Bakewell is a market town and civil parish in the Derbyshire Dales district of Derbyshire, England, known also for its local Bakewell pudding. It lies on the

River Wye The River Wye (; cy, Afon Gwy ) is the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, fourth-longest river in the UK, stretching some from its source on Plynlimon in mid Wales to the Severn estuary. For much of its length the river forms part of Wal ...

, about 13 miles (21 km) south-west of Sheffield. In the 2011 census, the population of the civil parish appeared as 3,949. It was estimated at 3,695 in 2019. The town is close to the tourist attractions of

Chatsworth House Chatsworth House is a stately home in the Derbyshire Dales, north-east of Bakewell and west of Chesterfield, Derbyshire, Chesterfield, England. The seat of the Duke of Devonshire, it has belonged to the House of Cavendish, Cavendish family sin ...

and Haddon Hall.

History

Although there is evidence of earlier settlement in the area, Bakewell itself was probably founded in

Anglo-Saxon The Anglo-Saxons were a Cultural identity, cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo- ...

times in the Anglian kingdom of Mercia. The name Bakewell means a spring or stream of a woman named Badeca or Beadeca, so deriving from a personal name with the

Old English Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, Anglo ...

suffix ''wella''. In 949 it was called Badecanwelle and in the 1086 Domesday Book ''Badequelle''. The Domesday book listing stated that King Edward held land here; the settlement had a church and a mill. These are the outlying estates or berewicks of the manor: Haddon

addon or Over Haddon Addon ( he, אַדּוֹן, etymology unknown) was one of the persons named in the Neh. 7:61 who could not "shew their father's house" on the return from captivity. This, with similar instances (ver. 63), indicates the importance the Jews attached ...

Holme

n Bakewell N, or n, is the fourteenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''en'' (pronounced ), plural ''ens''. History ...

Rowsley, Burton

Conksbury, One Ash, Monyash, and Haddon

Bakewell Parish Church, a

Grade I listed In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

building, dates from 920 and has a 9th-century cross in the churchyard. The present building was built in the 12th–13th centuries, but it was virtually rebuilt in the 1840s by William Flockton. By Norman times Bakewell had gained in importance: Domesday Book mentions the town and its church having two priests. A motte and bailey castle was built in the 12th century. In the early 14th-century, the vicar was terrorised by the Coterel gang, which evicted him and confiscated his church's money at the instigation of the canons of Lichfield Cathedral. A market was established in 1254, allowing Bakewell to develop as a trading centre. The Grade I listed five-arched bridge over the River Wye dates from the 13th century, as one of the few remnants of that period. Also Grade I listed, Holme Bridge dates from 1664 and crosses the Wye on the north-eastern outskirts of the town. A

chalybeate Chalybeate () waters, also known as ferruginous waters, are mineral spring waters containing salts of iron. Name The word ''chalybeate'' is derived from the Latin word for steel, , which follows from the Greek word . is the singular form of ...

spring was discovered and a bath house built in 1697. This led to an 18th-century attempt to develop Bakewell as a spa town in the manner of Buxton. Construction of Lumford Mill by

Richard Arkwright Sir Richard Arkwright (23 December 1732 – 3 August 1792) was an English inventor and a leading entrepreneur during the early Industrial Revolution. He is credited as the driving force behind the development of the spinning frame, known as t ...

in 1777 was followed by rebuilding of much of the town in the 19th century. The mill, built about 1782 and employing over 300 in peak years, housed its workforce in cottages. It was sold to the

Duke of Devonshire Duke of Devonshire is a title in the Peerage of England held by members of the Cavendish family. This (now the senior) branch of the Cavendish family has been one of the wealthiest British aristocratic families since the 16th century and has be ...

in 1860, but in 1868 suffered fire damage and was rebuilt. It is now a scheduled monument, the oldest part being

. A full 183 listed buildings are located in the town. Its layout altered in the 1800s when Rutland Square was created.

Geography

Bakewell is in the valley of the River Wye in central Derbyshire. Its centre is near the river at about above sea level, with the highest parts of the town at about on the valley sides. The town is in the Derbyshire Dales district and about south-west of Sheffield, south-east of Manchester, and north of Derby. Nearby towns include Matlock to the south-east, Chesterfield to the east and Buxton to the west north-west. Villages near Bakewell include Ashford-in-the-Water, Elton, Great Longstone, Monyash, Over Haddon, Sheldon, Rowsley, Pilsley, Youlgreave and Baslow.

Economy

Bakewell attracts domestic and foreign tourists. Monday is popular as the town's traditional market day. The cattle market is held in a purpose-built agricultural centre across the river from the town centre, where a stall market is held. A major employer is the Peak District National Park Authority, which has its offices at Aldern House, Baslow Road. Its task is conserve, enhance and promote understanding and enjoyment of the local area. Opposite Aldern House is another major employer,

Newholme Hospital Newholme Hospital is a community healthcare facility at Baslow Road in Bakewell, Derbyshire. It was managed by Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust. It is a Grade II listed building. History The facility, which was designed b ...

, an NHS cottage hospital providing outpatient services. Establishment of a Costa Coffee branch in the town caused a protest among some local businesses.

Landmarks

All Saints' Church is a Grade I-listed church founded in 920, in

Saxon The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic * * * * peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...

times. The

churchyard In Christian countries a churchyard is a patch of land adjoining or surrounding a church, which is usually owned by the relevant church or local parish itself. In the Scots language and in both Scottish English and Ulster-Scots, this can also ...

has two Saxon crosses. One is the Beeley Cross, unearthed in a field at a disputed location near Beeley and moved for some years to the grounds of Holt House near Darley Bridge. Although only the base and lower part of the shaft survive, it stands over 5 ft/152 cm high and is carved on all four faces. The other is the Bakewell Cross, 8 ft/244 cm high and almost complete. It was carved in the 7th–8th centuries and shows scenes that include the

Annunciation The Annunciation (from Latin '), also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Annunciation of Our Lady, or the Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the biblical tale of the announcement by the ange ...

. This may originally have stood at Hassop Cross Roads. During restoration work on the church in the 1840s, many carved fragments of Saxon stonework were found in and around the porch, along with some ancient stone coffins. The church contains a selection of medieval and Anglo-Saxon cross fragments and carved stones collected by Thomas Bateman and donated to Weston Park Museum in Sheffield, before they were moved to Bakewell in 1899. They include a notable alabaster memorial to Sir

Godfrey de Foljambe Sir Godfrey de Foljambe (born 1317-died 29 May 1376, Bakewell, Derbyshire) was a prominent landowner and politician in fourteenth-century England, who was a Baron of the Exchequer and chief steward of the duchy of Lancaster. He went on to have ...

, who acquired the manor of Bakewell about 1350, and to his wife Avena. The town's Old House Museum occupies a 16th-century dwelling house originating from the time of

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...

and extended under Elizabeth I. It is a Grade II* listed building.

Transport

Railway

The Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway opened Bakewell railway station in 1862, then became part of the Midland Railway and later of the

LMS LMS may refer to: Science and technology * Labeled magnitude scale, a scaling technique * Learning management system, education software * Least mean squares filter, producing least mean square error * Leiomyosarcoma, a rare form of cancer * Lenz ...

main line from London to Manchester. John Ruskin objected to what he saw as desecration of the Derbyshire countryside and to the fact that "a Buxton fool may be able to find himself in Bakewell in twelve minutes and vice versa." In return for the Duke of Rutland's permission for the line to pass through his estate at Haddon Hall, Bakewell station buildings on the hillside overlooking the town are more imposing than expected and the Duke's coat of arms is carved in the stonework. Such pandering to landowners was common at the time, as their support was needed to pass the Act of Parliament allowing the line to be built. However, the inconvenient altitude of the line forced Bakewell station to be placed out of town, as the Duke insisted it be out of sight of Haddon Hall. These buildings are now used by small businesses, as the line between Matlock and Buxton was closed in 1968. Most of it has been designated the Monsal Trail, a bridle path for walking, cycling and riding. Today, passenger trains operated by

East Midlands Railway Abellio East Midlands Limited, trading as East Midlands Railway (EMR), is a train operating company in England, owned by Abellio, and is the current operator of the East Midlands franchise. History In March 2017, the Department for Transport a ...

run from Derby, via Ambergate, only as far as Matlock; from the west,

Northern Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a ra ...

trains from

Manchester Piccadilly Manchester Piccadilly is the principal railway station in Manchester, England. Opened as Store Street in 1842, it was renamed Manchester London Road in 1847 and became Manchester Piccadilly in 1960. Located to the south-east of Manchester city ...

reach only as far as Buxton. There have been efforts to reopen the remaining Wye Valley portion of the line, which would run through Bakewell and over the famed Monsal Dale viaduct. Peak Rail, a local preserved railway, has reopened the line from Matlock to Rowsley; this is a village a few miles east of Bakewell, near Haddon Hall. Reaching Bakewell is one of Peak Rail's long-term ambitions. To keep up intentions for a future return of the railway, Derbyshire County Council currently protects the track bed from development.

Roads

The A6, which links

Carlisle Carlisle ( , ; from xcb, Caer Luel) is a city that lies within the Northern England, Northern English county of Cumbria, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, Scottish border at the confluence of the rivers River Eden, Cumbria, Eden, River C ...

with Luton, runs through the town; it connects Bakewell with Buxton, Matlock and Derby. The A619 road begins in Bakewell, travels through Chesterfield and leads to Worksop in Nottinghamshire. The medieval Bakewell Bridge carries this road over the

Cuisine

Bakewell is known for Bakewell pudding, a jam pastry with a filling enriched with egg and ground almond. Bakewell tart is a different confection, made with shortcrust pastry, an almond topping and a sponge and jam filling. Mr Kipling also made "Cherry Bakewells", often also known as Bakewell tarts. The origins of these are not clear, but the popular story goes that the combination began by accident in 1820, when the landlady of the ''White Horse Inn'' (now the ''Rutland Arms Hotel'') left instructions for her cook to make a jam tart with an egg and almond paste pastry base. The cook, however, spread the eggs and almond paste on top of the jam instead of mixing them into the pastry. When cooked the jam rose through the paste. The result was successful enough for it to be a popular confection at the inn. Commercial variations, usually with icing sugar on top, have spread the name. The three Bakewell pudding shops

Three shops in Bakewell offer what they claim to be the original recipe. The Bakewell Tart Shop and Coffee House sells four variations: Bakewell Tart, Iced Bakewell Tart, Moist Bakewell Tart and Traditional Bakewell Pudding. The Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop and Bloomers of Bakewell both sell a Bakewell Pudding of their own.

Demography

In the 2011 census, Bakewell was 99.1 per cent White, 0.2 per cent Asian and 0.5 per cent mixed/multiple.

Education

In 1888 William Storrs Fox, a Cambridge graduate and naturalist, founded

St Anselm's School, Bakewell S. Anselm's Preparatory School is a private school located in Bakewell, Derbyshire, in the heart of the Peak District. Founded in 1888. Winner of the Tatler Schools Guide title: Prep School of the Year 2021, it offers flexi, weekly and full boa ...

. The school is now coeducational, with some 250 day and boarding pupils aged 3–16. Lady Manners School is a coeducational secondary with about 1,450 pupils. It is also home to the Brew School, the UK's biggest dedicated brewing and distilling school, established in 2014 at the historic Rutland Mill. The town's primary schools include All Saints Church of England School and Bakewell Methodist Junior School. There are other primaries in neighbouring villages.

Sights

* Old House Museum * All Saints' Church * Bakewell Bridge * Holme Bridge * Weir Bridge * Lumford Mill *

Bagshaw Hall Bagshaw Hall is a 17th-century grade II* listed country hall on Bagshaw Hill in Bakewell, Derbyshire. History The hall was constructed by Thomas Bagshaw (1638–1721), a solicitor. Thomas was the son of Thomas Bagshawe of The Ridge in Chapel- ...

Events

The Peak District traditional well dressing takes place in June; colourful images made of petals embedded in clay appear at several places in the town. Then follows

Carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...

week, culminating in a procession at the beginning of July. August brings the Bakewell Arts Festival, a music and theatre event begun in 1997. The

Peak Literary Festival The Peak Literary Festival was a literary festival held in the Peak District National Park in England. The Spring Festival was held in May and the Autumn Festival in October. Events included a literary dinner and lunch at historic venues such as ...

is held in the spring and autumn of each year. The spring one starts on the last Friday in May and the autumn one on the last Friday in October. Until 2017 The Bakewell Agricultural Show was among the largest covered agricultural shows in the UK, attracting about 65,000 visitors. It took place on the first Wednesday and Thursday in August at the Bakewell Showground. Known also as the Little Royal, it was founded by Wootten Burkinshaw Thomas in 1819. In 2018 and 2019 (the bicentennial year), the Bakewell Show was suspended in favour of more lucrative commercial events.

Sport and recreation

Rugby union is played regularly by Bakewell Mannerians RUFC, which competes in Midlands 2 East (North). Bakewell has a recreation park to the east of the centre, with tennis courts, a children's playground, and football and cricket pitches. Near the library there is a municipal swimming pool and gym. The River Wye provides a popular riverside walk. The town's association football team, Bakewell Town F.C., competes in the Central Midlands Football League Premier Division North.

Stephen Downing case

The Stephen Downing case involved the conviction and imprisonment in 1974 of a 17-year-old council worker, Stephen Downing, for the murder of a 32-year-old legal secretary in Bakewell Cemetery. After a campaign by a local newspaper, his conviction was overturned in 2002, by which time Downing had served 27 years in prison. This is thought to be the longest miscarriage of justice in British legal history, and attracted worldwide media attention.

Media

In literature

Bakewell is named by the protagonist Elizabeth Bennet as the town from which she travelled to Pemberley in Chapter 43 of

Jane Austen Jane Austen (; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critique, and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots of ...

's ''

Pride and Prejudice ''Pride and Prejudice'' is an 1813 novel of manners by Jane Austen. The novel follows the character development of Elizabeth Bennet, the dynamic protagonist of the book who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and comes to appreci ...

''.

On television

*Bakewell features in the last episode of '' Most Haunted: Midsummer Murders'', where the team covers a Christmas Eve murder in the 1800s. *In 2010 the Rutland Arms Hotel featured in an episode of '' The Hotel Inspector''. *For "Puddings Week" in Season 1 of '' The Great British Bake Off'', the tent was pitched in a car park in Bakewell.

Picture gallery

File:Bakewell, postcard.jpg, River Wye Park, with view of five-arch, 13th-century bridge File:BakewellCross.jpg, Bakewell Cross, in the churchyard of Bakewell Parish Church File:Bakewell Parish Church.jpg, Bakewell Parish Church File:The Lambton Larder.jpg, The Lambton Larder, Bakewell's Deli.

References

Notes

Bibliography

*''Town Without Pity'', Don Hale, Century (4 April 2002), *''Bakewell: The Ancient Capital of the Peak'', Trevor Brighton, Devon Books (November 2005), *''Bakewell'', Robert Innes-Smith, Derbyshire Countryside Ltd; 2r.e. edition (January 1994),

External links

BakewellOnline.co.uk - Dedicated to Bakewell
* * {{Coord, 53.214, -1.676, type:city_region:GB, display=title Towns in Derbyshire Market towns in Derbyshire Towns and villages of the Peak District Civil parishes in Derbyshire Derbyshire Dales