Bakewell
World famous puddings, the area’s premier agricultural show, a thriving economy and a whole host of attractions for holidaymakers and locals alike – Bakewell is a 'must see' destination at the heart of the Peak District. Bakewell grew up around a cluster of thermal springs and wells that attracted Iron Age settlers and, in Anglo-Saxon times, gave the place its name.
The Romans set up a station on the fertile meadows along the banks of the River Wye and the site became established as a meeting and crossing point.
Three original fords were eventually superseded by bridges and two of these remain: the distinctive five-arched bridge, at around 800 years old one of the oldest in the country, and the old packhorse bridge further upstream.
Over the years Bakewell has prospered as a market town. A charter was granted by King Edward III in 1330 and for nearly 700 years the farming community has flocked from miles around for the weekly sale of livestock, domestic goods and provisions. That tradition continues today, in 21st century style – livestock sales and popular monthly farmers’ markets now take place at a state-of-the-art Agricultural Business Centre, instead of in the market square.
Sheep farming and lead mining were traditionally the town’s key employers, but the industrial revolution, propelled by improvements in communication and travel, brought new ventures including quarrying and cotton mills. The construction of Lumsford Mill by Richard Arkwright in 1777 triggered a further surge in prosperity and eventually led to the rebuilding of much of the medieval town.
In the late 17th century the Duke of Rutland spotted the potential of Bakewell’s thermal springs and built an elaborate bath house, with showers, pools and even a reading room, in a bid to establish the town as a spa. The water, at 15°C, was a touch chilly in comparison with rivals like Buxton and Matlock and the spa never really took off. But the remains can still be seen in Bath Gardens, where the bath house still stands and the water bubbles up through a fountain.
Today, Bakewell is the administrative centre of the Peak Park. As the largest town within its bounds, it was the obvious choice of location when the Peak District became Britain’s first national park in 1951. The Board’s headquarters is at Aldern House, a listed building just outside the town centre on Baslow Road.
Another claim to fame is the annual Bakewell Show, dating back to 1819 and the town’s biggest event of the year. A two-day agricultural bonanza and celebration of rural life, it has its own picturesque showground on the meandering banks of the River Wye and attracts around 60,000 competitors and visitors each August.
It is generally followed by the Bakewell Arts Festival – a more recent event, launched in 1999, which features art, dance, music and drama.
But the town is perhaps best known as the home of the Bakewell Pudding, a delicacy supposedly invented by accident in the 1860s, when a cook at the White Horse Inn – now the Rutland Arms – spread egg mix on top of her strawberry tart instead of stirring it into the pastry. The story is almost certainly false, as the pudding was already well known at that point; in fact its roots can be traced back to medieval times. The matter is further complicated by the popularity of ‘Bakewell tart’, which is a different confection altogether, owing more to Mr Kipling than the White Horse Inn. Whatever the truth, the dessert has made Bakewell a household name and at least two local shops claim to be the sole owner of the original recipe.
