p.m.; Tue. 8 p.m.

Wesleyan, Matlock street, Rev. John H. Rogers; 10.30 a.m. . & 6.30 p.m.; Thur. 8 p.m.

Wesleyan (Reformed), Buxton rd.; 10.30 a.m. . & 6.30 p.m.

SCHOOLS

Lady Manners’ Grammar School.

In 1637 Lady Grace Manners devised £15 yearly, charged on land at Elton, now in the possession of the Duke of Rutland K.G., G.C.B.; for many years the income from this charity was allowed to accumulate, until in 1893 it amounted to £1,250, when a scheme being propounded for the building of schools for technical instruction, the County Council made an addition of £600 to the fund, & a school was erected in 1895 for science teaching, which is also the centre for the Cambridge University local examinations; it has an annual endowment of £45, & a grant of £150 a year from the County Council, & receives further grants from South Kensington. There are 17 scholarships besides minor prizes. The number at present (1899) in the school is 116; the management is intrusted to a board of governors. The headmaster receives a limited number of boarders at his private residence; Charles J. Mansford B.A., F.C.S. headmaster; W. H. Heathoote, hon. clerk to the governors.

Church of England (girls & infants), erected in 1872, for 120 boys, 150 girls & 105 infants; average attendance, 104 boys, 103 girls & 94 infants.

Wesleyan (mixed), erected in 1778 & enlarged 1890, for 130 children; average attendance, 97.