DERBYSHIRE TOURIST’

S

GUIDE

AND TRAV ELLING COMPANION

INCLUDING

AnAccount of th e venous Places generallywaited byS trangers

IN THE COUN TY OF DERBY

TO wmcn IS ADDED,

THE DETAIL OF AN EXCURSION

FROM DOV E-DALE TO ILAM HALL , AND ALTON TOWERS ,

BYE . RHODES,

AUTHOR OF “PEAK SCENERY,” 8 m.

LONDONR . G ROOMBRIDGE , FANYER ALLEY, PATERNOSTER ROW ;

AND RIDGE AND JACKSON, SHEFF IELD ;SOLD ALSO BY MRS. MAWR AND MR . V ALLANCE, MATLOCK : MR .MOORE AND MESSR S. BRIGHT AND SONS, BUXTON ; MR .GOODW IN, BAKEWELL ; MR . HOON, ASHBOURN ;

AND BY THE AUTHOR .Price 103.

PRINTED BY RIDGE , suprm .

SIR FRANCIS CHANTREY, R. A.

THE COMPANION OF MANY OF MY DERBYSHIRE EXCURSIONS,

AND A NATIV E OF THE COUNTY,

THIS V OLUME

1 8 MOST BESPEC’I‘FULLY INSCRIBED, A S A TOKEN OP

AFFECTIONATE REGARD,

THE AUTHOR.

PREPATORYADDRESS .

THE present unpretending volume is offered to the

Derbyshire Traveller, as a medium between those more

elaborateworks, which have for their object the entire

history and topography of this interesting part of the

kingdom, and the many minor productionsy that are

professedly confined to the illustrationof one particular

district only. The planappeared to offer some advan

tages, of which the author hopes he has notneglected to

avail himself. Inpreparing the following pages for

publication, it has been his endeavour to compress into

a small compass, sufficient information to guide the

Tourist to the most interesting places and Objects that

the northerndivisionof Derbyshire contains. Indoing

this, he has occasionally borrowed a passage from his

more voluminous work onthe samesubject, whenever it

appeared appropriate ; but he has rarely resorted to

other aid. He has farther to Observe, that in his

account Of the various places introduced into thisvolume, he has preferred the humble character of a

mere Tourist to that of anhistorian.

Inhis perambulations, which have beenpartly pedes

trian, he has generally been accompanied by one or

PREFATORY ADDRESS .

more companions ; a circumstance only necessary to

mention, for the purpose of accounting for the frequent

use Of a less Offensivepronoun thanthe egotistical letter

I ; to which, nevertheless, he has been constrained

occasionally to resort, particularly when expressing an

individual Opinion.

The author takes this Opportunity of noticing a very

unceremonious piece of plagiarism committed on a

forrrrer publicationof his, to which he respectfully re

quests the present volume maynot be subjected. In

1 826, he published an octavo edition of Peak

Scenery,”to which was prefixed a series of graphic

Road Sketches, anentirely newfeature insuch a work.

These were copied into a Guide Book, published

shortly afterwards by a Rev. Gentleman Of Matlock,who availed himself of themwithout either acknowledgment or apology ; a proceeding consonant neither with

lawnor good manners.

With these few remarks the author commits this

volume to the press.

CONTENTS .

SECTION I.— MATLOCK .

CHAP. l . —rSOl1 th approach to Maflocker E ntrance into the

Dale— Hotels, Inns, and Ledging Houses

CHAP. 2 .— Matlock Bath Scenerye —WillersleyCastle— Wild

Cat Tor— \Valk to the Village of ‘ MatlockMoot-hall Mine— Sulphate of Barytes

CHAP . 3.— Seven rakes Mine Toadstones-zChurch -Tor

GeologiCRIObservations . o O o o o 0 O o 0 0 0 0 t o . o o o OCHAP. 4.

—Morning Scene— Dale Cottage— High Tor— Crystalised Grotto— The Museum— The Caverns .

CHAP. 5.— The Baths— PetrifyingWells— Stonnis— sCromford

— MineAccidentCHAP. 6 .

— Lea— Holloway— Crich— South -Wingfield, Manor

House— Hardwick Hall

SECTION II.— CHATSWORTH .

CHAP. l . -PreliminaryRemarks— . Eigterior Of ChatsworthRecent Improvements— Works of Art brieflynoticed—sRefleetions ontheir

CHAP 2.— Interior sf Ghetswerthz— Tb s Great Hall— N ew

Gallezissm Collestios Qf m mgS fi PsintEd.

Ceilénse=NswSuite of Apmtasntsz '

rhe L i

brarr—a wning Beam— Sculptlse Gallery and

Banqueting Hall : é‘ C-w saw i -o o

CHAR. lie—State Apartments-v -Dilwidatfi Tapssa s hs

Spartan IssaSw isgS isWoedwrhendseer’s

BoltonAbbey intheOldenTimer Statue (1mQ ueen ot Sontag -The Duke

’s Private Apart

ments-s aueensf Seats atChatswerth

CON TENTS .PAGE .

CHAP. 4.—Chantrey

’

s Copy of Canova’s Endymion— TheConservatory— The Gardens— VVater Works

Intended N ewConservatory— Chatsworth ParkBaslow— Chatsworth Inn

SECTION I I I.

CHAP. l .— HaddonHall— Mr Moseley ’s Views of Haddon

Interior of Haddon— N orthernTower .

CHAP. 2 .— Bakewell— The Church— Cross in the ChurchYard— RutlandArmsInn— MarbleMills— CastleHill C O O O O O O O O O O O O O O Q O O Q O O O .

CHAP. 3.— Ashford -Marble Mills— Monsal Dale— Montgo

mery ’sPeak Mountains— LongstoneandHassopCHAP. 4.

— Stony Middleton— Middleton Dale— Whateley’

s

Description of the DaleCHAP. 5.

— E yam— The Church— E yamCross— Visitedby theP lague, 166 6— Riley Grave S tones -Mr. Mom

pesson— Cucklet Church

SECTION IV .

CHAP. 1 .— Bradwell— Bagshawe Cavern— Approach to Cas .

tleton Spar Museum Peak Cavern The

Castle— Cave-Dale— Long Cliff .CHAP . 2 .

— Castleton— Speedwell Mine— TheWinnats— TrayCliff— OdinMine— Mam-Tor .

CHAP . 3.— Mam-Tor— Viewinto Castleton-Dale— E ldonHole

— Ebbing and Flowing Well— FairfieldCHAP. 4.

— Buxton— TheCrescent— TheBaths— BuxtonBathCharity— BuxtonWater— The Inns .

CHAP. 5.— Poole’

s Hole— Diamond Hill— Walks and Rides

aboutBuxton— Chee-Tor, 850 .

CHAP. 6 .— Tissington— Address to Flora— Thorpe Cloud

Dove~Da1e - Scenery Of the Dale— Dove-DaleChurch— Reynard’

s Hall— DoveHoles

CON TEN TS .

SECTION V .

PAGE 0

CHAP. l .— IlamHall— ViewfromBunster Hill— the Church-Monument by Sir F. Chantrey— ParsonageHouse— Arrive at Farley

CHAP. 2.— Alton Abbey— The Prospect Tower— The Gar

dens— Moonlight Scene— The Earl of Shrewsbury’s

CHAP. 3.— Ashbourn— TheChurch— Monumentof SirBrooke

Boothby’

s Daughter— Monument of the Two

ChildrenatLichfield, by Sir F . Chantrey— V ia

Gellia— Conclusion of the FirstExcursionCHAP. 4.

— Second Excursion to AltonTowers— Bonsal M illV ia Gellia— Griffe-Dale— Brassington Moor

Ashbourn E llastone —Wotton Hall— Rous

CHAP. 5.— Approach to AltonTowers— The Entrance Hall

The Armoury— The Picture Gallery— The Saloon— The House Conservatory— N ewSuite of

Apartments— Countess of Shrewsbury’

s Boudoir-Dining Room— The Chapel— The East Ter

race— General Observations— Catalogue of Pic

tures— The Charnet — Oakover— River DoveExcursionconcluded

ROAD SKETCHES .

THE Road Sketches prefixed to this Volume are intended to

supply the place of a Map, and it ishoped that theywill be foundequally useful. Theyhave beenprepared, at different intervals,for the Author’s friends, as instructions for their Excursions inDerbyshire ; and having, on many occasions, proved extremelyserviceable, they are hereintroduced for the convenience of others.

They chiefly commence atSheffield : this, however, cannot lessentheirutility ; because, the informationtheycontain, if intelligibleand valuable, will be equallyso to the Travellerwhether he beginh is journeyat Shefield, Buxton, orMatlock.

SHEFFIELD TO MATLOCK.

From Shemeld to Baslow Miles .

14 do.

24 do.

By Bakewell (4Miles fromBaslow) 26 do.

INNS AND LODG ING HOUSE S AT MATLOCK*The Old Bath— Cumming’s*The N ewBath— Saxton’

s

The Temple— E vans’

s

Walker’s Hotel— WalkerMuseumHotel— HodgkinsonDevonshireArms— SmedleyKing’s Head— Bennet

OBSERVATION s.— Thewoody scenery ontheroad fromSheffield

to Matlock, through Abbey -Dale to Totley , has often excited the

Posting Houses.

Smith’s Lodging House

Derbysh ire’

s do.

Britland’

s do.

Smedley ’s do.

Robinson’

s do.

N eal ’s do.

Pearson’s do.

Shore’

s do.

1

ROAD SKETCHES . XI

admirationof strangers. Beyond Totley, a moorlandwaste suc

ceeds. Approaching Baslow, th e rocks and hills assume a wild:and savage character, but only for a shortdistance : ChatsworthPark and the sweet vale of the Derwent come suddenly into the

prospect. FromEdensor, pass through Chatsworth Park , and, byBeeley andDarley Dale, to Matlock .

FROM BAKEWELL TO MATLOCK.

FromBakewell to HaddonHall 2 Miles.

Rowsley o o o o o o 3 do.

Matlock Bridge 8% do.

do.

Rowsley is a very pleasantplace for anglers and artists ; and

the Peacock Inn is an excellent house for tourists. In

Darley Church -yard, about two miles farther, there is an oldyewtree of uncommondimensions : the girth Of the trunk is aboutthirty-three feet.

FROM MATLOCK BATH TO DOVE -DALE , ILAM HALL ,AND ALTON TOWERS .

FromMatlock Bath to V ia Gal lia 2 Miles.

5 do.

8 do.

Tissington 1 0 do.

Dove-Dale 13 Miles.

1 4 do.

AltonTowers 2 1 do.

N . B . When Dove-Dale and Ham are not included in the ex

cursion, the best road to AltonTowers is from BradburnMill to Ashbourn, five miles : E l lastone, fourmiles : one

mile farther turnto the right, and along the Earl of

Shrewsbury’

s drive to AltonTowers.

OBSE RV ATION S .— Fl‘0m Matlock proceed by Cromford and

Bonsal -Dale to V ia Gellia; and when the road fromWirksworthcrosses the Dale, turn into the del l onthe right to Grange Mill :

xii ROAD SKETCHES .

here leave the Buxtonroad, pass through the toll -gate onthe left,and forward to Bradbum Mill . At this place, ford the rivulet on

the right, and through the meadows to Tissington. Pass the

front of Sir Henry Fitzherbert’s house, cross the road ath is park

gate into Spen- lane, where there is a guide-

post— “ Ilam Hall,

three miles. One mile and a half farther is the Dog and

Partridgepublic house : leave it on the left, and forward throughThorpe to the Isaac WaltonHotel . The Church atIlamcontains

one of Sir F . Chantrey’s finest works ; and the gardens and

grounds arewel l worth a visit. From Ilam to AltonTowers, crossthe bridge in the village, and up the hill to th e Cheadle road, andforward toOrrel’s Hotel , at Farley .

FROM BAKEWELL TO DOV E -DALE , BY

WINSTER.

FromBakewell toHaddonHallWinster

TissingtonDove ADale

OBSERV ATIONS . -Haddon Hall is a fine old baronial mansion,belonging to the Duke of Rutland, and richly worth a visit.Half amile farther, leave the Matlock road by a sharp turn on

theright, and forward through th e bottom of StantonWood. On

the left of the road,about a mile farther, are Birchover, and the

Row Tor Rocks ; and on th e right is ‘

Robin Hood’

s Stride.

Opposite Bradbum Mill , cross the rivuleton the right toTissington, and, by SpenLane to Dove-Dale.

There is another road from Bakewell to Dove-Dale, by Conksbury Bridge, N ewhaven Inn, and Tissington. The distance is

the same, but the road is hilly , and notpleasant for carriages.

ROAD SKETCHES .

FROM SHEFFIELD TO BUXTON,BY STONEY

MIDDLETON,

THE MOST PICTURE SQUE ROUTE .

From Sheffield to Dore Moor

Fox House

Stoney MiddletonWardlow

HOTELS AN D INNS AT BUXTONGreatHotelSt. Ann

’

s HotelThe HallThe GeorgeThe GroveThe AngelOBSERVATION s.

— At Fox House, take the road on the left,

leaving Longshaw, a favourite shooting-box of the Duke Of Rut

land’

s, and the Sheffield Company ’s plantations on the right, andforward by FroggetEdge to Middleton. Fromthis road, some ofthe finest scenery in Derbyshire is presented, N ear Froggat,

StokeHall embosomedintrees, isseeninthevalley . TheDerwentis here a beautiful stream. Entering Stoney Middleton, the firstmansion on the right is Lord Denman’

s, a retired place, where

h is Lordship occasionally resides. Passing through the village,

Middleton‘ Dale succeeds. It is about two miles long, and ter

minates near WardlowMiers . Travellerswishing to visitE yamin this excursion, may leave Middleton-Dale about half amilefrom the village, by a sharp turn on the right. E yam is abouthalf a mile farther. Pass through the village in frontof theChurch , and forward by FoolowtoTideswell, a smallmarkettown,with a comfortable inn, where post chaisesmaybe had. Turn

0 PostingHouses.

The Shakspeare

The E agleThe King’s Head (Coach Inn)The Q ueen

’

s Head

The Rising SunThe CheshireCheese

xiv RO AD SKE TOHE s.

downthe street on the left, and through Tideswell-Dale. De

scendingzthe h ill , into Millerls -fDale, the s cenery is peculiarly ,fine. On the rise of the h ill, "overthe bridge, pause to look at

th e banks of theWye, inthedirection af ~Chee~Tor and Wormhill. Blackwell-Dale, and a long hill succeed. Withinabout amile of .TopleyPike, join the Buxton and B akewell road, andforward to the margin of the riverWye. Th e road then passesthrough tGreat

’

ERocks-Dale, Wye-Dale, .and Ashwood-Dale, to

Buxtomoamidsta successionof romanticscenery.

FROM SHEFFIELD TO BUXTON,BY BAKEWELL .

From Shemelato ’B‘a8 10w A . O O . C C O . 0 12 Miles.Bakewell 1 6 do.

1 8 do.

Taddington 22 do.

24 do.

28 do.

OBSERVATIONS .— BakeWéH is a pleasant little town, delightfully situated ou the banks of the river Wye, a beautiful troutstream,

which inSummer is the favourite resortof anglers . The

Rutland Arms, anexcellent'posting house, is one of the best inns

in th e k ingdom. Ashford in theWater, a sweetretired village.

succeeds : the brilliant stream of the Wye runs through it, andthe country.around is highly

.picturesque. At th ewestend of thevillage are the Marble Mills ; and onemile farther, onthe right,is the firstopening into Monsal-Dale. Here Taddington-Dale,through which the road to Buxtonpasses, commences.

,qleyPike is fivemiles farther.

"FROM SHEFFIELD TO BUXTON, iBYzCASTLETON .

F romSheffield to Fox House 8 Miles.

1 0 do.

14 do.

do.

ROAD SKETCHES. XV

From Sheffield to Perry 1 9 Miles.22 do.

Fairfield 26 do.

Buxton 27 do.

OBSERVATION s.— About midway between Fox House and Ha

thersage, from under the eminence called Millstone Edge, andthence forward to the village, the views are strikingly beautiful ;and

,inthe direction ofLeamandFroggatEdge,are Ofarich sylvan

character. Hope-Dale is a pleasant tranquil scene; and, at

Castleton, the Peak Cavern and Speedwell Mine are Objects ofparticular attraction. The Castle Inn is the only posting housein the place. Ascending the hill underMam-Tor

, anextensive

tract of country , every where bounded by lofty hills and rockyramparts, presents a landscape Of uncommonbeauty . About amile and a half from Perry Foot, on the leftof the road

, and near

the village Of Peak Forest, is E ldon Hole, one of the reputed

wonders of Derbyshire; and a mile and a half farther is the

E bbing and Flowing ”

Well. At Barmoar Clough,leave th e

Chapel -en-le-Frith road, by a turn through the toll-gate onthe

left, and forward to Buxton.

FROM BUXTON TO DOVE oDALE .

FromBuxtonto N ewhavenInn 1 1 Miles.

Tissington 1 6 do.

Thorpe 1 8 do.

Dove-Dale 1 9 do.

OBSERVAT ION S. -From Buxton to N ewh aven, the road is ex

tremelyuninteresting. Approaching Tissington Hall, the resi

dence of Sir H . Fitzherbert, the country greatly improves, andassumes a more sylvancharacter. Opposite the Park gates, turnto the right, and down Spen-lane, to Thorpe. Here take the road

to Ilam, and forward to the Isaac WaltonHotel, and from thenceinto Dove-Dale.

ERRATUM .

InSection3, page 136 , for Bow-Cross, read Bal l-Cross.

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

MATLOCK BATH .

1 42 M I L E S F R O M L O N D O N .

CHAPTER I.

SOUTH APPROACH TO MATLOCK— ENTRANCE INTO THE DALEHOTELS— INN S AN D LODGING HOUSES.

THIS delightful spot has long been celebrated for thebeauty Of its scenery, the salubrity of the air, and the

invigorating properties of its baths . The houses thatconstitute this part of Matlock are situated in a deepvalley, by the side of the river Derwent, amidst rocks,and hills, and luxuriant foliage. The cold winds of theNorth and the East spend their violence on the hugehills around, and but rarely sweep through the valley ;hence it is that, during the colder parts of the year, thetemperature of Matlock is comparatively mild, whichrenders it so desirable a winter residence for invalids.

Evenwinter here seems shornof its terrors the frostsare embued. with anexhilirating spirit, and the snows,undisturbed by currents of air, fall softly, like descending doves, into the bosom of the vale, and feather thetrees with beauty.The principal road from the South to Matlock, passes

from Derby, a distance of sixteen miles, through DufB 2

4 M ATLOCK BATH.

field, Millford, and Belper, amidst a successionof someof the most delightful scenery in the kingdom but byfar the richest part of this beautiful road is from Hot

Stanwell Bridge to Matlock, where hill, and dale, andwood, and water, present frequent combinations of

forms and objects replete with picturesque beauty.

The river, sometimes gliding smoothly along, and sometimes hurrying rapidly between its thickly-foliagedbanks, is a lovely feature in the scene ; and the hillsand woods about Alderwasley on the left, and Lea

Mills and Holloway onthe right, are bold inform, and

broad and ample in dimensions.

The entrance into Matlock Dale at Cromford, isthrough a deep and narrow excavation in ScarthingRock ; immediately onpassing this chasm, the gloriousScenery of the dale first bursts upon the eye. The

rocky wood-crowned eminence on the left— WillersleyCastle, backed with magnificent foliage on the right,and the busy, brilliant Stream of the Derwent, flowingrapidly between, amongst verdant slopes and perpendi

cular cliffs, present a picture not oftenequalled even inthe most romantic parts of the county of Derby.

Here rocks onrocks, onforests, forests rise,

Spurnthe lowearth, andminglewith the skiesGreatnature, slumbering by fairDerwent’s stream,

Conceived these GiantMountains ina dream.

”

J. MONTGOMERY.

Near the toll-gate, about half a mile from Scarthing.

Rock, anascending road onthe left, leads to SAXTON ’S‘

HOTEL, the first excellent house of entertainment atwhich travellers from the South arrive. This hotel is

MATLO CK BATH . 5

situated ona plot Of level ground, considerably elevated

above the carriage road, and Of sufficient capacity toadmit of anample garden, and a verdant lawn in front,which is surrounded with a terrace-walk, that commands a very lovely view of Matlock Dale. LookingSouth from this pleasant lawn, the landscape is emi

uently beautiful ; luxuriant foliage and intervening rockcompose the foreground— the hills beyond, from the

margin of the Derwent to the pine-crowned rocks of

Stonnis, and the woods of Alderwasley, swell intomountains— ih the opposite direction, hills, and rocks,and trees, interspersed with various residences fill upthe bosom of the dale. The gardens belonging to

Saxton’s Hotel form a delightful promenade ; seats areplaced at intervals along the walks, and always so situated as to admit a view of some peculiar feature of thedale. Inone place a bench or garden chair is fixed bythe side of a fish-pond, fringed with flowers and adornedwith water-lilies gold and silver fish inhabit thisaquatic bas in, and whenever a stranger approaches, andtakes his seat near them, they crowd to the marginand

beg to be fed, with all the eagerness of a brood of

young birds in a nest ; it is amusing to see them so

earnest, and active, and full of motion in their endea

vours to supersede each other, and Obtain notice and

food. Children are particularly delighted with thisnovel exhibition, and I have known but fewof matureryears who have not participated inthe feeling.

There is another object highly worthy of notice inSaxton’s Garden— a Lime Tree ; one of the largest ofthe species anywhere to be metwith . This magnificent tree, full Of years, and evenyet luxuriant in folin

6 MATLO CK BATH.

age— covers an area of more than three hundred and

thirty feet in circumference. Standing beneath the

branches that sustain the leafy canopy above, and con

templating the huge trunk, and the various ramificationsentwining about, and intersecting each other ineveryimaginable direction, is anemploymentthat mayagreeably occupy a leisurelyquarter Of anhour of the Matlockvisitor’s time.

At the Northern extremity of the terrace walk, infront of thesegardens, is WALKER

’S HOTEL and LODG

ING HOUSE— an excellent house of entertainment forstrangers, and very pleasantly situated on a steep slopeof hill that overlooks the carriage road . The chargesat my Old friend Walker’s are reasonable— the bed

rooms remarkably neat, clean, and comfortable : goodfare and anattentive and Obliging hostess make up thecatalogue of accommodations at this hotel . The boatsthat ply onthe river, in the dale below, belong to thishouse, andmayfairly be numbered amongst its attrac

tions, as they are always at the serviceof Mr. Walker’scompany without anycharge. These boats not only

offer a pleasant transit across the river, but they conduct the visitor to one of the most delightful walks

about Matlock, and furnish frequent opportunities for

excursions onthe Derwent. The whole distance which

the boats can ply is only about half a mile— but it ishalf a mile of the most beautiful scenery in the dale.

The trees on the margin of the river are here vividly

reflected— a mimic forest in the bosom Of the stream ;the foliage is peculiarly rich, and the jutting craggs

above, every where adorned with pendant branches,give variety to the scene, and blend the picturesque

MATLO CK BATH . 7

with the sylvan character of the banks of the Derwent .From V allence

’s Garden to the weir below Saxton’s

Hotel, the river is broad and deep, and assuming the

office of a guide, Ishould here sayto theMatlock visitant, who wished to appreciate all the various beauties of

the place, take one of Walker s boats— row upwards

to beyond the Museum Gardens— then lie quietly onyour oars— abandon yourself to the current of the

stream, and enjoy the scenery Of the river as you glide

along. From the Ferry the view is one Of more than

ordinary grandeur the rocks rise boldly over the tops

of the trees, and Hag-Tor, and Wild-Cat-Tor, with

their crested summits come broadly on the eye, and

claim aproud pre-eminenceover allthedale. Approaching the weir they throw their lengthened shadows on

the water, and blend their sombre colour with thebrighter reflections of gayer objects.

On the eastern bank of the river, and close upon itsmargin, is the LO VE R’

S WALK, which Offers a pleasantand secluded ramble. It commences nearly oppositetheWarm Bath Gardens, and terminates at the entranceinto the grounds immediately connected with WillersleyCastle. Occasional seats are placed by the sides ofthe walk, and near the Ferry there is a pleasant alcovefor the loitering traveller to rest in, and if furtheramusement is required, it is here at hand : Walker’sSpar Museum, and workshop adjoining, will furnisha pleasant half hour’s lounge.

Proceeding forward through the dale, the next Innafter leaving Walker’s is the OLD BATH , kept by Mrs.

Cummins— a very excellent house, and certainly the

most important hotel in the place. It is the resort of

8 MATLO CK BATH .

the first families that visit Matlock, and its accommodations are in consequence of the best description. It issituated on the slope Of theWestern side of thedale,and sufliciently elevated to command an interestingview of its romantic scenery, particularly in the directionof the HIGH-TOR . The craggy clifl

‘

s and woodyemiriences on the right and left of the road— the

Heights of Abraham covered with sombre foliage— and

still farther indistance, the sublime rock, called by wayof distinction, the High-Tor, with all its picturesqueaccompaniments — the neat dwellings that stud the

sides Of the hills, and the ever beautiful Derwent gliding smoothly and tranquilly through the vale below,

present altogether a picture, or rather a series of pictures, but rarely paralleled . A morning or eveningwalk inthe gardens belonging to the Old Bath, is oneof the many delightful gratifications of Matlock Bath .

Leaving this hotel onthe left, a carriage road ontheside of the hill leads through a range of lofty trees tothe TEMPLE , an Hotel and Lodging House of verysuperior pretensions— the present hostess is Mrs. Evans.

This really delightful house occupies one of the finestsituations at Matlock Bath. Placed on an elevationthat, with a fewexceptions only, overlooks every otherdwelling— it commands a more extended landscape, anda wider range of vision. It is a lovely spot, and ad

rablycalculated to afford enjoyment to thosewho are

either too ill, too Old, or too indolent for exertion.

Inthe dale below, immediately on the road side, and

near the brink of the river, is the MUSE UM HOTE Lthe Inn for commercial travellers. Whenthis Innwaskept by Robinson, he had generally a party of eight

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

1 0 MATLO CK BATH.

CHAPTER II.

MATLOCK BATH SCENERY— WILLERSLEY CASTLE— WILD-CAT-TORWALK TO THE VILLAGE OF MATLOCK— MOOT-HALL-MIN E— SUL

PHATE OF BARYTES .

IN noticing the SCE NERY of Matlock Dale, I purposeto commence at Mine own Inn,

”and throw my Obser

vations into the form of a regular perambulation aboutthe place ; by this means, the reader may follow the

whole of my footsteps, if he be so disposed, or makeh is own selection of parts or objects as maybest suith is inclinationor his humour.

The threshold of Walker’s Hotel is the portal of a

rich and beautiful scene— rock, wood, hill, and daleverdant slopes and craggy knolls— all constituents Of afine landscape, are here most happily combined . The

first step from the door is upon the terrace walk thatsurrounds the lawn in the front of the N ewBath Gardens, a place which affords a most delightful promenade : in the depth of the dale below, partially seen

through interposing branches, runs the Derwent, wh ich,unless disturbed by mountain floods, is here a deepand silent stream. The rocky rampart that forms theEastern boundary of the vale is broken into perpendicnlar clifls, partly covered with a net-work of ivy

partly naked and exposed, and richly coloured withlichens, mosses, and weather-stains. The topmostheights are clothed with trees- the sides are hung with

pendant branches from above, and the broad foundationof this limestone barrier is hidden amongst the luxuriant mass of foliage that flourishes along its base.

MATLO CK BATH . 1 1

Looking to the South directly down the river, or to

the North in the direction of the High-Tor, or alongthe Western hill from the Heights Of Abraham, to

Scarthing Rock, and to Cromford Moor and Stonnis

beyond, the sceneryis richly varied, and inthe highestdegree beautiful and romantic.This terrace at the close of the day, whenthe hamlet

is still, affords one of the most delightful evening walksinthe kingdom, particularly when Night’s fair Queen”

is inthe heavens, and

Riding near her highestnoon

It is lovely then to watch the moonbeams penetrate thedeep recesses Of the dale— light up the foliage onthe

brink of the river, and, gliding through the over-hanging branches, spread over all the bosom Of the streamthat soft, yetmellow lustre, which moonlight only can

bestow. The general stillness which at this time pervades the dale, gives a peculiar charm to the gentlerush of water, as it passes over the weir near the

'

mills

below.

Attended by a companion, I began a forenoon ramble from this pleasant promenade, and proceeded alongthe valley toWillersley Castle, the residence Of RichardArkwright, Esq. This beautiful mansion Occupies an

elevated situation on the slope Of a steep hill, directlyopposite to Scarthing Rock ; under which a road passesby the side Of the Derwent to Cromford Chapel, a neatstone structure, erected by the family of theArkwrights.

In this place there is a monument in statuary marble,by Sir Francis Chantrey— a tasteful design, but not of

1 2 MATLO CK BATH .

suflicient consequence as a work of art to requireparticular notice : within, the Chapel is Of scant dimensions— not large enough certainly for the population of

Cromford. The Rev. R. Ward, of Matlock Bath, isthe Ofliciating Minister. Immediately on passing thisunostentatious structure, a narrow postern connectedwith a gate for carriages leads to the foot Of CromfordBridge ; inthe right hand battlement of which, there isa stone that records an event bordering onthemiracu

lous— a spirited horse running away with his rider,whenhe came to the bridge, leaped over the battlementinto the river below, a height of more than thirty feet,and both escaped unhurt.Crossing the bridge, a neat gothic lodge leads into

the grounds and gardens that environWillersley Castle,which are invariably open to the public on Mondaysand Thursdays in every week, and at no other time.

On these days this charming resort generally presentsa very animated scene, as but fewof the many individuals who visit Matlock forego the opportunity Of a

ramble inthis delightful place.

Ascending the hill amongst the groves at the back ofthe house, a great diversity of landscape scenery is

beheld ; every turn in the road varies the prospect,and exh ibits newbeauties. The views Southward downthe valley in the direction of Belper, may, withoutexaggeration, be characterised as truly magnificent .The hills onthe left, from the very margin of the riverto the village of Crich, are richly varied both in formand clothing. The thick woods about Le'

aMill, stretching up to near Holloway— the tower on Crich Cliff,and the village spire beyond, are beautiful features in

MATLO CK BATH . 13

the landscape, and the situations they occupy renderthem doubly effective. The right bank of the Derwent— a steep and lofty hill— is covered with umbrageouswood

, and the river in the vale below rushes rapidly

over its rocky bed, presenting a silvery line of lightamidst the surrounding foliage.

The horticultural and floral gardens \herearesituated,near the summit of the hill ; they are kept inexcellentorder, and to those who are fond of botanical pursuits,they cannot fail to prove a source of interest and em

joyment ; but to those who are peculiarly alive to

whatever is grand and glorious in landscape, the walkthat immediately succeeds, and leads to the top of

Wild-Cat Tor, will be found far more attractive.

Standing onthe highest verge of this rocky pinnacle,a sensation of delight, not altogether unmixed withfear, takes possessionof the mind, as Matlock, with allits rich variety of hill and rock, and wood and water,bursts instantaneously and unexpectedly upon the

sight. The rocky rampart on which he stands is

a fine feature in the scene : the High-Tor beyondthe Heights of Abraham— the proud Hill of Massonthe houses atMatlock Bath— and more southward, theriver— Scarthing Rock— Stonnis— Alderwasley Woods-and the vale through which the Derwent runs, are allincluded inthe magnificent prospect before him .

In perambulating these grounds, other situationsoccur, from whence the scenery of Matlock Dale issuddenly and beautifully developed.

Having leisurely explored the gardens and groundsatWillersley Castle, we descended from the elevationof Hag-Tor and Wild-Cat-Tor, to the Lovers’ Walk,

1 4 MATL O CK BATH .

near the head of theweir, which ina semicircular formis built across the Derwent . When the river is ful lthis barrier is a great source of beauty ; it then, afterfalling over the top-stones of the weir, rushes impetu~

ouslydowna rugged, long-continued slope, where it isdivided by huge fragments of stone into innumerablechannels, through which it flows amidst foam and sprayand circling eddies, until it gradually subsides into themore tranquil part of the stream below. From this placewe proceeded along the Lovers’ Walk, by the side of

the river, and in the direction of the Museum Parade,to its termination amongst the woods nearly oppositeto the Warm Baths in Gilbert’s Gardens. From thisplace a winding path leads to a wicket gate, whichopens into the pleasant fields that crown the rockyheights at Matlock Bath . From the elevation thusattained, the High-Tor appears in all its glory, borrowing grace and picturesque beauty from surroundingobjects, and imparting grandeur to one of the finestlandscapes in the dale. From hence a footpath by theside of the river communicates with the Grotto, or

Fluor Cavern, at the base of the High-Tor ; and

another crosses near its topmost peak, and forward tothe village Of Matlock, about a mile and a half from the

Bath. This delightful ramble over the hills can onlybe duly appreciated by those ardent lovers of Nature,who, not satisfied with the most Obvious display of her

glories, will follow her into her hidden recesses, and

behold her inall her various garbs. This private pathway, toilsome as it is, presents many points of view,

where Matlock Dale, and the hills and rocks by whichit is environed, are brought into a variety of beautiful

MATL O CK BATH .

“

15

combinations, as truly picturesque as they are newand

unexpected. Generally, Matlock is only seen from the

road through the dale, -but a great part of the richlydiversified scenery with which the place abounds istotally inaccessible to thosewho travel only 1ncarriagesTo be thoroughly acquainted with all its qualities andbeauties, the hills must be scaled and traversed fromMatlock Bridge to Bonsal onone side of the river, andfrom Willersley Castle to the village of Matlock ontheother. A variety of rich landscape scenery will thus

be developed, of which the mere dale-visitor canhaveno conception.

Leaving Riber on our right, we proceeded to Mat

lock. The church at this village has takenhigh ground,and its foundations are literally established ona rock.

On a steep slope near the higher entrance into the

church-yard, are two sycamore trees of magnificentdimensions : they are noble objects, of ample growthand luxuriant foliage. The church is a very respectableedifice, with a square tower, surmounted by an embattled parapet, with crocketed pinnacles at the angles.

The body consists of a nave, two side-aisles, and a

chancel . It is well pewed within, and has a handsomegallery. Amongst the monumental inscriptions thatwenoticed inthe church, we copied the two following

Near this placewas interred the remains Of AdamWoolley, of

Allen-Hill, in this parish ; and Grace hiswife. Hewas bornintheyear 1558 ; married atthe Parish Church of Darley 1 58 1 and after

continuing inwedlock with his said wife for the long period of 76

years, died in the month of August, 1 657, inthe hundredth year Ofhis age. She was born in the year 1559, and died inthemonth ofJuly, 1 669, aged 1 1 0 and for the purpose of recording so extraordi

nary butwell-authenticated aninstance of longevity, and long conti

1 6 MATLO CK BATH .

nuance inwedlock, their great, great, great, greatgrandson, AdamWoolley, Of this Parish, Gentleman, caused this memorial to beerected inthe year

To the memory of Capt. Wm: Cumming, Of‘

the 83rd BritishRegt. and 9th Portuguese Cacadores who, having fought inthe battles of Oporto, Talavera, and Buzaco and Fuentes D’

Onoro, fel l inanattack onthe French outposts near Bayonne, Oct. 9th , 1 8 13, inthe 3oth year of his age.

‘

This‘

tabletwas erected by his brother,"inwhose esteemand affectionhe had that place, to which firmness of

mind, and urbanity Ofmanners, justly entitled their possessor.

”

Onaneminence called Riber Hill, which rises highabove Matlock church, there is a singular assemblageof stones, called Hirst S tones, supposed to have beenoriginally a druidical altar, some antiquaries say a

cromleck, which appears a more probable,.conjecture.

Whatever this remainmaybe, and however interestingas the record of a custom no longer remembered, it isnowscarcely worth a visit.Descending from this elevation, a road leads through

the village, and across some. fields by ,the river side to

Matlock Bridge, near .the northern entrance into thedale, and from thence to the Baths.

We werenowinthe immediate vicinity of some ofthe Derbyshire lead-mines a

‘

fewbrief Observations onthe subject may, therefore, not be deemed out of placeat this point of our ramble. Withinabout a mile northof Matlock Bridge is Moot-Hall Mine, which was discovered and opened when the present road from Mat

lock to Bakewell was first made. The.workmen, whencutting away the soil, which is here incumbent onthelimestone strata, Observed the appearance of a vein of

lead ore which they imagined might prove a very valu

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

1 8 MATL OCK BATH .

whenstruck with steel it gives out sparks, and underthe blow pipe it emits a sulphureous odour. Its com

ponent parts are sulphur 52, iron48 .

The principal use to which this mineral is applied isthe making of copperas and green vitriol, which is a

decomposition Of martial pyrites ; and latterly it hasbeen made to produce sulphuric acid. In the year1 8 1 8 , a patent was takenout by some gentlemen inthevicinity of London, for making this acid from pyrites,inawaynot previously discovered ; and they have nowa large establishment for the purpose at Bromley, inKent.Another material found in this mine in conjunction

with galena, limestone, and calcarious spar, is sulphateof barytes, provincially called cawk. This substance isknown by different designations— it is the term pon

derosa of Bergman— by others, who have written on

the subject, it has been denominated vitriolated heavyearth— ponderous spar

—phosphoric spar and by more

scientific mineralogists, baroselenite. In themines OfDerbyshire it is generally associated with calcariousspar and lead ore ; but in the neighbourhood Of Mat

lock and Bonsal, it is found amongst the hills unconnected with metals.

I have occasionally met with this mineral of a clearpure white sometimes of anopaque glassy appearance,similar to what is called French opal, and imperfectlycrystalised : but the most beautiful variety that occursinDerbyshire, is atMoot-Hall Mine. It is of a delicate rose colour, and, when freshly broken, it exhibits abright foliated fracture. I, however, suspect that such

specimens are extremely rare. The common appear

MATLO CK BATH . 1 9

ance of this mineral, when in a massive state, is a dull,earthy white, like dingy-coloured chalk ; and this ap

pears generally to be the case whenever it is foundintimately connected with galena but I havemet withit Of a very delicate and beautiful hue from the minesin the vicinity Of Wirksworth . Its constituent partsare, barytes 67, sulphuric acid 33.

This very abundant material is used for many valuable purposes ; but it has never yet been found, exceptin combinationwith other matter. Its affinity,

”says

Parkes, in his Chemical Essays, to the carbonic and

other acids is such, that it cannot exist ina pure state.

Inthe neighbourhood Of Cromford, along Bonsal-Dale,and amongst the neighbouring hills, this substance iscollected in large quantities, and manufactured into a

fine white colour, well known amongst house painters

by the assumed name of Hume’spermanentwhite.

A curious variety of sulphate of barytes, and totallyunlike anythat had previously been met with, was re

centlydiscovered inthe neighbourhood of Youlgreave.

The persons who found this new material, imagined,from its great weight, that it was a metallic ore. A

portion of it was therefore sent to Matlock, that itsquality and value might be ascertained ; when, althoughproved not to be metallic, it was soon converted to a

profitable purpose. The formation of this substance isdecidedly stalactical . The larger shapeless masses thatwere discovered, were all distinguished by a rough ex

terior of a dirty earthy-brown colour ; but when foundinthe form of stalactites, they were almost invariablyencrusted with crystals common to this mineral, all imperfectly developed, and none transparent. When

0 2

20 MATL O CK BATH .

brokenacross, the whole of these specimens of barytesexhibited a series Of concentric layers, evidently produced by successive depositions ; an appearance whichsuflicientlydenoted that other shades of colour lurkedbeneath the surface. The coating was removed a fine,

warm-toned brownhue appeared ; and working further,lighter tints were Observed ; until at length, when the

piecewas polished, it had altogether the appearance of

richly variegated tortoise-shell, without the transparency.

This beautiful variety Of barytes soon came into greatrequest, and every fragment that could be found wasworked up for sale. Small specimens were sold at fromfive to sevenshillings each, and some larger ones for asmany pounds. One piece, about twenty-four inches byeighteen, was disposed Of by Mr. P . Smedley for ten

guineas, for a museum abroad. The stock of this rare

and singular mineral is nownearly exhausted.

MATLO CK BATH . 2 1

CHAPTER III.

SEVE N-RAKES IMINE— TOADSTON E— CH URCH-TOR GEOLOGICAI. OH

SERV ATION S .

CROSSIN G Matlock Bridge, we made a sharp turn to

the right, inthe front of the Misses Saxton’

s boardingschool,

'

into some pleasant meadows by the side Of theDerwent, for the purpose Of paying a visit to one of the

entrances into the Seven-RakesMine, once a very valuable concern, but nownearly abandoned. The miners

’

hut close to the mouth Of the drift, seemed not to havebeenused for years, and the materials that covered themine-hill near, were in a state of rapid decomposition.

Raking amongst the mass, we found many specimens oftoadstone, finer in character and colour than is to bemet with in anyother part of Derbyshire. A brownironhue, intermixed with a purple tint, is the prevailingcolour of the mass of this material, which is studdedwith kernels of calcarious spar, some purely white,others variegated with deep yellow streaks, or sparklingwith transparent green, from the presence Of clorite.

When freshly broken, these specimens are strikinglybeautiful. Another variety of toadstone, or what theminers so denominate, is found here inabundance. Ithas anearthy appearance, and is of a pale green colour,interlaced with veins of calcarious spar, and sometimes studded with sparkling fragments Of ironpyritesA veinOf lead ore has occasionally beenworked in this

substance, both in this place and in the Side-Mine at

Matlock-High-Tor. The practical miner in Derby

22 MATL O CK BATH .

shire, whenpursuing his work, but rarely comes incon

tact with more than four substances— lime, galena,barytes, and toadstone. Lime, he well understands,whether he meet with it ina stony or in a crystallinestate ; and

‘ wh en he finds an extraneous mineral withwhich he is unacquainted, he calls it channelor cat-dirt

,

under which denomination toadstone is included. But

miners are notmineralogists ; and when they pronouncethe substance here alluded to to be

'

toadstone, they doit in utter ignorance of the fact. I have examinedmany specimens of it attentively— tested them fairlyand suppose them to be lime in a state of decomposition, the colouring matter of which, as Mr. Mawe has

previously observed, I suspect to be clorite.

The toadstones of Derbyshire, if not the most valuable of its mineral productions, are not the least interesting. They vary in structure from compact to

porous, and their general appearance exhibits the samecommon character by which all lavas are distinguished .

The cavities, or bladder-holes, that oftenoccur in thismaterial, are not unfrequently filled with calcariousspar, zeolite, and other substances common to volcanic

productions. I once selected nine specimens of lavafrom Sicily, which I sent to

'

Mr. White Watson, of

Bakewell, requesting him to collect the same number of

pieces of toadstone, and form the whole into a tablet,for the purpose of placing them in juxta-positionwitheach other, and exhibiting their close affinity. Whitehurst, who attentively examined the nature of this substance, its local position, and general character, has nothesitated to pronounce it to be as “ indisputably lava as

any that ever flowed from Vesuvius, Etna, or Hecla.

”

MATL O CK BATH . 23

Farey disputes the correctness Of Whitehurst’s conclusion; but his Observations on the subject have left thematter nearly as he found it. He instances many minesinDerbyshire where lead ore, aneasily fusible material,is found in toadstone ; a circumstance which, in his

estimation, is at variance with the opinion that it islava. His conclusions are less satisfactory thanWhitehurst’s. In Derbyshire there are, he observes,thirteen or fourteenmines where this material is as

sociated with lead ore.

”In this number he includes

two atMatlock, with which I am intimately acquainted,but the substances they contain, which are here so

called, have no pretensions to the name ; and a similarmistake has perhaps been made with regard to others.

This may or maynot be the case ; but I have never

yet seen a specimen of real toadstone with lead ore

imbedded in it. Supposing, however, that Farcy’s re

presentationis correct, Whitehurst’s theory is but little

affected by the admission. Metallic veins are at thisdayworked inthe very craters of volcanos ; and I haveseen copper coins embedded in lava without being at

all altered in appearance. Whitehurst asserts thattoadstone is absolutely lava Farey denies the position.

Will he, then, inform us what it is, and account for thefact, that it is never found but indistricts that bear evident marks of having beendisturbed and broken up bythe operation of some powerful agency from beneath ?If it canbe shown that this peculiar substance is foundin places where no trace or indicationof internal violence exists, and that, instead of being strongly markedwith the prevailing character Of the lavas Of volcaniccountries, it is a regular portionof someoneof the recog

24 MATLO CK BATH .

nized strata of the globe, Whitehurst maybe presumedto be wrong ; but confined as it is to anobviously tornup and disrupted region, such as Derbyshire presents,his theory, although assailed, is net destroyed .

Approaching the entrance into the narrow part ofthe dale, there is a high perpendicular rampart Of limestone rock onthe left bank Of the river, called ChurchTor, and so denominated because it is the site of Mat

lock Church. The singular appearance Of this rockcanhardly fail to attract the attention of the geologist,and make him pause and think before he passes on.

The summit is crested with light and graceful foliage,but the face of the rock is exposed and bare ; the varions strata of which it is composed are in consequenceclearly defined . These seem once to have lain in a

horizontal position, but they now exhibit a series of

lines of a great degree of curvature ; in some placeshighly elevated, and in others greatly depressed, as ifthey had once been in a plastic state, and then

'

gradu

ally bent, but no where broken, by the sinking down or

subsidence of the foundation onwhich the rock rested .

It'

may be easily conceived that such a subsidencemight break the incumbent mass, and split it into anglesand abrupt dislocations but that hard, unyielding

strata of rock, lying one above another, should be bentlike softer matter into a successionof parallel lines, can

not be readily imagined . Yet so it is ; but how so

singular an effect has beenproduced, can nowbe onlymatter of conjecture.

Immediately onentering the dale, we found ourselvesbetween two huge ramparts of mountain limestone.

The rock onthe right is a fine-grained stone, not at all

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

26 MATL OCK BATH .

culated to assist and gratify mineralogical inquiry .

Whitehurst, Farey, Philips, and Others have publishedsections of this district from Riber-top to the highest

point of Masson. Farey has given the order and inclinationof the strata correctly, but the outline of Masson,

as represented by him, is not equally accurate. Let us

new state the detail, as represented in these sections.

Riber top is a gritstone formation— limestone-shale liesbeneath the next stratum is the first limestone, whichforms the summit of the High-Tor : under this lies a

bed of toadstone. The next stratum in succession is

the second limestone, wh ich constitutes at this placethe base of the rock ; and immediately below, in the

bed Of the river, is the second toadstone. Masson-Hill,the eminence opposite the High -Tor, exhibits a regularcontinuation of the same strata a tolerably conclusiveevidence that the two sides of the Derwent were onceunited in one solid mass.

Near the Boat-House, the first grand burst of the

romantic scenery of Matlock Dale presents itself. A

morning light is peculiarly favourable for this view. Ionce saw it about anhour after sunrise, and the impression it thenmade upon me is still fresh inmy remembrance. I wus then onthe side of the hill above the

roof of the Boat-House, and the prospect before mewas rich and lovely. The foliage that crests the rockson the left of the dale, leads the eye into a beautifulmeadow ; beyond, the cliffs gradually ascend, from a

comparatively lowelevation, to the topmost pinnacle of

the High-Tor. The summit Of this stupendous rockwas lighted up with the bright sunny gleams of an

autumnal morning, to which the mass of foliage, and

MATL O CK BATH . 27

the deep silent stream that layindark shadow inthedale below, formed an imposing contrast . Nearer us arayof light, glancing through the branches of the trees,came broadly ona group of cattle onthe leftmargin of

the river, and gave a sparkling effect to the foreground .

On the right, high above the Tor, towered the steephill of Masson; the shadows of the Tor darkened itsbase, and the slant rays Of the morning sun illuminedits ample breast ; while far above, the dense clouds Ofnight hung upon its summit, onwhich the very heavensseemed to rest : a picture of greater grandeur is butrarely seeninMatlock-Dale.

Oppositethe Toll-gate, onashelving bank onthe rightof the road, 13 Dale-Cottage. The situation occupiedby this little villa, by the side Of a beautiful river,

ongst rocks and hills, and shrubs and flowers, together with the many domestic conveniences it affords,render it one Of the most delightful residences imaginable. Approaching this cottage, the course of the

Derwent inclines a little to the west, and immediatelyon passing it, turns round a projecting rock, and runswith accelerated rapidity, in a southerly direction

,

under the base of the High-Tor. This gem of thedale— a building of only two stories high— is profuselyadorned with jessamine, passion-flowers, andMacartneyroses, which are trailed amongst the trellis-work Of theveranda, and spreading thence along the front of the

cottage, cover the whole with beauty.

About one hundred yards farther on inthe dale, avery fantastic house has beenbuilt on the site of poorPhoebe

’

s"e humble homestead, a dwelling which seemed

Phoebe Bowen, avery eccentric character, well known for thelast half century at Matlock-Bath . Shewas a masculine woman,

28 MATL O CK BATH .

really to belong to the placewhere it so long had stood ;but the curious exotic that now supplies its place, isnot fd istinguished by either taste, fitness, or beauty.

The embattled wall in the front— if actually intendedto be embattled— is one of the most unseemly of all

unseemly things. But “somewhat too much of this

That a man has a clear right to put himself in an un

sightly domicile, if it so please him, no onewill disputelet him, insuch a case at least; do what he likes withhis own,

” without incurring censure or eliciting re

mark.

We next passed the HIGH-TOE , which, from the bed

of the river, rises to the height of three hundred and

fifty feet, and is, beyond comparison, the most magni

ficent feature in the dale. This rock, half waydownward from the summit, is naked, and nearly perpendi

cular ; below, it is covered with light foliage to the

river’s brink . Many of the trees, however, are stunted

and dwarfish . Some fewyears since, this busy stream

was richly adorned, and overhung with ash, oak, and

alder ; but these have disappeared, and a channel cut

from theWeir to the mine under the High-Tor now

occupies their place. Near this mine is the CRYSTAL

LISED GROTTO , which is approached by a wooden

bridge over the Derwent, and is well worth a visitfrom the enquiring traveller. This cavern, although of

considerable extent, is not magnificent on account of

and her habits and pursuitswere all masculine. She could break a

horse, or hurl a quoit, with the best of her neighbours. Inallmanlyexercises, shewas always glad to take a part: shewas besides tolerably well skilled inmusic, and one O f the choir atMatlock Church,where she p

layed the Violoncello, and sometimes the violin but her

favourite instrument was the German flute, which she played inavery pleasing manner. She is, I understand, still living.

-MATL O CK BATH . 29

its dimensions, but is peculiarly interesting, from the

curiously organized materials of which it is composed .

The floor, the sides, and the roof, are one entire massof crystallised carbonate Of lime, the generally prevailing form Of which is provincially known by the name

Of dog-tooth spar. Millions of these crystals are here

congregated together some perfectly defined, and

complete in form, and others only partially developed ;but such a quantity of material in a crystalline state isnot to be met with in anyother part of Derbyshirethis grotto is therefore deserving of particular attention.

Near the base Of the High-Tor, a stratum Of toadstone intervenes between the limestone strata, andmaybe traced inthe hills opposite, along the road-side, forthree or four hundred yards. The wall by the side of

the river, near Robinson’

s Lodging House, is almostentirely built with this material .

Leaving the High -Tor, a short intermission occursinthe rocky scenery of the dale, and it assumes a moresylvan character. The hills on the right are nearlycovered with foliage, and some pleasant meadows border the river onthe left .

Another fiveminutes’ walk brought us to theMUSE UMPARADE , the most busy part of Matlock Bath, and cer

tainlynot the least amusing. Four excellent Museumsare here opento the public, and all offer a free admissionto visitors. The first of these, taking them intheorder in which they occur, formerly belonged to the

late distinguished traveller and mineralogist, Mr. Mawe,of London, and is now continued by his widow, underthe management of Mr. Adam, an intelligent and

worthy man. This Museum is not only richly stored

30 MATLO CK BATH.

with the spar and finer productions of Derbyshire, butwith a great and choice variety Of urns, vases, groups,and figures, exquisitely sculptured in marble and Ita

lianalabaster, of the purest and most delicate quality.

Minerals, native and foreign, precious stones, shells,and various other natural productions, together with anextensive collection of miscellaneous articles, completethe store of this attractive exh ibition.

Diamond engraving on black marble, now so de

servedly admired, originated in this museum duringthe management of Mr. Vallance. It was introducedbya lady from Sheffield, who was then on a visit toMatlock, and who subsequently executed many of the

earlier specimens of this mode of ornamenting blackmarble. Her subjects were chiefly moonlights, forwhich this kind of engraving seems to be peculiarlyadapted . WhenMr. Vallance left this museum, he had

to look out for an artist, and he had the good fortuneto meet with onewho had been instructed inthe Officeof J. Britton, Esq., andwho, under h is tuition,had become anexcellent architectural draftsman. Thisgentleman, Mr. Rayner, brought these representation

to a higher degree of excellence than had been pre

viouslyattained, and in his hands they have assumedthe character Of works of art.Mr. Mawe, late proprietor of this museum, was an

excellent mineralogist. Travel and good society hadgivenhim the manners of a gentleman, and a naturallykind disposition rendered him affectionate and affable

to all around him, and courteous and communicative to

strangers. His travels in the Brazils, undertaken for

the purpose of investigating the mineral treasures of

MATLO CK BATH . 31

that highly interesting portion of South America, furnished the literary world with a volume of new and

useful information, in which amusement is happilyblended with scientific research . Several minor productions, also tending to the spread of mineralogicalknowledge, and a development of the most occult andsecret stores of this important branch of study, subsequently issued from his pen. Inbusiness hewas indefatigably industrious, and his connexions were veryextensive. Inadditionto his establishment atMatlock,he had one of the same sort in London, now near

Somerset House, in the Strand ; one in Cheltenham,

near the Montpel ier Gardens ; one at Castleton, in thePeak of Derbyshire, and another at Scarb orough .

The following schedule of the mineral productions ofMatlock, drawn up by one who was so well qualifiedfor the task, can hardly fail to be acceptable to thereaders of this volume. Mr. Mawe, in this interestingpaper (for a copy of which I amindebted to my friendMr. H . Moore, Of Derby,) says, Perhaps there is notanysituation in this kingdom so peculiarly adapted forthe study of mineralogy as Matlock Bath. It is intheimmediate vieinityof the mines, and exposes a greatvariety of stratification, very interesting to the geologist.

The mines are chiefly worked for Galena, or sul

phuret of lead. It consists of the following varietiesmassive, striated, granular, compact, crystallised, in a

variety of forms. These specimens aresometimes coatedwith a loosely cohesivepowder,or sprinkled with smallcrystals of white carbonate of lead, which is also foundina massive state, and in acicular and blade-like crystals, imbedded ina loose earthy matter.

32 MATLOCK BATH .

Greenphosphate Of lead, and that very raremmeral, muriate of lead, are found inthis neighbourhood ;also earthy white lead ore.

The ores of zinc are found here m great variety.

Blend, or sulphuret of zinc, called by the miners BlackJack, massive, and crystallised generally intetrahedronsindeterminately formed, or confusedly grouped.

Calamine, or carbonate ’

of zinc, occurs massive,botroydal, radiated, cellular, and coating calcariouscrystals, which it totally decomposes, and takes theirform.

Oxideof zinc inhexagonal tables, elegantly grouped .

A beautiful variety of plumose, or cupreous zinc, ofa fine green colour, forming diverging spheroidal tufts,is peculiar to the Rutland Cavern. It has never beenmetwith inanyother place.

Here are traces Of copper, in the form Of earthymalachite, but it is of little importance.

Iron pyrites is found inabundance, both massiveand crystallised, in various forms. Sometimes the

crystals are so formed together as to appear somethinglikewheels, which is called by the miners clock-work,and cook’s-comb pyrites.

It occurs also with copper pyrites at his Grace theDuke Of Devonshire’s mine at Ecton. Both are brilliantlycrystallised, and sometimes richly iridiscent.Manganese is found here inthe stateof black oxide,

with iron, and calcarious spar.

The calcarious fossils of this neighbourhood are

peculiarly interesting, and exhibit a double refraction,which singular property has but lately beenaccountedfor. The most common form is the double six-sided

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

34 MATL O CK BATH .

small projecting crystals. Foliated, is Often formed inrhombic crystals, variously modified, which are sometimes curiously interwovenamongst each other.

Radiated, is composed of long needle-like crystalsdivergmg from a centre.

“Arborescent appears to be composed Of a curiousaggregation of rhombic crystals, which branch out in a

ngular manner.

“Barytes associates with lead ore, and its attendanceis considered favourable by the miners.

*6

Silex, of various forms and colours, is found in con

siderab le quantity, and is called Chert. It oftencon

tains fossil coral, and entroch i, or screw stone.

“Quartz crystals are found imbedded in the limestone, inthe form of a six-sided prism, with a pyramidateach end, some of which are singularly distorted, andquite transparent. These are called Derbyshire diamonds.

“Inflammables. That rare mineral, elastic bitumen,which is almost peculiar to Castleton, has been foundherewith lead ore and fluor.

Compact bitumen, or mineral pitch, occurs in smallspherules in the cavities of limestone ; and petroleumis found in its minute fissures.

“ The stratificationof the rocks inthis neighbourhoodare very interesting. The limestone alternates withthe toadstone, which is finely exemplified in the Rutland Cavern. Many varieties of the limestone are

worked as marble, under various names. The entrochi

marble is full Of the marine exuvia. Porphyritic mar

ble is Of a dark colour, and full of very small white

See Moot-Hal l Mine, page 1 6 .

MATLOCK BATH . 35

fossils, which give it a porphyritic structure. Corralmarble is composed of fossil madrepore. Black marbleis met with here but at Ashford, onthe estate of his

Grace the Duke of Devonshire, it is much finer, andfound ingreat abundance.

“Toadstone is greatly -varied. Some is of a brightgreen colour, with white streaks or spots of calcariousspar, quartz, &c. It also migrates into basalt andwhack.

“Magnesian limestone, and black chert, form con

siderable beds.

Schistus is always found above the limestone, andsandstone, of various kinds and colours, above the

schistus.

”

V ALLAN OE’

S, or the CE N TRAL MUSE UM, a later establishment, occupies a part of the next dwelling. It isOf the same descriptionas Mrs. Mawe’s, and conductedonthe same liberal principles. Mr. Vallance, the pro

prietor, was the superintendant and conductor Of the

Museum just noticed for more than twenty years, andunder his taste and direction, the workmen atMatlockhave been instructed and improved inthe manufactureof the various articles which the spar and fluor works

produce. Mr. V allance’s manufacture is carried on in

the Museum Gardens, directly opposite to his owndwelling ; it is open to visitors and strangers generally, and is a source of gratificationto all who wish tobecomeacquainted with the mode of forming and finishing the splendid productions of his Show Rooms.

A fewdoors nearer the Old-Bath, another Museumof the same description has lately been opened, underthe proprietorship of Mrs. Mawe ; and onthe oppositeside of the road, there is a fourth Museum, a very re

D 2

36 MATLOOK BATH .

spectable establishment belonging to Mr. Buxton. At

all these places a variety Of engravings of DerbyshireScenery, and sundry publications connected with the

local history and topography of the county, may be

purchased . Farther on in the Dale are several otherminor Museums, Of a similar kind, the most importantof which is kept by Mr. Smedley, (oppositeWalker’s

where one of the Petrifying Wells of Matlockmayb e seen.

From the front of the Museum Hotel, anascendingread leads to the Heights of Abraham ; also tn the

Devonsh ire, the Rutland, andthe Cumberland Caverns,and to the Botanic Gardens ; a place of itself richlydeserving the notice Of allwho are attached to botanical»

pursuits, and who take pleasure instudying and nurtur

ing the flowers that bedeck our , fields and gardens ;those delightful summer visitants, that bloom and

blossom in profusion around us, and strew the earth

The Botanic Gardenis the usual route to the Devonshire Cavern, the most recently discovered of all the

subterranean curiosities of Matlock Bath, and not the

least worthy of a visit . It is comparatively easy 0 .

access, and maybe explored with less personal inconvenience than anyother cavern in the place, with theexception, perhaps, of the crystallised grotto under theHigh Tor. Stalactites, or, as they are provinciallytermed, water icicles, fluors, and fragments of ore,

cover the sides and roof of this cavern, which, in additi

'

orr to the Objects of attraction commonto such places,is distinguished by a newand pleasing feature : a gallery Has been driven entirely through it ; the visitor,

MATL O CK BATH . 37

therefore, instead of returning to the commonentrance,makes his exit by anaperture high up the hill of Mas

son. The sudden transition from darkness to lightfrom the gloom of the cavernto

Thewarmprecincts Of the cheerful day,heightened in effect by the magnificent landscape thathere bursts instantaneously onthe view, excites mingledsensations of amazement and delight .The RUTLAN D CAVERN is the next in importance asObject of curiosity. The best approach to it is along

the zig-zag walk that leads to the summit of the HeightsOf Abraham. Pursuing th is route, a toll of Sixpence is

demanded from every visitor who ventures to ascendthis steep eminence ; and the value of money beingwell understood at Matlock, the same sum is requiredevery time a stranger passes, evenduring the same day.

Thus it is that Mr. Gilbert, the proprietor Of thesegrounds, realizes a considerable sum total of sixpencesfrom Matlock pedestrians during the summer months.

A little more than half way up this formidable hill,there is a pleasant alcove by the side of the walk, thataffords a delightful resting place. In this shelter fromthe rays of a summer’s sun— seated at his ease— re

freshed by the breeze that plays around him, and gazingontherich assemblage Of objects that lie like amap in

the dale below, that stranger must be sadly obtuse in

feeling, and almost insensible to the beauties Of nature,whose heart exults not in such a scene as is here un~

folded. Rutland Cavernis near th is resting place, and

is entered by a passage or gallery cut through a rock of

solid limestone, which conducts the visitor into anopen

38 MATL O CK BATH .

vault called Ossian’s Hall. Several minor caverns

succeed, which abound with spars, fluors, and stalactites. Anarticle in theMonthlyMagazine for Sept .1 8 17, page 1 34, observes, The labyrinths that leadto the natural recesses of this cavern are lined by an

infinite variety of brilliant crystallizations of the fluateof lime, carbonate of lime, a great variety of combinations with the ore of zinc, lead, and copper, iron pyrites, the sulphurets, Ste.

”It further adds, a rare

unique specimen of the carbonate of zinc, obtainedfrom this cavern, is given in a plate in Sowerby

’s Eng

lish Mineralogy.

”

The Cumberland and Fluor Caverns form a part . Of

the same eminence ; and still nearer to the Old-Bathare the Romantic Roche, or Dungeon Tare, a placenot Often visited by strangers. The charge of S ixpence,which is levied upon each person who wishes to see

them, is too exorbitant for such a Show. Inadditionto this Objection, who can imagine that anything deserving the name and character of rocks, can possiblybe hiddenfrom public view by a woodenpaling Of sevenor eight feet high ? The Dungeon Tors are isolatedfragments of rock, which have been separated from the

parent mass ; and, in connection with the surroundingfoliage, they present some picturesque combinations.

Onthe brow of the hill that overlooks the RomanticRocks, there is a narrow and rugged road, which leadsto the picturesque v illage of Bonsal . It is somewhattoilsome to climb this path, but the lovely scenery itcommands amply compensates for the labour of the

ascent ; and the return to Matlock downthe hill fiom

Bonsal to the entrance into V ia-Gellia, and from thence

MATL O CK BATH . 39

to Cromford— every step Of th e road is interesting, andfull Of beauty .

This perambulation, which includes a distance of

about five miles, terminated where it commenced, at

Walker’s Hotel .

CHAPTER V.

THE BATH S — PETRIFYIN G W ELLS — STO N N IS — CROMFORDCROMFO RD BIOOR — MIN E A CCIDE NT.

THE Baths, the Water, and the Petrifying Wells re

main to be noticed . THE BATHS at Matlock, nowthree in number, have been established at successiveperiods. The first Of these in point of order is theOld-Bath at Cumming’s Hotel . Sometime about theyear 1700, a warm spring was discovered at this place,whena bathing-house was built, and a few small roomsattached to it. The next is on the site of the New

Bath, nowSaxton’

s Hotel . Subsequently a third springhas been opened, which is called the Hotel-Bath thisis nowdistinguished by a neat fountain ina gardenon

the right of the road, when entering this romanticwatering-place from the north . TO this establishmenta very convenient warm bath has beenadded .

Inall these baths, the waters, as they 1ssue from theirsecret wells, are slightly tepid, 68 Of Farenheit ; theyare, in consequence, extremely pleasant for bathers.

40 MATL O CK BATH .

For medicinal purposes they are but rarely taken internally; yet some physicians have greatly extolledtheir efficacy. Dr. F . Armstrong says I have takengreat pains to examine particularly into the propertiesof Matlock Springs, and may with truth assert, thatthey are of the same nature as the Bristol Waters ;

m some cases, and preferable in many.

” He

subsequently adds I have, in the course of sevenyears, sent a great number of patients to Matlock, andin cases where medicine had not the least prospect ofbeing serviceable, all of whom have had perfect andlasting cures and I maywith truth declare, I havenotfailed inone instance.

”

The lower part of the hill-side, from near theTempleHotel to beyond Saxton

’

s, consists of a bed Of calca

rious tufa— a recent limestone deposit, extremely porous,and, like the tufas of volcanic countries, highly favour

able to vegetation. In this stratum, if it may be so

termed, the two PE TRIFYIN G WE LL S of Matlock are

situated. Mr. Mawe says The water, filteringthrough a mass Of tufa, drops from the roof and sides,and, losing a part of its carbonic gas, precipitates

earthy particles upon the substances onwhich it falls.

”

It is thus they become encrusted with a calcarious

deposit, which in time assumes the hardness of stone.

The walks and rides in the neighbourhood of Mat

lock-Bath are numerous, and highly interesting, parti

cularlyto those who are attached to botanical pursuits ;for this peculiar study, V ia-Gellia will be found an

excellent school . For those who love the scenery of

nature, there are hills and dales in abundance. Let

them accompany me to the top of Masson, or to Ston

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

42 MATLOOH BATH .

seemed as nothing, amidst the beauty and grandeur Of

the works Of God.

”

I have sealed the highest eminences in the mounu

tainous districts of Derbyshire— s eenfrom their sum

mits the sweet dales that repose in tranquil beauty attheir base— marked the multitude of hills includedwithin the wide horizon they command, and my hearthas thrilled at the sight ; but not an eminence that Iever before ascended— not a prospect, however richand varied, which I thence beheld— is at all comparablewith the view from Stonnis. In that species of beauty,which in landscape scenery approaches to grandeur, itis unequalled in Derbyshire. The parts of which it iscomposed are of the first order of fine things, and theyare combined with a felicity that but rarely occurs in

nature. Scarthing Rock— the woods of WillersleyCastle— Matlock High-Tor— the hills of Masson, Crich,and Riber— are all noble Objects and the rude massesthat constitute the foreground of thepicture, are throwntogether, and grouped and coloured, ina manner strik

ingly picturesque. When I beheld the scene from

Stonnis, a fine breeze drove the clouds rapidly athwartthe sky; and the flitting gleams Of light, which were in

stantaneouslysucceeded by deep shadows, illumined insuccessionthe various parts of the landscape, and imparted to it an interest that was forcibly felt. Sometimes the passing clouds covered the whole range Of

prospect with one unvaried tone of still and sober co

lowing— suddenly a bright rayof sunshine intervened,and for a moment the spot where it fell appeared a

paradise of light amidst surrounding gloom . An hour

MATL O CK BATH . 43

at Stonnis on such a day, impresses the mind with aseries of beautiful images, that in after-life are often

recurred to and remembered with delight .”

Immediately on passmg the artificial ravine, whichis provincially known by the very undignified appellationof Scarthing N ick, is

CROMFORD,

a place which, little more than half a century ago, wasan inconsiderable village. It is nowa respectable market town, founded by the late Sir Richard Arkwright,who established his first cottonmill here in 1771 . Un

der his auspices, Cromford has flourished abundantly,and inthe year 1790 he Obtained the grant of a weeklymarket (which is nowheld on Saturdays) and two fairsannually ; namely, one on the 1 st of May, and a se

cond onthe 1 st of O ctober.

This little town is very beautifully and advanta

geously situated amongst hills and rocks, and woodand water. The river Derwent runs close past it ;Bonsal-Brook courses its waythrough it ; and Cromford-Moor-Sough supplies it with a never-failing stream,

as pure and pellucid as ever issued from a rocky fountain. This last stream first appears ina deep basinof

contracted dimensions, at the foot of the hill by theroad-side, nearly opposite the Greyhound Inn; but itsoonassumes the character of a river, and furnishes theprincipal supply for the Cromford Canal. BonsalBrook enters the town in the direction Of V ia-Gellia,

and several works are established on its banks. On

reaching Cromford, it expands into a very pretty mill

44 MATL O CK BATH .

dam, and is nearly surrounded with houses. At the

upper extremity there is an establishment for the ma

nufacture of mineral colours, where a considerable business is carried on. The following colours are manufactured at these works -Dutch lead (or barytes),mineral ochre, mineral black, yellow ochre, Vandykebrown, Devonshire brown, chocolate, Brunswick and

other greens and blues, Lapis, Cromeyellow, mineral red,ponderous red, &c. In the mines about Bonsal, cawk,or sulphate Of barytes, and calamine, an ore of zinc, arefound in great abundance ; and Cromford is admirablysituated for preparing them for general use. Bonsal

Brook, with the aid it borrows from Cromford-MoorSough, works one of the extensive cotton-mills of the

Messrs. Arkwright ; those in Matlock-Dale depend on

the river Derwent ; from these sources the supply of

water is inexhaustible.

Ina southerly direction from Cromford, the Londonroad (the principal channel of communicationbetweenthe metropolis and Manchester) is carried through oneof the most delightful valleys in the kingdom . N ot

many years ago, it was found difficult to maintain a

single stage-coach on this road ; nowtwelve or fourteen

pass through Cromford every day. The Old road toDerby was by Wirksworth and Keddlestone, but it isnow almost entirely deserted, or only travelled uponfor intermediate purposes. This road passes the frontOf the Greyhound Inn, near which a steep ascent ofnearly two miles commences up this slope the princi

pal part of Cromford is built, inone continued street.

The situation is pleasant, but the ascent is toilsome.

This range of hill is denominated Cromford-Moor ; all

MATL O CK BATH . 45

around is a wild, and partly a barren district and yet,as FULLER has observed, whenspeaking of the Peak of

Derbyshire, although “poor above, it is rich beneath

the ground .

” It is a great mineral deposit, and has

beenthe source Of wealth to some, and the means of

employment to many more. The Gang Mine, situatednear the dark rocks Of Stonnis, although but littleworked at present, had formerly a busy populationengaged about it. Some time ago I was informed bythe superintendent Of this establishment, that the number of persons then employed upon it— in the shaftsbelow, and in working on the hills— at that timeamounted to about one hundred and forty.

Near this place there is a mine called God-he-here

F ounder, which has beenrendered memorable from an

occurrence that took place about thirty years ago.

Two men, named Bodenand Pearson, were working inthe mine at different depths, whenthe earth suddenlyrushed in upon them from above, and buried them inthe dark recesses of the mine. Onthe third dayafterthe accident happened, Pearsonwas found dead amongstthe rubbish ; and themenwho were employed in clearing away the earth that had choked up the entranceinto the mine, had nowso little hope of finding Bodenalive, that they were scarcely at all disposed to persevere in their exertions. They were, however, prevaileduponto proceed, until, on the eighth day Of their labours, they distinctly heard Boden

’

s signal, and ascer

tained that he was living. They now worked -withgreater energy, but more caution, for a few hourslonger, when they found the object of their search,weak and ahnost exhausted, but yet inexistence, and

46 MATLO CK BATH .

fully sensible of the miraculous nature of his escape.

His recovery from the effects of this premature en

tombment, was slow but effectual, and he returned tohis employment in about fourteen weeks, and livedmany years afterwards.

When this accident took place, Boden was in the

lower part Of the mine ; Pearsonwas at a Windlass inthe drift above, when the earth rushed instantaneouslyuponhim, and he was found dead amongst the mass.

Boden’s situation was equally perilous, but the earthwas stopped in its fall by a projectionthat considerablynarrowed the shaft over his head. Thus circumstanced,with no prospect before him but a lingering death, thispoor manpassed eight days in this narrow pent-up cell,without light or food, or wherewithal to quench histhirst, which formed the severest part of his sufferings.

Hunger he bore with fortitude, but he found thirstalmost intolerable ; and during the whole of his con

finement, he was sufficiently sensible to feel all the

horrors of his situation. He likewise suffered greatlyfrom cold, but having a fewyards to move in, he founda Windlass, and exercised himself in turning it ; but bysome mishap, the handle fell into the dark vacuity, andhe could not recover it again. Deprived of this meansOf employment, he still found something to do : in theshaft where he was imprisoned, a rope was suspendedover his head ; he clambered up it, and working at theearth above, he loosened a portion from its lodgments,which fell into the chasm at his feet. While thus en

gaged, he fancied he heard the noise of men labouringfor his release ; he listened, and was nearly breathlesswith anxiety. The sound for a time, instead of invigo

MATLO CK BATH . 47

rating, only paralyzed his exertions but while in thissituation, heyet contrived to make the signal that hewas alive distinctly heard. Shortly afterwards, he oncemore sawthe blessed light of heaven, and human facesgazing uponhim, as if they had actually beheld a deadman rising from the grave, and not a living body. He

was, indeed, but little better than the apparition of a

man. Eight days of mental and bodily suffering hadreduced him to a mere skeleton, and nearly obliteratedall appearance Of his identity. In this state he wasrestored to his family, who felt as if a being from the

grave had burst its cerements, and the dead hadreturned to life.

Near this mine the High-Peak Railroad, anundertaking of but little public utility, and small emolument,crosses from near Cromford to Middleton and BrassingtonMoors, and from thence to Buxtonand Whaley.

48 LEA .

SOUTH WIN GFIELD .

7 M IL E S F R O M M A T L O C K B A T H .

CHAPTER VI.

LEA — HOLLOWAY — CRICH— SOUTH VV

IN GFIE LD MAN OR HOUS EHARDWICK-HALL.

FROM Matlock Bath to South Wingfield is a most delightful excursion and to vary the regular routine of a

Matlock Bath visit, we determined to spend a fewhoursof a fine day in September in so interesting a place.

The road lies through a beautiful valley by the side Of

the Derwent. Sloping meadows, crowned high abovewith a long range Of magnificent wood, skirted the roadside Onour left; on our right, the river, pursuing itsbusy waybeneath the umbrageous branches of oak, ash ,alder, hazel, and sycamore, and babbling as it passed

along, was a pleasant Object both for the eye and the

ear. About two miles below Cromford Bridge, theroad leaves the more open part of the valley, and

plunges into the thick woods that environ the littlehamlet of Lea ; a lovely spot romantically situated by

the side Of a sparkling stream, ina deep hollow , amongst

steep hills covered with foliage, and fields Of thefreshestverdure. The houses that constitute this secludedplace, with the exceptionof here and there a comforta

ble cottage, are handsome residences, nestled amidst

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

50 CRICH .

hill to Crich ; returning by Crich Cliff, Holloway, andLea Bridge, toMatlock. The distance is about twelvemiles, and twelve miles of greater and rarer beauty arenot often travelled over.

About a mile from the toll-gate at Holloway, theroad turns sharply to the left, and half a mile farther itpasses near to a few isolated houses, calledWakebridge.

A chapel, once the most distinguished building in thegroup, has givena name to this little place, but it isnow looked for invain. Mr. H. Moore says Onthe

left is a farm -house, where formerly stood Wakebridge

Chapel . The east window,”he adds, still remains in

the end of a barnat the back of the house, which is theonly discernible indication of the chapel.”

Passing the bridge, which is about one hundred pacesfarther, ina deep woody glenonthe right is one of the

most productive mines Of this district ; near this is theGingler Mine, another profitable concern; and beyond,under Crich Cliff, is the Glory Mine, one of the richestinDerbyshire, and a short timeago worth from thirty toforty thousand pounds ayear. Mr.Alsop, of Lea-Wood,is the principal proprietor of this valuablemine. Thereare sundry other less productive establishments of thesame kind inthe neighbourhood of Crich, where manyhands are employed ; but the great business of theplaceis the quarrying and burning of lime, which is here veryextensively carried on. Inquality, the lime Of Crichhas the character of being superior to all others in the

county and the Cromford Canal, which is carriedthrough Buckland Hollow, furnishes a ready convey

ance to all parts Of the neighbourhood, where it is ex

tensivelyused for agricultural purposes.

SOUTH WIN GFIE LD . 5 1

From Crich to South Wingfield, the distance is twomiles Of continually descending road, which neither Mr.

Me Adam nor his system seems yet to have interferedwith . Approaching the village in this direction, thevenerable ruins of South Wingfield are seen onahighknoll or mound onthe right. From this point of view,the massy buttresses and shattered towers, grey withage, and coloured with mosses, lichens, and tufts of ivy,whenseenamongst thefoliage, havea striking and highlypicturesque effect ; but these ruins havealways appearedto me better combined, and more imposing as a picture,from the entrance into the village, a little above Col.Halton

’

s house. Here the foreground is occupied bypart of a road, and a screenof descending foliage, overwhich the eye passes to the edifice beyond, which,crowned with towers and turrets, ruined arches, and

embattled walls, rises majestically from the plainbelow ;— the whole constituting not merely a beautiful, but a

grand assemblage of parts, everywhere fine incharacterand outline, and powerfully interesting from the asso

ciations with which the place is connected .

Passing along the westernfront of thisancient edifice,we entered its deserted courts near the principal tower.

It is indeed sad to contemplate such a scene of changeand devastation as the interior of this place presents.

Seenfrom without, these ruins, as I have before Ob

served, have a majestic effect - time has broken theminto picturesque forms, and the eye is gratified with allthat it beholds ; but without, dilapidation, disorder, anddecay prevail, and the live and dead litter of a dirtyfarm-yard disfigure the scene. The rents and fissureswhich time and neglect have made in the Old walls,

2 E

52 SOUTH WIN GFIELD MAN OR-HOUSE .

mended with modernmasonry, -the ornamental gothicstone window-frames, filled up with glaring brick, contrasted with the heavy but splendid architecture of former times, exhibit a mass Of discordant materials, wherethe noble and the meanare brought together intastelessconfusion.

TO whatbase useswemayreturnl— Why maynot imaginationtracethenoble dustof Alexander till we find it stopping abunghole?As thus— Alexander died, Alexanderwas buried, Alexander returnedto dust, - the dust is earth,— O f earth we make loam,

— and whyof

that loam whereto he was converted, might they not stop a beerbarrel 7”

Imperial Caesar, dead and turned to clay,Might stop a hole to keep thewind away.

HAMLET.

It is even so"and the mutations which some of the

most durable and splendid Of themansions of our forefathers have experienced, are scarcely less extraordinary.

The interior courts of South Wingfield Manor-Houseare no more like what they were whenMary QueenOf

Scots was confined within them, thanis a clod of lifelessmatter to a living Alexander. The buildings thatformed nearly the whole of the southern court are nowalmost destroyed - its splendid hall and richly-ornamented chapel are totally roofless, and trees, that lifttheir topmost branches far above the ruined walls , nowgrow withinthem. Thenatural operationof Timealonecould not inso short a period have effected so great achange ina place which appears to have beenoriginallydesigned to bid defiance to his power : no"the devastating hand Of man has here been at work, and the

engines of war have shattered and defaced a'

structure

which might otherwise have existed for ages.

S O UTH WIN GFIELD MAN OR-HOUSE . 53

From the South Court we passed through anarchedgateway to the east front, where, from a little verdantmound inthe midst of a plantation Of venerable yewtrees, we had a view of the ruins so combined as toproduce anexquisite picture. A massy goth ic archway,connected with some mouldering walls, everywherehung with ivy, and enriched with the remains Of loftymonastic-looking windows, formed a picturesque screenonthe foreground ; towers, turrets, embattled parapets,and shattered walls, rose majestically beyond ; a darktone of colouring pervaded every nearer object and a

soft aerial tint, approximating to the blue haze of distance, hung uponthe remoter parts of the building, andgave a peculiar charm to the whole. In this view ofthe ruins, the stately trees that surround them unite tocomplete the composition.

We next visited the North Court, around which thestate apartments were carried. This appears to havebeen by far the richest part of this extensive edifice.

The architecture on one side of this court exhibits abeautiful specimen of its original character : a porch

and a large bayprojecting outwards, with three gothicwindows slightly pointed, still remain the parapetsabove are embattled, and adorned with quatrefoils androses. The great hall has evidently beena

'

noble apartment ; its dimensions are seventy-two feet by thirtysix ; it is nowoccupied by a colony of rooks, 850 . Be

neath the hall there is a room of the same extent, theroof Of which is formed by massy groined arches ofexcellent masonry, supported by a double row of heavystone columns the intersections ofthe arches being tiedtogether with carved stone roses. For what purpose

54 SOUTH WINGFIE LD MAN OR-HOUSE .

this room can have been used, it is now difficult toconjecture : it could not have been intended for a ser

vants’ hall, - it is too gloomy and cheerless ; and al

though a very extensive apartment, it contains neitherfire-placenor chimney. O ccasionally itmayhaveservedas a prison, a guard-room, or as a depository for stores,as convenience or necessity might require.

The neglected, and absolutely filthy, state of the

interior of the rooms we had just v isited in the NorthCourt above, is a reproach to all who are inanywayconnected with this fine ruin. The apartments in

which knights and high-born dames once held theircourtly revels, are nowthe habitations of toads and batsand newts. Nettles, docks, and briars flourish abundautly amongst the mud and filth and slimy oozings,

which,constantly accumulating, ~

render many parts ofthe ruin extremely Offensive. Visitors may, indeed,just step uponthe threshold of these tombs of departedsplendour, but fewwill venture to explore their dirtylabyrinths. The orchards belonging to the place are inthe same state of neglect ; the fruit-trees indeed blossomin spring, and shed their stores in due season, but theapproach to them is not aneasy task ; the whole of the

ground beneath their branches being thickly beset withlong rank grass, docks, and nettles.

From the guard-room, if it may be so called, weascended the eastern tower, and through a dilapidatedwindow, framed with ivy, wh ich we passed onour wayto the top, we had a glance ata very pleasing landscape,in which Col. Halton

’s house, the village Of South

Wingfield, and a part of the country beyond, are included. The prospect, both from this tower and from

SOUTH WIN GFIE LD MAN OR-HOUSE . 55

the more elevated one near the westernextremity of

the ruins, is varied and extensive, but, like all otherprospects seen from the tops of buildings, it wantsforeground, without which a landscape can never beentirely beautiful.A copious history of the Manor and Manor-Houseof South Wingfield, by T . Blore, Esq. is alreadyinthe hands of many inDerbyshire ; it was, it seems,intended as a specimen of the general history of the

county, a designwhich, from some cause or other, wasnever carried into execution; but as the part whichwaspublished contains an ample account of this ancientmansionand its fortunes, it mayappear unnecessary todo more here than briefly to notice the most prominentevents with which the place has been connected .

At the time of the Norman survey, South Wingfieldwas held by William Peveril, and inthe reignof Henrythe Sixth it came into the possessionof Ralph LordCromwell, who built the mansionwhich is now in ruins,and whose right to it was contested by Henry Pierpoint, Kut. Lord Cromwell, however, continued to

retain possession, and be subsequently sold it to the

second Earl of Shrewsbury, inwhose family it remaineduntil the decease of the seventh Earl in 1 666 . It isnowthe property of Wingfield Halton, Esq., by whoseancestors it was purchased in the reign of the secondCharles. This placewas one Of the residences, or ratherprisons, of Mary QueenOf Scots. The Earl of Shrewsbury was at one time her gaoler ; at another Sir RalphSadler had the honour of attending the royal captive,

Whilst shewas inthis part Of the country, she is saidto have entered into a correspondence with some Of her

56 SOUTH WINGFIELD MAN OR-HOUSE .

friends with a view to escape. It was carried on forsome timewith great secrecy, until in the year 1 569an effort was made to free her from her thraldom byLeonard Dacre. The attempt, however, proved abortive, and the few indulgences Mary had previously en

joyed were in consequence abridged. The conduct OfElizabeth towards this unfortunate Queen, has beenfrequently and freely animadverted upon, and severelyreprobated : I therefore leave it to the brand that history has stamped upon it, and which even time cannot

DM g the.wars between Charles the First and his

people, South Wingfield Manor-Housewas garrisonedby Parliament . In 1 643 it was attacked by a divis ionof the royal army, under the command of the Earl ofNewcastle, and after a short contest it was taken bystorm . The noble victor, however, did not long retainhis conquest : Sir JohnGell of Hopton, a man inwhomthe most romantic braverywas united with considerablemilitary skill and determined perseverance, made an

assault upon it with heavy artillery, from a situationwhich he had taken onPentridge Common. A halfmoonbattery, which was raised for its defence on the

east side Of the building, so bravely sustained the shockof the assailants, that a breach was found impracticable ;Sir JohnGell therefore ordered the cannon to be re

moved to a wood nearer the object of his attack : a

furious fire was immediately commenced, a breach

opened, and the besieged were compelled to surrender.

Col. Dalby, the governor of SouthWingfield,was killedby a common soldier, who fired at him through an

opening in the wall during the siege. In 1 646 this

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

SOUTH WINGFIELD .

bemet by a host inarms, all prepared to take the field ,

With this expectation, these foolish men began theircriminal career. As they proceeded on

'

their march,they demanded arms, and endeavoured to increase theirnumbers by threats and Outrage. At Pentridge Common, a manof thename Of Brandreth,who had assumedthe Office of captainof this disorderly band of “ lawlessresolutes,

”shot one of the servant men of a

‘

Mrs. Epworth, who refused to connect himself with their proceedings.

This insurrectionary movement was as short-lived as

such schemes generally prove. Many of the ringleaderswere

“

arrested, and, at the ensuing Derby Assizes, betweenthirty and forty of them were tried for the offence.

Brandreth, who had added murder to the crime of re

bellion, was executed, and two Of his principal andmostactive associates shared the same fate. Nearly the

whole Of the remainder pleaded guilty ; their lives werespared, and they were transported for life. Inrevertingto this transaction, and to the generally disturbed stateOf the country, when some of the most unjustifiablemeans were resorted to, to excite disaffectionand organ1ze rebellion; and at a time, too, when the labournclasses were suffering many hardships and privations,and therefore ready instruments inthe hands of designing men — however severe our condemnation of their

conduct maybe, the spysystem thentoo much resortedto, calls for still louder reprobation; it cannot, indeed,be too indignantly censured . Men, who might havepassed their days of suffering and sorrow free at leastfrom treason, were thus seduced from their allegiance,tutored in disaffection, and nursed and formed and

HARDWICK-HALL. 59

moulded into rebels. O "that a tear could be droppedon this damning record, that it might be blottedout for ever

HARDWICK-HALL .

From Matlock-Bath to Hardwick-Hall, by thewayof Stretton and Tibshelf, is about fifteen miles. Myvisit therewas pedestrian, and was made from SouthWingfield. This noble mansion is situated in the

midst of an extensive park, studded with spreadingoaks and venerable thorns. These patriarchs of theplace have stood the blasts Of centuries, and their weather-beaten trunks and scathed branches are evidencesOf their antiquity. The Hall itself is a splendid mansion, and one of the finest examples of that peculiarstyle of architecture which prevailed in the days ofElizabeth, and is now designated by her name. Thishuge pile has large towers at each of the four corners,with extensive bays or recesses between. The parapetsform a richly-perforated cornice, in which the lettersE S— the initials of the Countess of Shrewsbury— are

repeated inornamental stonework around the top of the

building. The windows are large, and divided intodifferent compartments by

'

stone mullions. The wholeedifice, indeed, is so full of windows, that it looks likean immense lantern, apparently designed as an experi

ment to ascertainhowmuch Of glass, and how little Of

masonry, might be used in the erection Of a magnificent mansion. It is now more than two hundred and

forty years since this structurewas built, during whichtime it has neither been added to nor altered. Time

60 HARDWICK-HALL .

has beenthe only innovator on its original grandeur.

Nearly all the apartments are large and lofty : generallythe walls are covered with dark carved wainscot toabout two-thirds of their whole height ; above they aremade up of plasterwork, inwhich groups of figures,trees, and animals, in slight relief, form various compositions, the stories of each not being always very happily or intelligibly told. The ceilings are executed inthe same taste and manner. The state-room, so calledby wayof distinction, is sixty-five feet by thirty

, and

twenty—six feet inheight . At one end of this spaciousapartment there is a state canopy, somewhat shorn of

its original beauty ; and at the other is a splendid bed,onwhich the needle of Mary Queenof Scots is said tohave beenemployed. The gallery, an immense apartment, extends along the whole of

‘

the eastern front ofthe building ; it is upwards Of one hundred and seventyfeet long, by twenty-six feet wide, exclusive of the

bays, which are each spacious enough for a respectablebreakfast parlour. Thewalls of this extensive apartment are everywhere hung with pictures, of variousexcellence, chiefly portraits but some of them are

placed so far above the eye, that their merit, whateveritmaybe, cannot be fully and fairly appreciated. Someof these are very good, and some, as works of art, butindifferent ; they are, however, much too numerous tobe catalogued in these pages. The portrait of Henry

the Eighth by Holbein, formerly at Chatsworth, maybe ranked amongst the best. Here, too, is one of Elizabeth, the self-willed daughter Of this self-willed and

arbitrary monarch— a Henry the Eighth in petticoats ;a woman of talent undoubtedly, but not altogether ex

HARDWICK-HALL . 6 1

empt from some of the littlenesses and frailties of her

sex. Near the picture of this perfidious Queen, hangs

the portrait of Mary Queenof Scots, not in her pride

of life and plenitude of beauty, but with a countenancefaded and marked with sorrow. There is likewise a

portrait of Stephen Gardiner, the persecuting Bishopof Winchester,— aye, and of others too, whose verynames, like his, revive remembrances with which neitherlove nor venerationare associated.

Amongst themany portraits that adornthewalls of thisgallery, we particularly noticed those of Sir Thos. More— Cardinal de la Pole— Lady JaneGrey— the CountessOf Shrewsbury, the builder of Hardwick— Col. CharlesCavendish- and that of the veteranHobbes, painted

‘

in

the eighty-ninth year Of his age. But themost splendidpicture inthe collection, is a large whole-length repre

sentationof the first Duke Of Devonshire, onhorseback .

The horse, a noble-looking animal, and seemingly proudof his rider, is richly caparisoned ; and the Duke himself is splendidly dressed inthe rich costume inwhich,on state occasions, hewas wont to appear, and whichis here accurately depicted. It is a well painted and

valuable picture. But the most pleasing effort of thepencil which we observed at Hardwick, is a fancy portrait of the beautiful Duchess Of Devonshire, themother

Of the present Duke. She is represented amongst theclouds, in the character Of Diana, with the crescentbeaming on her forehead . Advancing from out thedark starry sky, the clouds appear to recede before her,and to be lighted up by the effulgence that emanatesfrom her. There is a fine poetic feeling in this picture,and the whole is beautifully painted .

62 HARDWICK-HALL .

Hardwick derives a portion of its interest from its

having been, though but for a short time, one of the

prisons of the unfortunate Queen of Scots. Here she

wrought with her needle, to beguile the irksomeness ofconfinement ; and an embroidered counterpane, chaircovers, and hangings, are shewn as the work of her

hands. Mrs. Ann Radcliffe, the authoress of the

Mysteries of Udolpho,”&c. &c., in her Northern

Tour,” when speaking of Hardwick, observes, that

the second floor is that which gives its chief interestto this edifice, as nearly all the apartments were allottedto Mary, and the furniture is known by other proofsthan its appearance to remainas she left it.”

Thisnoblemansion is the property of the Devonshirefamily, and now the seat of the Earl of Burlington.

Near the west front are the ruins of the old Hall, whichhas evidently been a building of considerable extent,and apparently not of a much earlier date than the

present edifice. The Hardwicks, inthe reignof Henry

the Seventh, had their residence here.

DERBYSHIRE TOURIS'

I‘

S GUIDE,

AND

T R A V E L L I N G C O M P A N I O N.

SECTION II .

CHATSWORTH.

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

ADVERTISEMENT.

Itmaybe preper to intimate to the reader of the followingaccount of Chatsworth

, that the writer has described the usual,

butnot the present route through the House,which is liable to

frequentdeviations in consequence of the various improvementsthat are now in progress. The arrangement at this time (Oct.

is as followsImmediately on leaving the Painted Hall

,visitors are

ushered up the Great South Staircase to the State Apartmentson the second floor, which maybe referred to in the followingdetail by numbers XIV . XV. XV I. XVII. They then pass

through the State Rooms on the Library Story below to III.

’

the Chapel, and return through IV . the Music Room; V . Th e

Billiard Room; V I. The principal Drawing Room ; V II. The

GreatLibrary VIII. Anti-Library ; IX. Cabinet L ibrary ; X.

The Dining Room; XI. Music Gal lery ; XII. The SculptureGal lery ; XIII. The Orangery ; and from th ence to the Gardens.

CHATSWORTH .

CHAPTER I.

PRELIMINARY REMARKS— EXTERIOR OF CHATSWORTH— RECENT IM

PRO V EMEN TS— WORKS OF ART BRIEFLY N OTICED— BEFLEC’I‘IO N S

ON THEIR IN FLUEN CE .

CHATSWORTH has beena place of considerable importance, and an object of attraction from the time of its

first erection, inthe reignof William the Third, to the

present day. Cotton, the Poet of the Peak, who, nowmore thana century past, sung in quaint and humbleverse, the SevenWonders of Derbyshire, thus speaks of

Environed roundwith nature’

s shames and ills,Black heaths, wild rocks, bleak craggs, andnakedhills,And thewhole prospect so informs and rude,Who is itbutmustpresently concludeThatthis is paradise, which seated stands

Inmidst of deserts and of barrensands

So a brightdiamondwould look, if setInawild socketof ignoblejet

But the “ black heaths, wild rocks, bleak craggs, andnaked that environ Chatsworth, instead of beinga frame of ignoble jet, injurious to the splendour of

the diamond it invests, produces an absolutely con

1? 2

68 CHATSWORTH .

traryeffect. The proximity of these nature’s shameand ills,

”as Cotton oddly calls them, renders the spot

still more lovely — so lovely, indeed, as to assume the

charm and character of anoasis ina wilderness— fresh,and green, andbright, and beautiful, where all around isrugged and unseemly.

To allwho visit theNortherndistricts of Derbyshire,Chatsworth is anobject of more thanordinary interest,and Buxton, Bakewell, Matlock, Sheffield, and placesstill more remote, furnish it with a continual successionof company. It is, therefore, presumed that the following detail will not be unacceptable to those whomcuriosity or pleasure may lead to visit this splendidplace.

Before proceeding to detail the history of Chatsworthas it nowis, the author trusts hemaybe permitted toavail himselfof a passage from a more voluminous work

published several years ago, and dedicated to the Dukeof Devonshire, whom thewriter thus addresses You

possess a mansion that maywith peculiar propriety bedenominated THE PAL ACE or THE PE AK,’ and the

munificence of that noble family whose wealth and

honours nowcentre inyour Grace has converted someof the wildest scenery of Derbyshire into a terrestrial

paradise : the banks of the Derwent and theWye havebeenadorned and enriched by their bounty.

”

Sincethepreceding paragraphwas written, importantand extensive additions have beenmade to th is princelyresidence, and Chatsworth nowpossesses a still greaterclaim to so proud anappellation. To that eminentarchitect, Sir Jeffrey Wyatville, the alterations and im

provements have been confided, and it is but damning

CHATSWORTH . 69

with faint praise” to say, that they are highly creditableto his taste, talents, and reputation.

Thenewparts of Chatsworth are inthe same style ofarchitecture as the old structure, which was built byWilliam Talman, a native of Wiltshire, and Comptrollerof the King’s Works inthe reign ofWilliam the Third ;but although the general style has beenpreserved, thereis awant of uniformityinthe whole, which the eye of acommon observer detects at a glance.

InGothic architecture, similarity of parts, ornaments,and dimensions, is not required ; but the Grecianstyle,so far from being indulgent in this respect, is rigid andarbitrary inits demands. A grand and imposing centrecannot have a single wing attached to it, to the right orthe left, without its appear ing to be anafter-thought ofthe builder— a subsequent addition; it may, perhaps,be prejudice that thus determines, but whena style ofarchitecture is chosen whose great characteristics are

uniformity of detail, proportion, and design, a departurefrom these is but rarely pleasing. I cannot but imaginethat Chatsworth might havebeenmade equally effectivein appearance at much less expense ; a right and leftwing connected with the original building by a colonnade, composed of columns of elegant architecture,would have had a rich and grand effect ; but it hasbeendetermined otherwise, and, to completethe presentwork of improvement, another wing, at the expense ofanother two hundred thousand pounds, must be pro

jected from the south front. Should this be aecom

plished, Chatsworth will have attained the topmost pinuscle of its grandeur, and mayjustly then be entitled,notonly the Palace of the Peak,

” but the Palace of

70 CHATSWORTH .

the kingdom . Such an alterationas is here suggestedmight, perhaps, have had a grander exterior— butwould,probably have beenmuch less “convenient within— as itnowis, a noble suite of rooms nearly unparalleled in

’

ex

tent and splendour has been obtained ; together withall the numerous household ofiicesnecessary for such anestablishment . The contrivance of the whole, and the

arrangements of the different parts are inevery respectworthy the reputationof the architect employed. He

has besides happily corrected the faults that before existed inthe north front, and givento it a richness andbeauty admirably in unison with the prevailing cha

racter of the building the east front has likewise beengreatly and judiciously altered by the same architect.Although not rich inornament, it is eminentlybeautiful,andmayproudly be referred to, as an example of goodtaste, and one of the most important improvementswhich has been effected at Chatsworth . The newwingwhich Sir J. Wyatville has added, embraces anextentof between three and four hundred feet, and is, inall its

parts, one of the best specimens of masonry inthe kingdom the stone is of a pleasant colour to the eye, and

slightly tinged with a pale yellow : the whole has beenfurnished from quarries onhis Grace’s estates, in the

immediate V lClnltyof Chatsworth . The exterior is notsplendidly adorned; but it is classically beautiful, and

presents an assemblage of parts so arranged as to be

strikingly picturesque, not only inoutline but in lightand shadow, thenorthernterminationbeing distinguishedby anelegant Italian tower, in

’

the constructionof whichthe Doric, the Ionic, and the Corinthian orders of

architecture have been tastefully used .

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

72 CHATSWORTH .

garden, which is separated from the park by dwarfbalustrades ; the two extremities terminating with squarebastions, panneled on the sides, and of excellent masonry. This garden is ornamented with a fountain,nowonly a j et d

’eau, but probably intended for a de

sign of sculptural elegance.

The grand entrance into Chatsworth is on the west,and commands a view of uncommon beauty. The

Derwent, which is here a noble river, runs withintwo

or three hundred yards of the front of the house ; an

elegant stone bridge of three arches, with statues byCibber placed between, spans the stream ; and the park

around is spread out into beautiful undulations, whereverdant slopes and sylvan groups unite to form a richand varied landscape. To thenorth, beyond the luxuriant foliage of Chatsworth Park, the wild and heathyhills of the Peak terminate the prospect.To convey an adequate idea of the architectural

beauty of this magnificent mansion, is not the provinceof the pen, but the pencil . Onobjects of this description, the tourist is powerless and inefficient ; he therefore willingly resigns to the artist a domainwhich hefeels himself incompetent to occupy. Yet the exteriorof Chatsworth, splendid as it is, conveys but a faintindication of the treasures within. It has been statedinthe public papers, that the Duke of Devonshire possesses the finest private collection of sculpture in

Europe ; be this as it may, Chatsworth certainlycontains an assemblage of works in this department ofart, of decided excellence. They were formerly the

occupants of various apartments, but have lately beenremoved into the newSculpture Gallery, and so classed

a 'rswoa 'rH . 73

and arranged as to form a splendid and harmoniouscombinationof talent.It is not only ‘

in sculpture that Chatsworth is rich,

evento profusion the columns, vases, and urns, which

the Duke has collected during his visits to Italy, are

amongst the‘most costly ornaments of his mansion.

The columns are from twelve to fifteen feet hightheir dimensions inproportion. The materials of whichthey are composed are various— granite, porphyry,Siena marble, stalactite, verde-antique, and other choicemarbles of Italy ; but the richest, and by far themostcostly, of these extraordinary productions, aretwo noblecolumns of Sicilianjasper, intermixed with chalcedony,disseminated inveins throughoutthe mass each columnis oneentirespecimenof precious stone, -the proportionsIonic. The urns and vases are numerous ; amongstthem are two of magnificent dimensions, which will bemore particularly noticed hereafter. Some of the Co

lumns have beenremoved from the different apartmentsthey occupied . They have been surmounted with ap

propriate capitals, and used as classical enrichments tothe entrance doors of the principal apartments. Eightof the finest of these nowadornthe Dining Hall andthe Sculpture Gallery.

In addition to the treasures already enumerated,Chatsworth contains anabundanceof paintings inalmostevery department of art, and some of superior excellence. The ceilings and sides of the great Hall werepainted by Laguerre and V errio, with subjects fromRomanhistory. This mode of ornamenting the

sions of the principal nobility,was theprevailing fashionwhen Chatsworth was built ; and the staircases, the

74 CHATSWORTH .

Chapel, and the ceilings of the best apartments, arecovered with the works of V errio, Laguerre, and SirJames Thornhill. With the exception of the Chapeland the great Hall, the subjects chosenby these artistsare mythological : Phaeton, Apollo, Jupiter, Antiope,the Muses, Diana, Actaeon, Bacchus and Ariadne,Venus and Adonis, Meleagar and Atalanta, Cephalusand Procris, with a long etcetera of gods and goddesses,make a part of the adornments of the principal rooms.

In’

additionto the numerous paintings of this description, there are a few pictures in this ducal residencethat would do honour evento his Grace’s collection at

Devonshire House or Chiswick. The Duke of Devonshire, speaking of his pictures, has beenheard to remarkthat, partial as hewas to Chatsworth, and anxious ashe might be to render it every wayattractive, he couldnot consent to make it the depository of his best pictures. InLondon, atDevonshireHouseand Chiswick,”he added, “ they canbe seenand studied, and the interests of art be thereby promoted . If I remove them intoDerbyshire, they maybe admired by visitors, but it isin the metropolis alone that they can be greatly ser

viceable to artists an observationworthy the liberalspirit of a real friend and patronof the arts. NoticingChatsworth ona former occasion, the following cheer

vations occur, which maybe repeated hereThe works of art that adorn the houses of the

wealthy and the great, are the best ornaments theypossess ; andalthough they cannot be regarded as exhi

biting anequitable criterion, either of the riches or the

taste of their possessors, they are honourable testimoniesin their favour they throw around their persons an

CHATSWORTH . 75

additional lustre— they give them a more exalted placeinthe estimation of society— and invest their mansionswith a higher character than that of mere dwellings.

So enriched, they are the depositories of the worksof genius — the honoured receptacles of the labours of

ages that have passed away ; and he who reverencesthe arts has anabiding interest in the treasures theycontain. He visits them with a chastened feeling, and

he treads even their precincts with veneration, forgenius has hallowed the place that he approaches.

Contemplating their stores, he lives inother times ; heholds communionwith thosewho were he becomes aninmate of their minds ; he participates in the sublimeconceptions of Raphael, Titian, Poussin, Rubens, Salvator, and Claude ; and he traces in their works the

nature and character of those elevated and energeticfeelings, by which they were embodied and produced .

So precious is the deposit they contain?“

Peak Scenery.

CHATSWORTH .

CHAPTER II.

THE mu s ic"; or CHATSWORTH— THE GREAT HALL— N EW GALLERIE S— MAGN IFICENT COLLECTION or D RAWIN G S— PAINTE D CEILIN G S— N EW sums or APARTMEN TS— THE LIBRARY, mums ROOM,SCULPTURE GALLERY, A ND BAN Q UETIN G HALL, &c.

THE observations in the preceding Chapter have a

general reference to Chatsworth and the works of art

which it contains but a moremethodical and particulardetail maybe desirable to those who may hereaftervisit the PALACE or THE PE AK.

”

Passing the Porter’s Lodge, the domestic offices ofthis princely establishment are onthe left, and strangersare first admitted to the lower, or Sub-Hall, as it istermed, by the porter. Inthe farther part of this Hallare two antiques— a Germanicus and an Aggrippina,fromWanstead House. The busts here are numerous,and somefine granite and marble columns are used as

their pedestals. A flight of steps leads from this apartment into the North Corridor, which communicateswith (L) the GREAT HALL, the first superb interior towhich strangers are admitted. This is a spacious, nobleroom, and anappropriate entrance to the splendid apartments that succeed . Thehand of improvement has beenbusy evenhere, where every thing that taste and grandeur could require, appeared to have been previouslyprovided for. The double rowof steps that connectedthis Hall with the GRAND STAIRCA SE , once regardedso magnificent and beautiful as to be adopted at Holkham, by that celebrated architect, Kent— have beenre

moved, and a single flight substituted in their place.

CHATSWORTH . 77

A Gallery, defended by a succession of open balusters, has recently been carried round three sides of thissplendid Hall. Theutilityof this contrivance is obvious.

It is so situated as to form a connecting link betweenthe old and newparts of the house the Gallery, therefore, furnishes a ready and convenient communication.

The height of this noble apartment is one of its finestfeatures ; but a gallery, hung like a shelf against thewalls, and dividing that which was great and lofty intotwo minor portions, has, in my estimation, interferedwith and impaired its general grandeur. The painting of this Hall is by V errio and Laguerre, two of

the most celebrated artists of the time in which theylived, for this species of decoration. The

'

historyof Julius Caesar has furnished the subjects. In one

compartment he is crossing the Rubicon; inanother heis passing over to his army atBrundusium the left, andprincipal side represents his sacrifice before going to theSenate, after the closing of the Temple of Janus overthe North entrance is his death, at the foot of Pompey

’s

statue, and the ceiling contains his apotheosis. The

two ends of the Hall are eminently beautiful ; they areeach divided into threearched compartments, the centralone, the largest, being the entrance from the NorthCorridor at one extremity, and the channel of communication

‘

with the Grand South Staircase at the other.

The four smaller compartmentsare occupied by polishedmarble columns from the mines of Derbyshire, sur

mounted with large goldenvases, classical inform, and

richly ornamented. From the floor of this magnificentapartment, magnificent in form, decoration, and dimensions, the effect is grand and strikingly impressive.

78 CHATSWORTH .

Thenext place into which visitors were accustomed tobe introduced is (IL) the SOUTH GALLERY, a room of

powerful attractionto artists, who, instead of being hurried hastily through, would begladtomake it anabiding

place, and become more intimately acquainted with themany treasures it contains. From

‘

sevento eight hundredoriginal drawings cover the walls of this highly interesting apartment. In addition to the numerous sketchesof ClaudeLorraine, fac-similes of which have beenpublished by Earlom, there is a splendid collectionby thefirst masters of the Venetian, the Florentine, the Spanish,and the Flemish schools. Titian, Raphael, Carracci,Corregio, Salvator, Rubens, &c. have all contributed toform this constellationof talent— this rich assemblageofdrawings— the original conceptions and designs of thosemasterly works which have long been the boast anddelight of the Europeanworld. This fine collectionof

drawings has for the present been removed, and the

galleryentirely remodelled and enlarged. Correspon

dent galleries have likewise been erected along the

North and West sides of the central court. Thesegalleries are nowfinishing inthe most splendid manner.

They are connected with each other, and are intendedto ba the honoured receptacle of the Duke of Devonshire’s finest collection of pictures, to which Chiswick,DevonshireHouse, and Hardwick are largely to contribute the whole forming one general and grand assemblage of works of art. When this is accomplished, this

continued series of galleries will be one of the most

beautiful and important improvements that thefine tasteof the Duke has made at Chatsworth .

The many alterations still making in the interior of

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

80 CHATSWORTH .

removed. Over the chimney-piece there is a portraitof the Duchess of Devonshire, the mother of the presentDuke, by Sir Joshua Reynolds. A picture of MaryMagdalenand Christ in the garden, by Gennari, and

another of the angel Michael overcoming Satan, adornthewalls of this apartment.V. The BILLIARD RO OM has a richly painted ceil

ing, by Sir James Thornhill. A whole-length portraitof the Duke of Cumberland hangs over the fire-

placeTitian’

s Family, by himself, a picture of considerablemerit, ornaments one side of the room ; and nearlyopposite is the portrait of the late King George the

Fourth, ona sofa— a masterly production by Sir Thos.

Lawrence, andwell known from Finden’s splendid en

graving of it.VI . The GRE AT DRAWIN G RO OM, a noble apart

ment, 48 feet long, 28 feet wide, and 1 8 feet high, isrichly furnished, and stored with some admirableworksof art. This room contains some fine columns of blackand rosewood marble, from the Duke of Devonshire’sworks atAshford, which are used as pedestals for busts ;one is surmounted with ahead of George the Fourth, andanother with that of Canningfi

‘ both from the chisel ofChantrey ; others sustain the busts of Charles James

Fox— the lateDukes of Devonshire and Bedford— LordGeorge and Lady Cavendish, by Nollekins ; and near

the east window,which looks into the garden, there is a

fine copy of the Venus de Medicis, by Bartolini, and

two admirable busts of the Emperor and Empress ofRussia. Inaddition to these specimens of sculptural

These busts are nowinthe Sculpture Gallery.

CHATSWORTH . 8 1

excellence, there are in this apartment two excellently

painted portraits, by anartist of the name of Saunders

one the Hon. Mr. Cavendish— the other, the presentCountess of Carlisle, the sister of the Duke of Devon

shire, and the mother of Lord Morpeth . A table inthis room, about five feet long by three and a half, and

two and a half inches thick, deserves particular notice.

The material is said to be the root of amethyst. It is

one, entire slab, and inpoint of beauty not surpassed byanything of the kind inthe house. It is composed ofdifferent splendid minerals of various colours, blendingwith and softening into each other most harmoniously.

The west side of this room was, until very lately occu

pied with a splendid full-length of his late MajestyGeorge the Fourth, said to be by Sir Thos. Lawrence,and one of the last ever painted by that distinguishedartist. The fact is, that this portrait, which is a Copy of

one previously painted for the city of Dublin, was, withmany others— mere beginnings— left in the studio of

Sir Thomas at the time of his death, and subsequentlyfinished by that clever artist Simpson,whowas for manyyears his assistant, and had learnt to imitate his styleand manner with peculiar success. This picture haslately been removed, but probably for a short time only,into the Banqueting Hall.The four apartments last mentioned— namely, the

Chapel, Music Room, theBilliard Room, and theDrawing Room— occupy the whole of the South front of thelibrary story of Chatsworth : they look towards Rowsley, Darley Dale, and Matlock, through a continuedseries of luxuriantly wooded hills and cultivated slopes,beautifully diversified with some of the finest features of

G

82 CHATSWORTH .

the landscape scenery of Derbyshire. It is gratifyingto the eye and refreshing to the senses to gaze on sucha scene as is herepresented, particularly whenunder theeffect of a morning or evening sun. The artificialsplendour of these rooms I have often looked onwithpleasure ; but the prospect without excites a moreelevated feeling. The finest works of man owe theirexcellence and effect to their near approximation tonature, and the associations theycreate inthe mind.

From theDRAWIN G RO OM, which occupies the SouthEast angle of the building, visitors are admitted into theLibrary, the first of the long range of apartments thatform the East front of Chatsworth— eu extent, from one

extreme point to the other, of nearly 560 feet. The

extreme length of the rooms in succession, omittinginches, are, the Drawing Room, 30 feet ; the GreatLibrary, 90 feet ; theAnti-Library, 30 feet ; the CabinetL ibrary, 26 feet ; the Dining Room, 58 feet ; the AntiDining Room and Music Gallery, 26 feet ; the Sculpture Gallery, 1 03 feet ; and the Orangery, 1 08 feet.The remaining part of the 560 feet of the East front is

occupied with the Bath Lobby, and the staircase to the

Banqueting Hall, &c. &c. The doors that enter intothe whole of this suite of apartments are placed directlyopposite each other ; and when the whole are thrown

open, a magnificent vista through a series of rooms of

almost unparalleled splendour and richness, is presentedto the spectator, affording a long perspective of interior

architecture not surpassed inanymansion inthe king"

dom.

The GREAT LIBRARY, (VII.) so called by wayof

distinction, is one of the most splendid rooms in Chats

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

84 CHATSWORTH .

persecution, and encouragement in hisprofession. On

thewest side of this apartment there is a noble chimney

piece of Carrara marble, composed of columns wreathedwith

‘

finely sculptured foliage, and surmounted with amirror, one entire piece of glass, six feet by four feet sixinches wide. Some of the minor divisions of the bookcases, and the recesses between the

t

windows, are likewise panelled with looking-glass, surrounded with burnished gold mouldings— the whole presenting a combination of taste and magnificence not to be found inthemansion of anyother subject inthe realm .

THE ANTI-LIBRARY, (VIII.) which is fitted up in

the same style and manner, succeeds. The ceiling ofthis apartment is adorned with a beautiful picture, byHayter, and two smaller subjects, Night and Morning,from Thorwaldsen, by Charles Landseer. A door on

the west side of this room communicates with the greatnorth staircase, which in extent, design, and beautifuldetail, has a far better claim to the denominationGRAN Dthanthe one near the south corridor, which is so distinguished. It is the work of Sir J. Wyatville. On

the first landing place are two large whole-length portraits of the present Emperor and Empress of Russia,

painted by Dawe. They are both good pictures,although there is something stiff and formal about thefigure of the Emperor ; that of theEmpress is extremelygraceful, and beautifully drawnand coloured .

THE CABINE T LIBRARY, (IX.) although varying insize and form from the two preceding it, is a beautifullittle gem. The roof is a splendidly ornamented dome,divided into compartments, and supported by columns

of variegated stalactite and Italian marble, based on

CHATSWORTH . 85

pedestals of pure statuary marble, and surmounted withCorinthian capitals, richly sculptured indead and burnished gold.

The writer of these pages, accompanied by a fewfriends, inthe autumn of 1 834, had the gratification of

seeing this fine suite of apartments to more than usualadvantage. The Duke, with numerous visitors, wasthenat Chatsworth. TheDining Room was anentirelynew object, and the Sculpture Gallery had just beenfinished and opened to strangers. Leaving the CabinetLibrary, we passed intoTHE DIN IN G RO OM, (X.) - This apartment, as we

nowbeheld it, was beyond comparisonthemost splendidin Chatsworth. The table was spread for a mid-daylunch for eighteenor twenty guests, and the sideboardwas literally loaded with a gorgeous display of massive gold plate. Above, below, and around, it was a

scene of unmitigated splendour . The deep plinth thatsurrounds the room, and all below the surbase,

’

are

polished marble of a chaste and beautiful colour, fromthe vicinity of Hopton. The walls are hung withfamily portraits, amongst which are five or six by V andyke ; those of Sir Arthur Goodwin, Lady Wharton,Lady Rich, and the first Earl and Countess of Devonshire, are, perhaps, the best pictures inthe room. The

ceiling is slightly coved and divided into numerouscompartments or panels, the divisions and the orna

ments within, being richly gilt ona ground of the purestwhite. The effect is evidently what was intended

gay, cheerfiII, and splendid.

The entrances at the two ends of this magnificentapartment are particularly beautiful, and entitled to

CHATSWORTH .

more than a casual observation. The doors are set

between columns of Sicilianjasper, and African marbleof choice and peculiar quality. They are based on

appropriate pedestals, and surmounted with Ioniccapitals.

The two chimney-pieces in this room are

unique in design, and exhibit a novel feature in the

sculptural decorations of afire-place. They areexecutedinthe marble of Carrara, and adorned with figures infull relief as large as life ; one of these is by theyoungerWestmacott, and the other by Sievier. The cost Ofthese two fire-places is said to have beenupwards of twothousand guineas each, independently of the stoves, fireirons, and fenders, which are highly ornamental, and of

the most expensive description. A youthful Bacchusand a Bacchante lean gracefully‘

onthe two extremitiesof one of these splendid chimneynpieces ; the other bySievier is also distinguished by aBacchus, and a priestessof his festivals. Inhis hand he bears a thyrsus, and a

wreath of vine leaves aretwined around his head. Thisfigure is peculiarly graceful in form and attitude ; hiscountenance is beautiful, and the expressionfree, open,and . joyous. His attendant priestess, though not so

exquisitely formed, is a fit companion for the youthful

god. She is in the act of replenishing the wine-cupwith the juice of the grape, and both the figures areadmirably calculated to excite that exhilirated state of

feeling and buoyancy of spirit which never fail to givea zest to the choicest viands, and an additional sparkleto the champagne that mantles inthe glass.

The furniture in this apartment is of corresponding

grandeur ; magnificent mirrors, tables of the choicest

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

88 CHATSWORTH .

some good-natured censure may, it is hoped, be'

per~

mitted.

Directly opposite the entrance into the SculptureGallery, placed onproper pedestals inthe middle of thefloor, are two recumbent figures in statuary marble the

one on the right, a Sleeping Endymion, by Canova,possesses all the grace and elegance of this mightymaster of his art. Inthe expressionof these qualitieshe never fails, but in force and nature he is sometimesdeficient . His conceptions are not the every-dayformsof common life, but the poetic inspirations of an idealbeauty, that nature but rarely attains. His Endymionis nevertheless an instance of manly beauty inrepose,which scarcely anyother artist of the present daycouldso well have conceived and so admirably executed .

This fine figure presents a beautiful image of sleep, embodied in a form that even a Diana might well beenamoured of. It is regarded as one of the most mas

terlyproductions of Canova, and is every wayworthy

of his high reputation. The pedestal is Africanbrescia.

The figure more to the left is anAchilles wounded,by Albacini. This is a well executed figure the countenance is expressive, andthe limbs admirably disposedbut the bright burnished arrow by which he has beenshot in the heel is strongly objectionable. Why not

sculpture the arrow in marble instead of gilt copper ?

but the Italian artists are fond of this slovenly trick,which is nothing better than a contrivance of indolence.

If this practice be defensible, let it be fairly and fullyresorted to. To be consistent, this figure should have a

metallic helmet on his head, not one of marble. A

CHATSWORTH . 89

helmet, however, on the head of a naked figure seems,after all, outof character, and peculiarly sowith Achilles.

Hewas vulnerable'

inthe heel only armourwas, therefore, not necessary, either to defend h is body or his

head ; and if the one is to be naked and exposed, thepropriety of clothing the other maycertainly be ques

tioned. The helmet is, no doubt, intended to desig

nate him a soldier, and the practice has the sanctionof

ages.

After surveying for a time these two fine specimens

of modern sculpture, we proceeded round the room,

commencing with1 . A COL O SSAL VA SE , inthe leftcorner. Anantique,

inwhite marble, exquisitely sculptured with figures inbas relief, representing the sacrifice of Iphigenia, a workof decided excellence and great beauty. The pedestalis panelled with red granite. The next inorder is2 . A VE N US, wounded by treading ona rose, with a

Cupid extracting the thorn from her foot, by Tererani . The figure of Venus is extremely graceful, and

the Cupid, a delightful little urchin, is anxiously searching for the wound which the crushed flower has made.

The pedestal of this group is panelled with porphyry.

3. BUST OF AN EGYP TIAN PRIE STE S S, sculptured inRome, infine black marble, from the Duke of Devonshire’s quarries atAshford. The pedestal greenmarble,ona base of Giallo Antico.

4. CUP ID RE STIN G, by Trantanova. This figure isnot that of a mere boy, sportive, artful, and prone tomischief, but of a beautiful youth, whose countenanceseems

Sicklied o’

erwith the pale cast of thought.

90 CHATSWORTH .

His quiver of arrows hangs listlessly inhis left hand, asif they were no longer objects of his care andaltogetherhe appears to be rather repenting of his past misdeedsthan contemplating new achievements. This statue,previously to being placed in the Sculpture Gallery,was catalogued CUPID WOUNDED, a designationperhapsmore expressive of its general character. The pedestalis panelled with marble.

5. COL O SSAL BUST or BONAPARTE , by Canova. A

gloriously fine head, and a powerful likeness of this extraordinaryman. The unaffected grandeur and sim

plicityof this bust place it inthe first class of art. The

pedestal is of grey granite.

6 . CARDINAL GON SALV O , a bust, by Thorwaldsen.

A masterly production, and every wayworthy the rival

of Canova. The pedestal is of Verde Antico, fi'

om the

Forum at Rome.

7. DIANA, a very pleasing figure, by Prosalindi. The

pedestal oriental porphyry.

8 . PRIN CE SS PAULINE BORGHE SE , by Campbell. A

beautiful representation of the bust of a very beautifulwoman. The pedestal Giallo Antico.

9. BUST or MADAME MERE , by Canova. The pe

destal Caroline brescia.

1 0. LE TITIA, THE MOTHER or BONAPARTE . A

noble production, and indisputably one o f the finest ofCanova’s great works. She is seated, or rather reclined,onanantique chair. The face is full of expression, thehead remarkably fine, and the disposition of the wholefigure graceful, dignified, and commanding. The dra

pery is tasteful in design, andmost exquisitely wrought .

This truly classical production has excited the admira

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

92 CHATSWORTH .

the position of the whole animal, and the apparentgathering together of his strength and power, all denotehis purpose. These lions were carved out of two vastblocks of marble, each weighing nine or ten tons, previously to being touched by the sculptor

’s chisel, and

worth, in this country, from two three hundred pounds.

They each measure about nine feet by four or five.

Directly over these immense lions are1 9 and 20. Two COL O SSAL BUSTS of decided excel

lence ; one of Canova, by himself, and the other, hisGrace the present Duke of Devonshire, by Campbell .Pursuing our route round the gallery, we next came

2 1 . A figure denominated VENUS FILATRIOE , or theSpinning Girl, by Schadow. A beautiful piece of mo

dern sculpture, executed with all the delicacy and fine

finish of Canova. The attitude is peculiarly graceful,and the expressionof the countenance is most lovely.

The pedestal is granite a fragment of one of the

columns of the Forum Of Trajan, from Rome.

22 . VE NUS MUSID ORA . In this delightful figure, thesculptor, Wyatt, has endeavoured to embody the poeticconception of Thomson, and he has executed his taskwith distinguished felicity

With fancy blushing atthe doubtful breeze,Alarmed and starting like the fearful fawn,So stands the statue that enchants theworld.

Her full proportions such, and bashful so,Bends ineffectual fromthe roving eye.

”

THOMSON .

The pedestal onwhich this beautiful statue is placed, is

red Egyptiangranite.

CHATSWORTH .

23. LUCIUS V ERRUS . A colossal bust, said to be a

copyfinmnnmag kome ; but whether a copy or an

original, it is awonderfullyfine head,‘

and, as a work

of art, equal, ifnot superior, to anything inthe gallery ,

The countenance is grand, commanding, and impres

sive. The beard and the hair of the head are worthy

of particular notice. The execution— themecfiam'

cal

execution— Of this sublime head, is such as nearly. putsto shame every other effort of the chisel inthis

"

magnifi

cent collection.

“

The pedestal red granite.

24. Two ITALIAN GRE YHOUNDS, inbronze. They

are admirable in form, and the playful attitudes of thedogs well conceived and natural.25. CYMBAL PLAYE R, by Westmacott, jun. The

pedestal sculptured, in basso relievo, with two Bacchantispringing through the air.

26 . ARIADNE , by Gott. A very clever and a verybeautiful work. The pedestal of oriental porphyry.

27. A VE STAL . In taste, delicacy, and feeling, verylike Canova. Our guide, if I mistake not, mentionedTrantanova as the sculptor. The pedestal porphyry.

28 . HERE , byCanova. What shall we sayof thisbeautiful image With what grace and modesty she

pours out the’

nectar, as she advances to the festival ofthe gods A more fascinating formwas never imaginedby man. It is not of the earth earthy, but a heavenlyconception, exquisitely beautiful . There is an idealgrace and loveliness about this creationof Canova, thatseem to bespeak it of more thanmortal mould. But

here again, as if to destroy that fine visionary feelingwhich so delightful a production is calculated to excite,the tasteless gilt-toy trick is resorted to, Of which we

94 CHATSWORTH.

have before complained. If this beautiful image couldexalt imagination to the Skies, her metallic cup and

pitcher, a contrivance so at variance with good taste,would dissipate the delusion, and our enthusiasticdreamings would be dispelled by the heterogenous recollections of a gilt-toy manufactory atBirmingham .

Fie, fie, Canova" This violation of good taste, to usethe short but pithy sentence of a late popular statesman,is really too bad

”; but, like many other evils, this

absurdity will, it is to be hoped, ultimately correctitself, and purer notions succeed . The pedestal is of

oriental porphyry.

29. BUST OF CERE S, by Renaldi . The pedestal por

phyry.

30. A BAOOHANTE , by the same artist. The pedestal grey granite.

3 1 . LAURA, by Canova. Loveliness, purity, andtenderness are here divinely blended. This little work,for so it maybe termed in reference to the space itoccupies, can scarcely fail to impress the spectator with

an exalted idea of the genius and talent of that man

who could communicate so great a portion of the es

sence of his art to so small anObject.32 . VE N US, by Thorwaldsen. A Work worthy the

high reputationof this distinguished sculptor.

33. ALEXAN DER. A colossal bust, a masterly an

tique. It has evidently been injured in parts, but hasbeenwell repaired . The pedestal grey granite.

34. A CUPID, by Finelli. This figure is imbuedwith the most exquisite feeling. The positionof the

head— the expressionof the countenance— the dispositionof the body and limbs - the hands, one laid gently

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

96 CHATSWORTH .

Having completed the round of this magnificentsaloon, a fewobservations, not intended to apply to anyparticular collection, but to sculpture in general, as an

imitative art, may, perhaps be here permitted .

Itwas a saying of Buonaparte’

s, that there isbut onestep

‘

between the sublime and the ridiculous.

” Withtruth mayit be said, that there is but one step betweencharacter and caricature— between nature and afl

'

ecta

tion where one ends the other begins ; simplicity and

grandeur are nearly allied. What Hamlet says of

players may, with little variation, be applied to sculptors. Simple, unsophisticated nature is, indeed, thetest of excellence in every department of art, and thereis a strutting in sculpture as well as inacting. Wherethere is an obvious effort to look grand, the artist hasevidently “

overstepped the modesty of nature.

” We

would, nevertheless, Say to him,“ be not too tame,

neither.

” Inendeavouring to avoid extravagance, insipidityis sometimes the result.These observations are not intended to be confined to

form, feature, or positionalone, but to all that consti

tutes expression; not facial expression merely, but of

the whole subject, whether bust, or group, or singlefigure.

A fewobjects still remain to be noticed before weleave the Sculpture Gallery. The first is a colossalvase, twenty feet in circumference, formed from one

entire block of Swedish granite, and sculptured at‘Berlin,

by Barteleina. Thisnoblework is succeeded by anothersimilar inform and smaller in dimensions, butof amorecostly material : it is a natural conglomerate of a greatvariety of beautiful marbles, interspersed with fragments

CHATSWORTH . 97

of chalcedony and semi-transparent veins Of calx-spar.This beautiful vase is twelve feet in circumference, elegant in form, and highly polished . A little inadvance

of these splendid vases, are two superb tables. The

one nearest the door on the left, is a rare and uniquespecimenOf Labrador felspar, imbedded ina margin of

red porphyry. The iridescent colours of the crystalsof felspar, beautiful and brilliant as the hues of the

humming bird, playing, changing, and flitting about asthe light varies, or the spectator moves, have a singularlypleasing and almost magical effect.

The table onthe right is of larger dimensions, equallybeautiful and far more costly. Part of the material ofwhich it is composed, namely, the four large panels inthe middle of the table, were a present to the Duke of

Devonshire the colour is a delicate pale green, variegated with shades of a darker hue, and they appearto have the hardness, consistency, and polish of a

precious stone ; they are said to be the productionof

the Island of Corsica. These beautiful panels are sur~

rounded by richly ornamental mosaic work, composedof differently coloured marbles, chiefly red, yellow,white, and black, with occasional fragments of lapislazuli, so disposed as to form a splendid border roundthe whole. The table altogether contains about tenthousand different pieces, and its estimated value is

between three and four thousand pounds. It was manufactured by Mr. Mills, of Ashford, a young manof

very superior talent as a workman, and deserving thedistinguished patronage with which he has been honoured.

In addition to the works of art already noticed inH

98 CHATSWORTH .

this gallery, there are many fine isolated columns of

rare and valuable marbles ; some surmounted withornamental capitals, and others used as pedestals forbusts, but they need not be individually mentioned.

The exit from the Sculpture Gallery leading to theOrangery, corresponds in grandeur with the entranceat the contrary end of the room . Two noble columnsof Egyptian green marble form this splendid portal ;they are unsurpassed in beauty and material in any

part of the kingdom. The dark green columns, restingongoldenpedestals, and surmounted with Corinthiancapitals worked infretted and burnished gold, producean effect splendid almost beyond example.

We now entered (XIII.) the ORANGERY, a nobleroom, one hundred and eight feet long, well stored withorange trees, of fine growth ; some of which were a

part of the collection of the late Empress Josephine.

Chinese scent-jars tastefully arranged, choice exotics,and an almost endless variety of shrubs and flowers,too rare and precious to be breathed onby the out

door atmosphere of Derbyshire, complete the garnitureof th is brilliant storehouse. The walls of this lofty

apartment are dressed stone of most excellent masonry,and of a pleasant tone of colour. A niche onthe west

ern side is occupied by a group in statuary marble, a

Venus and Cupid at play. Two circular compartments,one on each side the niche, are sculptured inmarble,with figures inbas relief, representing Night and Morn

ing, by Thorwaldsen. . Agamemnon’s herald carrying

off B riseis from Achilles, and another scene fromHomer, by the same artist, adorn one end of the

Ofangery — thebattle Of Castor and Pollux with Lyn

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

1 00 CHATSWORTH .

partly composed of stags’ heads as lar’

ge as life, beautifully carved and gilt, each head being surmounted withthe natural antlers of the stag, from the forests of Ger

many. The intermediateparts are filled up with variousdevices indead and burnished gold. Private theatricals

are intended to constitute a part of the amusements of

this extensive apartment, one end of which has been

fitted up with commodious boxes, and a convenientgallery. The walls are now covered with pictures,brought from various parts of the house, which are

undergoing alterations and repairs. Eastlake’s SpartanIsidas , and Reinagle

’s portrait of Burgoyne, the old

gamekeeper, are among the number. This Hall iscrowned with an open temple, in the richest style of

Corinthian architecture, which commands an uninter

rupted view of the scenery of Chatsworth Park, and thewoods and hills of the surrounding neighbourhood .

CHATSWORTH . 10 1

CHAPTER III.

STATE APARTMENTS— DILAPIDATED TAPESTaY— THB SPARTAN rsa s

— CARV INGs IN WOOD— LAN DSEER’S BOLTON ABBEY IN THE OLDE N

TIME— STATUE or MARY Q UEEN or SCOTS— THE DUKE’

s PRIVATEAPARTME NTS— Q UEEN or scors AT CHATSWORTH .

HAVIN G quitted the regular order prescribed to visitors,it will be here necessary to returnand resume the usualroutine.

A communicationfrom theAnti-Library leads throughthe North Gallery to the West Back Stairs, and fromthence to the State Room story. One of the firstapartments visited is the Armoury Room, which formerly contained Reinagle

’

s fine portrait of Burgoyne,and Sir James Thornhill’s large picture of Perseus andAndromeda. The Rape of the Sabines, by the samedistinguished artist, makes a part of the furniture of theadjoining apartment, the ceiling of which is a splendidspecimenof the talent of Sir James in this nowalmostexploded species of decoration. The subject is the

assembly of the Gods and the deification of Romulus.

A series of bed-rooms leads from this part of the houseto the State Dressing-Room, which occupies the southwest angle of the building. This room was until verylately partly lined with tapestry representing one-halfonly of a subject from the cartoons of Raphael, the otherhalf having been used in another apartment. On one

side hgngs a picture of considerable merit, by Guinara—the flight into Egypt . The ceiling is splendidlypainted with the Judgment of Paris, I believe, by Varrio .

1 02 CHATSWORTH .

The most magnificent portion of the Old part of

Chatsworth succeeds. This suite of rooms, denominatedthe State Apartments, contains the principal part of theexquisite carving inwood, which has been noticed byHorace Walpole, as the work of Gibbons. In his

Opinion, no meaner hand could have produced suchmasterly performances. There is no instance,

”he Ob

serves, of a man before Gibbons, who gave to woodthe light and airy lightness of flowers, and chainedtogether the various productions Of the elements with afree disorder natural to each species. This complimentto the talents of Gibbons, whoseworksWalpole presumesthem to be, is connected with the carvings atChatsworth .

It would, however, appear, from sundry documents, thatwere inthe hands of the lateWhiteWatson, of Bakewell,and which seem conclusive Onthe subject, that thesehighly-esteemed productions are the workmanship of

other hands — a native Of Derbyshire, a Mr. SamuelWatson, of Heanor, was one of the principal artistsemployed in this department . Be this as it may, theseexquisitely beautiful carvings will amflyrepay an in

vestigation of their various excellencies ; their nearapproximationto nature, is indeed wonderful .

The first of these apartments is (XIV.) the State or

S CARLE T BED -RO OM, so named from containing the

bed inwhich George the Second died . This bed, withthe chairs and footstools used at the coronation fo

George the Third and Queen Charlotte, were the per

quisites of the fourth Duke of Devonshire, as LordChamberlain Of his Majesty’s Household . The ceiling

of this room is richly painted ; the allegory of theMorn

ing Star, embodied inthe figure of Aurora chasing away

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

1 04 CHATSWORTH .

of the Chariot of the Sun the accompanying compartments containing different portions of the history . In

one he is entreating h is father, Apollo, for permissiontomake the hazardous attempt ; another represents hisfall ; and in a third, his S isters are transformed intotrees for lamenting the loss of their brother. ThewallsOf this room are hung with tapestry, now much fadedbut the borders still retaina portion Of their originalfreshness, both in ornament and colour. There are, or

rather were, some good pictures in these apartments ;but latterly they have changed places so frequently, thatit is uncertain where next they may be found . It

would, however, be doing injustice to the Royal Academician, Eastlake, to pass without comment his splendid

picture o f the Spartan Isidas , which has recently beenremoved from this lloom to the Banqueting Hall .The Theban soldiery having entered Sparta for hostile

purposes, Isidas, an intrepid youth , who was bathing,being informed of their approach , seized a sword and

spear, and rushed naked amongst the enemy,who, paralized at h is appearance, fell almost unresistingly beforehim. He freed the city of the invaders, and a crownofhonour was awarded him for his valour. This incidentinGrecianhistory is the subject Of Eastlake’s picture,which is full of energy and expression. Isidas is anoble

figure ; he seems to move fearlessly and irresistiblyalong, dealing death and destruction on every side.

This is a masterly composition the story is well toldthe drawing is good and in colouring, it mayvie withsome of the best specimens of the V enetian school .The STATE DIN ING RO OM (XV II) is a capacious

and noble apartment of fiftv feet hv th irty . The ceil

CHATSWORTH . 105

ing "

is richly ornamented with a series Of allegoricalpaintings, which maybe regarded as some of the best

productions of V errio’s pencil. The whole of this suite

of rooms is richly adorned with various carvings inwood ; but it is in this apartment that the art appears tohave been carried to the utmost state of perfection of

which it is capable. Fish and fowl arealike representedwith equal fidelity to nature. The groups of birds

entangled inthe fowler’s net— the grouse, the pheasant,the partridge, the quail, the woodcock, the snipe, thel innet, and the lark, are all most exquisite and accurateportraits Of natural objects. Gibbons may, perhaps,have beenthe designer of these elaborate productions,but that they were chiefly executed by a native of Der

byshire is scarcely disputable, unless Mr. W. Watson’spapers are fabrications, which they certainly appear notto be. When I was last inthis apartment, anewpictureof BoltonAbbey inthe OldenTime, by Landseer, hadjust arrived, and was placed in a very advantageouslight on a painter’s easel . The daywas clear, and wesaw it in all its glory ; broad and powerful ingeneraleffect, and beautifully intelligible inall itsminor details

,

The scene, which is laid in the Entrance Hall, represents a present for theAbbot’s table, and the conceptionand execution shew the mind and hand of a master.

The Abbot is a dignified burly figure, a fit representative of ease, authority, and good living. The Moroccobacked Bible, with gilt edges, under his arm— the ringsonhis fingerS — the attendant Monk at his elbow, with abottle and a wine glass on a salver, all bespeak the con

sequence of the Lord Abbot, as he advances to receivehis tribute of fish, fowl, game, and venison. Thewhole

1 06 CHATSWORTH .

is finely depicted— it is character inevery part . The

game; the fish, the domestic fowls, and the fat buck, areall exquisitely painted. The girl, with the present oftrout, Onthe right hand of the picture, and the keeper,with his dogs, onthe left, are admirable delineationsso indeed is

‘

every object in the composition. Thispicture is altogether one of the finest productions of

Landseer’s pencil. It is really a treasure, and theDukeof Devonshire has done credit to his taste in art, and

honour to the artist by the purchase. When I lastvisited Chatsworth, anartist, one of the Lewis’s, fromLondon, Was engraving this picture for publication.

Returning from the StateApartments downthe SouthStaircase, we repassed the Gallery of Drawings, andproceeded to the Duke’s private rooms onthe basementstory. In the Hall, which is the entrance from the

West Front, and the first apartmentwe arrived at, therewas’le a statue of Mary Queenof Scots, by Westmacott,a delicate and beautiful work of art, sculptured inMal

tese stone, apparently a fine-grained limestone, notmuch unlike the stone of Roche Abbey, and of a plea

sant tone of colour to the eye. This figure, it shouldbe recollected, has not the advantage of being workedinstatuary marble, which, when carved, is distinguishedby a semi- transparency that renders it decidedly supe

rior to every other ; yet, wanting this advantage, thestatue of Mary Queen of Scots is an extremely fineproduction. Modern sculptors mayexult in the use of

Carrara marble : the works of Canova are far morebeautiful, when executed in this material, than theywould have been inanyother. The Parianmarble, so

This statue has beenlately removed to Hardwick Hall .

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

1 08 CHATSWORTH .

In passing through Chatsworth, several rooms are

pointed out, which it is said were appropriated to the

use of the Queenof Scots, onher occasional visits there,during the time shewas inthe custody of the Earl ofShrewsbury. This account, it maybe presumed, is notcorrect, the house having been almost entirely rebuiltsince that time. Some of the original furniture, however, still remains ; and it is not improbable that theserooms occupy the site of those really appropriated tothe use of the unfortunate Mary. Her first removalhere was from South Wingfield Manor, in 1570 ; one

of her letters to Pope Pius is dated Chatsworth, intheautumn of the same year, Oct. 3lst. Sheffield Manor

Castle may, however, be regarded as her permanentabiding place, which shewas never allowed to leave,without the express permission of Elizabeth ; nor wasthe Earl of Shrewsbury, her gaoler, scarcely less a prisoner thanherself, as hewas notallowed to remove fromhis Sheffield residence to any other house or placewhatever, unaccompanied by the Queen of Scots. On

one occasion, when his own affairs required that heshould visit Chatsworth, he requested permission to do

so, and to take the Queenwith him ; this was refusedby Elizabeth, because, as she said, “ theEarl’s daughter,the wife of Lord Talbot, was so nearly lying inbed,

”

adding, that she would not suffer anyof his Childrento be where this Queue is.

”

The letters from Elizabeth’s PrimeMinister, Burleigh,to the Earl of Shrewsbury, shew with what care and

jealousy Mary was watched, and how ill at ease the

Queenwas at the bare apprehensionof her escape. In

one of his early letters to the Earl, writtenwhenhewas

CHATSWORTH . 1 09

Sir William Cecil, he says, the Q’

s Ma— tyis pleased

yt your L . shall, whenyou see tymes mete, suffer yeQ uene to takeye ayre about your howss onhorsebacke,so your L . be in company ; and not to pass fromryour

howss above one or twoo myle, except it be on yemoores.

” He subsequently writes that he thoughtChatsworth a very mete howss for good preservationof his charge, having no toure of resort, wher anyambushes might lye.

” Besides her first visit to Chatsworthin 1 570, Mary accompanied the Earl of Shrewsburythere inthe years 1573, 1577, 1578, and in 1 58 1 .

Near the Bridge, that crosses the Derwent, is a smallgarden fenced with high walls, and surrounded with adeep moat, which still retains thenameof QueenMary’sBower. Here she is said to have spent much of her

time, whenpermitted to leave her apartments ; but herdays were generally passed in total seclusion. One of

her attendants, whendetailing the Queen’s usual avoca

tions, says, “all day she wrought with her nydill, and

the diversity of the colours made the work seem lesstedious, and contynued so long at it, till very pynemade her to give over.” From the preceding extracts,it mayfairly be conjectured that the Earl of Shrewsbury, once proprietor of Chatsworth, was placed inbutan uncomfortable situation. His wife and his queen,two of the most arbitrary and self-willed women thatever existed, must have rendered his life one continuedscene of anxiety and suffering.

1 1 0 CHATSWORTH .

CHAPTER IV.

CHAN TR EY’S COPY OF CAN OVA’

S E N DYMION— TH E CON SERVATORYTHE GARDE N S— WATERWORKS— INTE N DED N EW CON SERVATORY

- CHATSWOETH PARK— BASLOW— CHATSWORTH IN N .

ON the Lawn directly opposite the South Front of

Chatsworth, a Copy of Canova’s Endymion, by SirFrancis Chantrey, has recently been placed . It is afinely executed wOrk, and its fidelity to the splendidoriginal of theItalian sculptor, together with the durab ilityof the material of which it is composed, render itan almost invaluable production. From this placewepassed along the East Front near to the Orangery, andfrom thence into the Conservatory, or Greenhouse, a

neat, but humble structure, when considered in connection with modern Chatsworth. It, however, containsa number of very choice exotics, which are kept inthenicest order under the superintendence of that cleverhorticultural gardener, Mr. J. Paxton. The pitcherplant— the finest specimen inthe kingdom of this curi

ous and interesting production— is peculiarly w'

orthattention. Inthe front of the Conservatory, there is aneatlylaid out Flower Garden, b ut ona scale by nomeans Commensurate with the magnificence of the

PALACE OF THE PE AK. From'

this floral templeweproceeded to theremaining part of

THE GARDE N S— a term which here includes the rangeof smooth-shaven lawns, shrubberies, fountains, and

plantations, extending from the house southward, and

along the hills to the east. These constitute a series ofdelightful walks amidst flowers and fragrance, shadeand

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

1 1 2 CHATSWORTH .

which a gallery is to be carried, will be sustained by acircular range of light and elegant columns. All the

floral and choice productions in this splendid place willbe planted in their proper soil inopenborders, and fromone extremity to the other there will be a spacious drivefor carriages. Nearer the South Front of the House, aj et d

’eau throws up a column of water to the height of

ninety feet.Chatsworth Park is belted nearly all around with

hills of a greater or lesser elevation: eastward they are

abrupt and precipitous— from the west they slope downto a narrow plain that lies between, notwith a regular

expansive sweep, but with numerous inequalities and

undulations that vary and beautify the scene. The

whole is plentifully studded with groups and herds of

deer poor dappled fools,”the “native burghers” of

the forest— but here, the appendages of gayer and moredomestic scenes. These groups of deer seem to be as

essential to the beauty of park scenery as oaks and elms,limes, ash , and sycamore ; they constitute aninterestingpart of the picture.

Onthe summit of the easternhill, about half a milefrom the House, is a Hunting Tower, a building seen

at the distance of many miles, and onwhich, whentheDuke is at Chatsworth, a flag is hoisted, to announce

the presence of the noble owner. It is environed withthick and lofty trees, and is said to have beenerected

as a station from whence the lady visitors atChatsworthmight enjoy the pleasure of witnessing a stag hunt,without danger or fatigue. It is a good object inthePark, particularly when the Duke

’s flag is waving on

its outward walls.

”

CHATSWORTH. 1 1 3

In Chatsworth Park, at Edensor, and at Baslow,many delightful hours may be spent. The BowlingGreen, at the Peacock Innat Baslow, commands a fine

View of the place — the wood-crowned hills onthe eastof the house, the beautiful slopes and swelling eminencesonthe west, and the opening to the south between, present a combinationof forms and objects so repletewith allthat constitutes beauty in landscape scenery, as scarcelyto be surpassed in anypart of the kingdom . I have sat

for hours on this Bowling Green ona summer’s daya dayof cloud and sunshine, when the air “ breathedwooingly,

”and the senses were wrapped ina temporary

elysium, contemplating this exquisite scene. Sometimes, for a fewmoments only, whenthe sunwas veiledby a passing cloud, the wholewas involved in shadow,and one general tone of sober colouring spread itselfover every object beforeme ; a bright sun-gleam suc

ceeded the transient gloom ; Chatsworth emerged againinto splendour, and the sparkling of the fountainat the

South Front of the House, seemed like a brilliant exhalationplaying above the building. There is anothergood house for travellers at Baslow— the Wheat SheafInn, at the entrance into the village from Sheffield,where excellent entertainment maybe had at but littlecost and at the littlevillage of Edensor, at thewesternverge of the Park, is Chatsworth Inn, a house of superior accommodation, where strangers,who visit Chatsworth, will find good rooms, an attentive host and

hostess, and excellent viands at a reasonable rate. Thisis the only Posting House within four miles of Chatsworth .

Chatsworth Park is sometimes the scene of great

1 1 4 CHATSWORTH .

festivities. The meeting of the Peak Archery Society,which has occasionally been held there, is a brilliantand exhilarating fete ; I once witnessed it, and wouldwillingly at any time make a pedestrian excursionacross the moors of Derbyshire to enjoy the sceneagain a brilliant day, delightful music, gaycompany,and the exertions of the various candidates to Obtainthe prizes, all combined to produce one of the mostanimating pictures I ever beheld . It was July, thelime trees were in full blossom, the air was redolentwith their fragrance, and every being in the Park,from the Duke of Devonshire to the humblest individual, seemed full of enjoyment. I love to see myfellow-creatures happy, and never have I witnessed a

scene where so much of happiness apparently predominated.

Some vestiges of a custom which once prevailed inthis part Of Derbyshire, still exist at Chatsworth ; itis denominated Kit-dressing, and is one of those relicsof olden times” which fewwould not wish to see pre

served . It is an annual festival, and on this occasion,the milk-maids of Chatsworth and the neighbourhood

vie with each other in decorating their milk-pails with

every ornament they can procure ; this custom wasdiscontinued about ten

'

or'

twelve years ago, but haslately been revived with considerable éclat. It is a

gayand pleasing sight ; the milk-maids are dressed intheir holiday attire, and their pails are more or lessgaily adorned, as the taste or fancy of their ownersmaysuggest ; flowers form the principal ornaments, andthese are intermixed with necklaces, rings, chains,watches, &c., and all the gayest and most costly arti

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

THE

DERBYSHIRE TOURIST’

S GUIDE ,

AND

T R A V E L L I N G C O M P A N I O N .

SECTION III .

HADDON HALL BAKEWELL ASHFORD MONSALDALE—MIDDLETON DALE— AND EYAM.

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

HADDON HALL .

E IG H T M IL E S F R O M M A T L O C K.

CHAPTER I.

HADDO N HA LL — M R. M osBLEv’

s vrzws or HADDON — INTERIO R OF

HADDO N — N ORTH ERN TOWER.

Two miles from Bakewell, on the road to Matlock, isHaddonHall, an old baronial mansion, once the residence Of the distinguished family of the Vernons, and

nowthe property of the Duke of Rutland . It is seated

ona rocky knoll, by the sideof a busy sparkling stream,

amidst a mass of luxuriant wood . The towers, and tur

rets, and embattled parapets, venerable with years, andrising majestically from amongst the rich foliage with

which they are surrounded, form altogether a picture,which none but the veriest earthworm that ever worethe form of man could look onwith indifference.

This ancient edifice has evidently been erected at

different and remote periods of time. The northerntower, which surmounts the gateway that once formedthe principal entrance into Haddon, is said by Gilpinto have had its origin anterior to the Conquest ; andhe intimates that although never formidable as a place

,

1 22 HADDO N HALL .

the latter place it is a faithful delineation, but perhapsless interesting than might have beenhad from otherpoints of view. Immediately onpassing the two-milestone from Bakewell, a viewof the east front is Obtained.

This is by far the finest part of the building, and the

foliage around is peculiarly rich and beautiful . Fromthis situation part of the foreground is occupied by a

small sheet of water, inwhich, whenclear and unruffled,the towers of Haddon, as they appear indistance acrossthe meadows, and the fine foliage in which they areembosomed, are vividly reflected . Reinagle, Allom,

and other artists Of equal repute, have sketched Haddonfrom this point of view, and they have given to it anevery-dayreality, without investing it with a higherfeeling. Turner, with such materials, would produce a

picture Of a far more elevated character. The water inthe foreground, managed by him, would assumeunusualconsequence inthe composition, inwhich thewholescenebeyond would richly participate. His pencil would giveto the whole the charm of a poetic creation, and at the

same time preserve the identity of all the parts. A fewhundred yards farther, the foreground is still finer : a

deep hollow onthe bank side, from which limestonehasbeen quarried, forms a capacious basin on the left ; inthe midst of this hollow, which is filled with water, alimestone rock, perforated inthe form of an arch, riseslike a little island out of the surrounding pool. A picturesque ash tree, and some lighter foliage that flourishes

around it, crest the summit. Anobject so compara

tively diminutive is but a fragment in landscape, butsituated as it is here, in the foreground of the picture,and connected with the view of HaddonHall beyond,

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

1 24 HADDON HALL .

purpose. At the top of the steps that lead into thecourt, he has placed an armed sentinel to guard theentrance on the opposite side, the Old porter with hishuge keys occupies his accustomed station

sThe state

rooms are lighted up, and evidently filled with guestsand the figures inthe openpart of the court, habited inthe costume of the time, all contribute to enforce thesame general feeling.

We nowentered a gloomy apartment, where visitorsare shewn a pair of huge Old jack boots, a leatherndoublet, a pair of antique spurs, anill-fashioned musket,and sundry other articles of wearing apparel and furniture that have long been useless. The next place in

succession is the Chapel, a sadly neglected spot, butwhich still retains a portion of its ancient finery : the

stained glass windows have not entirely lost the fresh

ness of their colouring, and gilded mouldings maystill

be traced amongst the ornamental wood work of the

pulpit and theadjoining pews. Inthe principal window,the date of the erection of this Chapel is recorded“ MILE SSIMO CCCCXXV II,

” but the age of the building

cannot be satisfactorily determined by such data.

We were next ushered through the arched gatewaythat leads from the lower to the upper Court, and frOm

thence to the Great Hall . This apartment, which . is

loftybut not extensive, is strikingly illustrative of a

part at least, of the domestic arrangements that once

prevailed in the mansions of the great. A platform,

once distinguished by a dais, and raised eight or ten

inches above the general level of the floor, still extends

over about one fourth of the room. This indispensable

feature of consequence in ancient halls, has not, even

HADDO N HALL . 1 25

now, been entirely exploded . In our great seminaries

of learning, this vestige of themanners of our forefathers

is yetretained . Here the hospitable tablewas spread, atwhich the lord of the mansion presided at the head ofhis guests. The upper part Of two sides of this hall is

occupied by a gallery, liberally ornamented with thehuge antlers of stags, which, after affording sport during the day, contributed to furnish the table with goodfat haunches. From this gallery the bards and min

strels of Haddon chaunted forth their songs of otherdays, whilst the wine-cup circulated round the hospitable boardOn the right of the entrance into this ancient hall

there is an immense fire place, large enough to roast anunjointed ox, had such a thing been wanted ; and a

number of old portraits, greatly injured by time, arehung amongst the other trophies that adorn the walls.

The hall of Cedric, in Sir Walter Scott’s fine romanceof Ivanhoe, mayhere find a transcript .From the Hall an ill-constructed flight of stairs leads

to the upper apartments, inwhich some faded remainsof their ancient grandeur maystill

'

be found ; particularlyinthe

-State Drawing Room, but the windows areso diminutive that even this is gloomy. The walls arecovered with dark oak wainscot, in small pannels, andloose hanging arras ; so contrived as to cover the doorsand keep the wind away.

” Such a contrivancewashere

'

a

’

necessary of the first importance, for the dOorsare so uncouthly made and ill-fitted as neither to ex

eludewind nor weather. O f bungling joinery and bad

carpentry, Haddon Hall furnishes some of the worstexamples that cananywhere be met with . The apart~

1 26 HADDON HALL .

ments that succeed are all fitted up inthe same style.

The tapestry is sadly faded, and many of the subjectsare nearly effaced. One which still remains is Singularand curious ; it represents a boar hunt : the boar isdefending himself with his natural ferocity, against hisenemies ; but the singularity of the subject consists inthe bodies of the dogs being covered with an apparentlyimpenetrable doublet, closely laced on, and orna

mented with metallic studs, in imitation of armour : an

evidence that such a practice once existed, but of whichI never metwith anyother trace or record. Strutt

’

s

Work on British Sports furnishes no information on

the subject.Returning from these apartments we entered the

Long Gallery, which is one hundred and ten feet by

seventeen, exclusive of the bays, which are wide and

deep . It iswell lighted by large Elizabetheanwindows,in some of which the crests of the two families are

tolerably well executed in stained glass. This immense

room is wainscotted throughout, and ornamented withpilasters and intervening pannels ; the frieze course bywhich they are surmounted being liberally adornedwith the boar’s head and peacock, the respective crestsof the Vernons and the Rutlands . On the left, nearthe farther end of the Gallery, a door opens into one

of the principal State Bed Rooms, inwhich there areseveral old pictures of but little value. Over the fireplace there is a large basso relieve composition in

plaster ; the subject 1s Orpheus charming the beasts o.the forest, and taming them with the strains of his

music . A humbler imitation of any thing either in

art or nature has but rarely been attempted . The

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

1 28 HADDON HALL .

or busy stream is but rarely seen, and its extremelysinuous course renders it a delightful feature inthedale.

From Bakewell to Rowsley, by the usual carriage-road,the distance is three miles only ; pursuing the river’sbrink through all its windings, it is more than nine.

The frequent occurrence of shallows and waterfallsduring its progress is a source of great beauty. The

stream is everywhere lively and full of motion, and

whenan interruption of this kind interferes with itsfree course, it forces an impetuous passage over it,and foarhs and sparkles with increased activity and a

brighter motion.

Descending from the tower, we retraced our steps

through the gallery, the great hall, and the two courts,into the meadows that environHaddon.

BAKEWE LL . 1 29

BAKEWELL .

153 M I L E S F R O M L O N D O N .

CHAPTER II .

BAKEWELL— THE CHURCH— CRO S S IN TH E CHURCH YARDRUTLAN D ARMS IN N — MARBLE BIILLS— CA STLE H ILL.

THIS small Market Town, tenmiles from Matlock, a ndtwelve from Buxton, is pleasantly situated in a deep

,

valley, by the side of the river Wye, one of the mostbrilliant and beautiful streams inthe County of Derby.

About twentyyears ago, most of the houses in this placewere old, irregular stone buildings, without either neatness or convenience, but theDuke of Rutland, to whomnearly the whole of it belongs, has, by a series of pro

gressive improvements andmoremodernerections, given

to Bakewell anewandmore respectable appearance. As

anObject in landscape, however, it has lost a considerable portionof one of its most imposing features. The

Parish Church was a fine old structure, and so advan

tageously situated on the slope of a steep hill in the

upper part of the Town, as to give, inpictorial effect, amarked consequence to the place. The body of the

Church, the only part that nowremains, is inthe form

of a cross, with a nave, two side aisles, anorth and southtransept, and a spacious chancel ; and, until within the

last eight or tenyears, it had a singularly fine octagonalx

130 BAKEWE LL .

tower,.

which was surmounted by a lofty, well-proportioned spire : but these parts of the building havingbeen pronounced unsafe, they have been taken down,and a defaced and sadly mutilated edifice alone remains.

At thewest end of the Church there is anornamentalSaxonarch, apparently of anolder date thanthe strueture of which it forms a part ; and within, near the sameentrance, is a stone font, of great antiquity ; the form is

octagonal, and it is divided into different compartments,the whole of which are sculptured with figures rudelycarved, and nownearly obliterated .

In one of the transepts, there are several alabastermonuments, with full-length figures as large as life ; ori

ginallythey were painted and gilt, according to the fashionof the times, and, although but indifferent as worksof art, they must

.

have had once as

very splendid effect.Inanother part of the transept, is a monument erectedto the memory of Sir Thomas V V

ennesley,who receivedhis death-wound at the battle of Shrewsbury ; a battlewhich Shakspeare has rendered memorable by the bravery of young Harry, themadcap sonof Henry the IVand the humourous cowardice of Falstafl

’

. The recumbent figureou thismonument, and thedrapery with whichit is invested, is happily imagined and well executed.

Near the east end of the Church stands anancientstone cross, conjectured to be about eight hundred yearsold. The ornaments and devices, sculptured on the

four sides of this memorial, are, inmany places, sowornand defaced that they cannot be defined. Bray, in his

Sketch of a Tour into Derbyshire,”has given three

rudely executed etchings of this cross. It has, sincethen, beencorrectly and beautifully drawnby Sir Fran

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

1 32 BAKEWELL .

dOubted ; at this time, however, it was that the figure Ofthe Cross became an object of the religious venerationinwhich it has ever since beenheld by Christians.

InBakewell Church-yard, some epitaphsmaybe foundnotunworthy the portfolio of the tourist. Some are se

rions lessons ofmortality ; someareof amixed character ;and others are so ludicrous as to excite a smile, yetbut very fewhave either sufficient poetic merit or whimsicality enough to preserve them from that oblivionin which most human productions must, sooner ~ or

later, be involved. The following stanzas may ’ beestimated as amongst the best which this Church-yard af

fords : they are inscribed on a humble stone near theold Cross, and, if I mistake not, are the productionof

Mr. Charles Wesley, a brother of‘

the great founder ofthe Methodists

Beneath this stone aninfant lies,To earth whose body, lent,

Hereafter shall more glorious rise,Butnotmore innocent.

Whenthe Archangel ’s trump shall blow,And souls to bodies join

Thousands shall wish their lives belowHad beenas shortas thine.

On a black marble tablet, inserted ina grave-stone,near theeast end of the Church, is the following inscriptionto the memory of a child, aged two years and eightmonths. As a specimenof country church-yard poetry,it has a claim to more than common consideration

Reader beneath this marble liesThe sacred dustof Innocence,

Two years he blest his parents’ eyesThe third anangel took h im hence.

BAKEWE LL . 1 33

The sparkling eyes, the‘

lisping tongue,Complaisance sweet, andmanners mild,

And all thatpleases inthe young,Were all united inthis child.

Wouldst thou his happier state exploreTo thee the bliss is freely given

Go, gentle reader"sinno more,And thou shaltsee this flower inheaven.

I suspect this epitaph to be from the pen of poorCunningham, the Curate of Eyam . Instyle and feelingit bears the impress of his genius.

Bakewell is a very ancient town, and yet but fewtraces now remain to indicate its former consequence.

According to Gibson, Turner, and others, it was particularlydistinguished inthe time of the Saxons, by Edward the Elder, who is said to have hemmed it roundwith fortifications, and made it one of his strong placesof defence. A fortified town, at that early period, doesnot necessarily imply what we now understand by theterm ; and Bakewell, I apprehend, was only one of themany military stations established by Edward and his

heroic sister, for the defence of the Mercian frontier,from Chester to Northumbria.

The River Wye is one of the great attractions of this

place : it is plentifully stocked with trout and grayling,and, during the summer months, many people resort tothis pleasant Town to enjoy the pleasures of angling.

The Rutland Arms is a noble inn, and, inevery respect,admirably calculated to furnish superior accommodationsto travellers. It was built by the Duke of Rutland, theLord of the Manor ; and thosewho make it their tem

poraryabode have the privilege Of angling inthe riverand, whenfatigued with the sport of the day, it is one of

1 34 BAKEWE LL .

the most comfortable houses Of entertainment in the

County of Derby to retire to, where they may confi

dently anticipate the best of viands and the choicestwines. TheRutlandArms, under the excellent management of the present hostess, Mrs. Greaves, is richly en

titled to the liberal patronage and support that it so

generally receives.

Nearly opposite to this inn are the Bath Gardens, adelightful promenade for Bakewell visitors ; and attachedto them are a capacious Bath and News-room, which,from their first establishment until after the summer of

1 835, were under the management and superintendenceof the late White \Vatson, F.L.S . The temperature of

thewater of this Bath is 60 degrees of Fahrenheit ; and,according to Mr. C . Sylvester

’

s analysis, tenwine-quartscontain, — Sulphate of Lime,

‘ 75 Sulphate of Magnesia,°22 ; Muriate OfMagnesia, l

'G; Super-carbonate of Lime,“20 and Super

-carbonate of Iron, Since thisBathwas first opened to the public, two shower-baths Of differont powers, and a pump, have beenadded ; the luxuryof cold-water bathing may, therefore, be enjoyed at

Bakewell invariousways, and at very moderate charges.

Scattered about the Town, and close upon it, thereare several good mansions, nearly the whole of wh ich

(particularly Holme Hall) are environed with trees ofstately growth . From the North entrance into Bakewell, to the CottonMill on the Buxtonroad, the valleyis peculiarly rich with foliage ; all the immediate countryiswell wooded, picturesque, and beautiful . Situated,indeed, as Bakewell is, nearly midway betweenMatlockand Buxton, - ona line of road which is by far the bestand pleasantest communicationbetweenManchester and

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

‘

1 36 BAKEWE LL .

Directly opposite to Bakewell, rises a steep and loftyeminence called Bow-cross, which is covered with darkfoliage from the base to the summit, a part of which isdignified by the name of the Castle Hill . On this highpoint Of ground, a castle is said to have been built as“

early as the year 924, by Edward the Elder. It is represented to have been originally of great extent, andvery formidable as a defensive position, but T ime, thedestroyer of all things, has crumbled it into dust, andno documentary ev idence respecting it nowexists. The

indications of anentrenched fortress may, however, stillbe traced onthe hill-top, and the names of some of the

pastures there seem to support the tradition: one is

called Castle-field, another Warden-field, and a third

Court-yard.

The summit of this hill cannot be reached withoutconsiderable fatigue ; the ascent is, therefore, not oftenattempted . Those of my Sheffield friends who visitChatsworth, andwho arenotaverse to a ramble, I shouldrecommend to send their carriage or carriages roundfrom Edensor to Bakewell, and then take the narrow

road onthe right of Edensor Church . A walk of a mileand a half leads to the highest point of Bow-cross, andcommands, by theway, some fine retrospective views of

Chatsworth, and of the magnificent woods and hills bywhich it is surrounded .

The th ick foliage that nowcovers the Sides of Bowcross, may, perhaps, somewhat interfere with the viewwestward, but the great variety of beautiful scenery thislofty station commands, will more than compensate forthe toil of the ascent, whether the eminence be attainedfrom Bakewell or Chatsworth . The time of the day,

BAKE WE LL . 137

for viewing a prospect of this description, is not anunimportant consideration. Anhour or two before sunset,ona fine summer’s day, is perhaps the best. The light

is then less generally diffused over the landscape ; the

shadows become deeper and broader ; and the hills, in

all their variety of form and outline, become more dis

tinctlydefined, and yet so softened and blended by themellowing tints of distance, as to produce a perfectlyharmonious composition. Chatsworth, Haddon, Stan

ton, Darley Dale, and all their rich vicinities, are com

prehended inthe view from the summit of Castle Hill ;and, looking towards thewest, from the foreground nearBakewell to the farthest pomt of distance, a multitude

of hills, of various elevations, fill up the whole horizon,

and give a character of grandeur to the scene. The

splendid view from Stonnis, near Matlock, is scarcely

more imposing.

In closing this account of Bakewell, it maynot, perhaps, be deemed uninteresting to notice, en peasant,

that the Rev. F . Hodgson, the present Vicar,* was oneof the earliestandmost esteemed friends Of the late LordByron. His Lordship’

s letters, from Greece and Portu

gal, to his reverend young friend, are evidences of a

sincere and confiding spirit . They were brother bards,and they appear each to have had anexalted opinion of

the genius and talent of the other. Shortly after LordByron’s return from his first visit to Greece, Mr. Hodgson began to think of a domestic establishment of hisown; on this occasion, his Lordship (unsolicited, and

Since this accountwaswritten, this gentlemanhas beenremovedto a h igher situation in the Church , a circumstance at which LordByron, had he beenl iving now, would have sincerely rejoiced.

1 38 BAKEWE LL .

as secretly as possible) sent him a present of one thousand pounds to beginthe world with . It is to this circumstance that Mr. Hodgsonalludes, inanote appendedto one of his Lordship’s letters, inMoore’s Life of Byron.

He says, Were it possible to state all he has done fornumerous friends, hewould appear amiable indeed . Formyself, I am bound to acknowledge, inthe fullest andwarmest manner, his most generous and well-timed aid ;and, weremy poor friend Brand alive, hewould as gladlybear the like testimony ; though I have most reasonofall mento do so.

" Lord Byron, inhis journal quotedby Moore, has a short reference to this transaction; hismemorandum is as follows ° Wrote to Hodgson— he

has been telling that I— (a fewwords that followed hehas scratched out here) - I am sure

”

at least I did notmention it, and I wish he had not. He is a goodfellow, and I obliged myself ten times more than I didhim— and there’s anend on

’t.”

The Rev. Francis Hodgson, says Moore, in his

Notices of the Life of Lord Byron, “ is the author of aspirited translation of Juvenal, and other works of distinguished merit .

”

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

140 A SHFORD MARBLE MILL S .

hour on its banks. Nearly opposite to the DevonshireArms Inn, are the house and workshops of Mr. Mills, avery ingenious artist, who, from his known ability as aworkman, is always employed onthe finest and rarestof the marble, spar, and fluor productions of the County.

Some of the most splendid and costly tables at Chatsworth are of his manufacture. His workshops are at

tached to his residence, and arealways opento inspection.

Some of the choicest minerals Of the district maygenerallybe found inhis collection.

A little beyond the Church, we crossed the bridge on

the left, and then followed the immediate brink of theriver, in the directionof the Marble Mills ; a short butvery delightful walk. In our progress, we passed theDuke of Devonshire’s Cottage oruce, a secluded spotof uncommon beauty. The building is covered withtrellis-work, evento the chimney-tops, to which the ivyhas, as yet, only inpart aspired . Roses, jasmine, andpassion-flowers, are trailed amongst thedeep greenleavesOf this elegant but insidious plant. Proceeding forward

a fewhundred yards, we recrossed the river, nearly op

posite to theMarbleMills. Theworks at this place arewell worth a visit. They are the Oldest establishment

of the kind inthe County ; and, until very lately, theyhave been in the occupationof Mr. Brown, of Derby,the first proprietor of Mawe’s Museum, at Mat ck.

The ware-rooms at this place contain various productions in polished marbles, and, in general, a tolerablecollectionof minerals common to the County. Inthe

immediate neighbourhood of these works, the finestmarbles of Derbyshire are obtained . The RosewoodMarble . Q uarry is situated on one side of the river,

MON SAL DALE . 141

close to the Mills, and the Black Marble M ine onthe

other side. The distinction here made betweena mineand a quarry may, perhaps, require some explanation.

The fact is this the black marble is procured from ex

cavated chambers or caverns under ground, similar tothose of a coal-mine ; all theother marbles of the Countyare dug from quarries open to the day.

Passing through the upper part of the Village, weregained the road from Bakewell to Tideswell. At the

third mile-stone, we came to Edgestone House, betterknown, perhaps, by the name of the Bull’s Head .

Immediately onturning the corner of this house, fromthe top of a high rocky cliff, we first beheld MON SAL

DALE , hemmed in on every side by lofty mountains.

Through this secluded and lovely valley, the busy, brilliant Wye courses its rapid way, amongst a successionof beautiful meadows, everywhereof the freshest verdure,and studded with cottages and groupes of trees.

Mr. H. Moore, whose littleVolume, published in 1 8 19,nowlies before me, has ventured to impugnthe beauty

of this dale, which is one of the most really tranquil anddelightful spots that themountainrecesses of Derbyshireafford . Mr. Moore says, page 39, The forms are lumpish and monotonous ; no flowing line occurs, except thatof the river, which has a too map-like appearance, fromits being so immediately underneath the eye ; and the

fewrocks that appear are too trifling to make a conspi

cuous figure inthe view. Had I not seenMatlock Dalefrom Masson, Darley-Dale from Biber, Edale fromLose Hill, and many other views inthe Peak, wherethe sublime unites with picturesque beauty in formingscenes of grandeur, I might have allowed rather more

142 MO N SAL DALE .

importance to this view, which, in the scale of com

parison bears so inferior a station, that I wonder itshould have been eulogized in the manner it has beenby different writers.

”

Innoticing these observations, it maybe remarkedthat the scenery of nature moves and affects the heartfrom very different causes.

The presence of the picturesque and the absence of

monotony arenot essential, wherethe vast and the grandare the chief constituents of a landscape. Height,depth, breadth, and extent, — the true sources of the

sublime, need not such accessories ; their power is feltinscenes and objects, where the considerations of mere

picturesque beauty are merged ina higher and moreexalted feeling . From the top of thehill near Edgestone House, Monsal-Dale, taken as awhole is a verylovely picture, and we care not to analyze its parts, or

nicely to investigate its minuter qualities. We are

pleased with what we see, although perhaps we “ knownotwhy, and care notwherefore.

”

From Edgestone House, a walk of half a milebrought us to great Fin, or, as it is sometimes called,FIN -COP . From this eminencewe had another, and a

still finer, view of Monsal-Dale. The numerous hillsthat now lay before us, — undulating to the farthest

point of distance, the deep valley below, the river, andthe rocky scenery about Cresbrook, presented altogether

a magnificent and imposing landscape. That heartmust be cold indeed which could contemplate this finelydiversified Scenewithout experiencing sensations that,for a moment at least, exalt the soul above the con

siderations of this sublunary sphere, and all the petty

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

144 MONTGOMERY’S P EAK MO UNTAIN S.

”

river Wye, that James Montgomery wrote his poem of

the PEAK MOUN TAIN S .

”

The following Stanzas, extracted from this composition, but not inthe order inwhich they occur, are not

only extremely beautiful, but so peculiarly applicable tothe Mountain Scenery of this part of Derbyshire, thatthey cannot fail to be read with pleasure.

My soul this vasthorizonfills,Withinwhose undulating line,

Thick stand themultitude of b ills,And bright thewaters shine.

Here like the Eagle from his nest1 take myproud and dizzy stand

Here, from the Cliff ’

s sublimmt crestLook downuponthe land.

The Sun in glory walks the sky,White fleecyclouds are floating round,Whose shapes along the landscapes fly

- Here, chequering o’

er the ground,There, downthe glens the shadows sweep,With changing lights between

Yonder they climb the uplands steep,Shifting the scene.

Above, beneath, immensely spreadValleys and hoary rocks I view,

Heights over heights exalt their headO fmany a sombre hue.

R ith rude diversity of formThe insulated mountains tower ;Oft o

’

er these cliffs the transient stormAnd partial darkness lower,Wh ile yonder summits far awayShine sweetly through the gloom,

Like ghmpses of eternal dayBeyond the tomb. ”

S ’BON EY MIDDLETON .

From Edgestone House to Middleton-Dale our roadlaythrough Longstone, Rowland, and Hassop ; at thislatter place, a charming little village, the Earl of

Newburgh has a delightful seat, Hassop Hall, finelysituated on the slope of hill,

’

and closely surroundedwith luxuriant foliage. Opposite to one of the principal entrances to the Hall, is a substantial well-builtRoman Catholic Chapel, in the Tuscan style of Architecture. A little nearer to Bakewell, betweenthe roadand the Earl of Newburgh

’

s garden walls, a narrowstripe of land unpleasantly interferes with his Lordship’sdomain. On this spot a Banker of Sheffield, who suc

ceeded to the property, has built a very beautiful gothicresidence, which is an ornament to the village.

CHAPTER IV.

STONEY MIDDLETON— MIDDLETO N DALE— W HATELEY’

S DESCRIPTIONor THE DALE .

FROM Hassop to Calver, a distance of one mile only,the road is excellent, and the fields and plantations,particularly on the right, indicate the vicinity of a

noble mansion. Passing Calver lime kilns onour left,we came into a little open valley, at the upper ex

tremityof which is

STO NEY MIDDLE TO N ,

Sixteenmiles from Matlock by Bakewell and Baslow,

and fourteen from Buxton by Hassop and Calver.

1 46 MIDDLETON DALE .

Close by theVillage Church is a pleasant and handsomeresidence belonging to Lord Denman. It was for

merly the Parsonage House ; but it has lately beenconsiderably enlarged and improved, to form a tem

porarydwelling for his Lordship . Seen from the roadbetween Calver and Stoke, Stoney Middleton has a

singular and interesting appearance. Many of the

houses are situated one above another, on ledges of

rock that seem to be almost inaccessible, and othersare scattered as if by chance at the base of the emi

nences that rise high above them. A deep ravine, atall times filled with volumes of smoke, and steamingwith vapour, like an immense caldron, opens its marblejaws beyond : this is MIDDLE TON -DALE . Near theentrance into the Dale is the Moon Inn, a postinghouse, where good accommodation is afforded.

Immediately onpassing the last house in the village,a high perpendicular rock on the right of the roadcalled the Lovers-Leap, marks the entrance into thiswild mountain recess. From the summit of thisprecipice, about the year 1760, a love-stricken maidenof the name of Baddeley, threw herself into the chasmbelow and, incredible as it mayappear, she sustainedbut little injury from her desperate attempt. Her facewas slightly disfigured, and her body bruised by thebrambles and rocky projections that interrupted herfall, but with a little assistance shewas enabled to walkto her home. Her bonnet, cap, and kerchief, were leftonthe top of the rock, and some fragments of her torngarments, hanging upon the bush through which she

had passed, marked the course of her descent. Her

singular, and almost miraculous escape, made a serious

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

148 MIDDLE TON DALE .

from them, curling about the rocks, and occasionallyhiding their summits, often gives to the whole scene a

character of sublimity sometimes it rolls in darkmasses about the broadly- illuminated surface of the

boldest projections ; at others the shattered turrets, andthe loftiest pinnacles only are seen, gleaming with light,while all below is involved inthe indistinct and shadowymedium that floats at their base.

I shall, I have no doubt, be pardoned, if notthanked,for introducing the following descriptionof MiddletonDale from Whateley

’

s Observations on ModernGardening, a work that is worthy of a place ineverywell selected library in the kingdom .

This writer, in his descriptions of natural scenery,has never been surpassed, perhaps never equalled, and

the dales of Derbyshire have furnished him with someof his best subjects. He is always ample, neverredundant, and his pictures are full of truth and beauty.

The following quotation is from his SE CTION ON

RO CKS -“Middleton-Dale,

”he observes, “ is a cleft

between rocks, ascending gradually from a romanticv illage, till it emerges, about two miles distant, onthevast mountains of the Peak ; it is a dismal entrance to

a desert ; the hills above it are bare ; the rocks are of

a grey colour ; their surfaces are rugged ; and theirshapes savage ; frequently terminating in craggy pointssometimes resembling vast unwieldy bulwarks, or risinginheavy buttresses, one above another, and here and

there a misshapen'

mass, bulging out, hangs loweringover its base.

N o traces of men are to be seen, except ona road,which has no effect onsuch a scene of desolation, and

MIDDLE TON DALE . 1 49

in the lime kilns constantly smoking on the side ; but

the labourers who occasionally attend them live at a

distance ; there is not a hovel in the dale ; and some

scanty withering bushes are all its vegetation, for thesoil between the rocks produces as little as they do

it is disfigured with all the tinges of brown and red,

which denote barrenness insomeplaces it has crumbled

away, and strata of loose dark stones only appear and

in others long lines of dross and rubbish shovelled out

of mines, have fallen down the steeps. In these mines

the veins of lead on one side of the dale are observedalways to have corresponding veins, in exactly thesame direction, on the other ; and the rocks, thoughdiffering widely indifferent places, yet always continueinone style for someway together, and seem to havea relationto each other ; both these appearances makeit probable that Middleton-Dale is a chasm rent in the

mountain by some convulsion of nature, beyond thememory of man, or perhaps before the Island waspeopled ; the scene, though it does not prove the fact,

yet justifies the supposition; and it gives credit to thetales of the country people,who, to aggravate its horrors,always point to a precipice, down which they say thata poor girl of the village threw herself headlong indespair, at the neglect of a manwhom she loved ; andshew a cavern where a skeletonwas once discovered,but of what wretch is unknown ; his bones were the

only memorial left of him : all the dreariness, however,of the place, which accords so well with such traditions,abates upon the junction of another valleyfi

“the sidesof which are still of rock, but mixed and crowned with

EyamDale.

150 MIDDLETON DALE .

fine wood ; and Middleton-Dale becomes more mild bysharing inits beauties ; near this junctiona clear streamissues from under the hill, and runs down the dale,receiving as it proceeds many rills and springs, all as

transparent as itself ; the principal rivulet is full oflittle waterfalls ; they are sometimes continued in suc

cessionalong a reach of considerable length , which iswhitened with froth all the way; at other times thebrook wreathes in frequent windings, and drops downa

step at every turn, or slopes between tufts of grass, ina

brisk, though not a precipitate descent ; when it is themost quiet a thousand dimples still mark its vivacity ;it is every where active, sometimes rapid, seldom silent,andnever furious or noisy ; the first impressions whichit makes are of sprightliness and gaiety, very differentfrom those which belong to the scene all around butby dwelling upon both they are brought nearer together, and a melancholy thought occurs, that such a

stream should be lost in watering such a waste ; thewilderness appears more forlorn, which so much vivacitycannot enliven, as the idea of desolation is heightened

byreflecting that the

Flower is bornto blush unseen,Andwaste its sweetness on the desert air.

And that

The N ightingale attunes hernotes,Where none are left to hear.

”

This quotation is somewhat long, but it could notwell be abridged without injuring its accuracy and

impairing its beauty.

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

152 EYAM .

comfortable ; there are, however, some very respectableresidences in the place, particularly the parsonagehouse, which is near the church , andwas built by the

Rev. Mr. Seward, the father of the late poetess of

Lichfield. Eyam Hall, nowoccupied by Mr. Wright ;and the houses of Mr. Fentem and Mr. Wyatt, bothrecently erected, and finely situated, are also handsomemansions. The Church is a good Old structure, and theburying ground is environed by fine old lime trees andsycamores. On the south side of the Church is thetomb ofMrs. Mompesson, one of the early victims of the

plague of 1 666, but not, as Miss Seward has stated,“surrounded by iron paling no such honour indeed

has yet been conferred upon it ; close to her place of

sepulture is Eyam Cross, a fine old relique of formertimes the front and the back are sculptured over withdifferent figures and designs, characterised by varioussymbolic devices, and the sides are liberally adornedwith a succession of curiously involved knots, whichsome antiquaries have denominated Rum'

c or S candi

navian. This fragment, — for it has suffered dilapidation, a part of the shaft having been lost, is said to beof Saxon origin.

Eyam is altogether a very pleasant village ; it is

situated at the western extremity of a succession of

beautiful meadows that crownthe rocky heights on one

side of Middleton-Dale, with which it is connected by

the two deep dells called Eyam-Dale and CuckletDell .

Onthe north it is skreened by a steep and lofty emi

nence, designated Eyam-Edge, which is partly coveredwith anextensive plantationof larch andmountainpine.

Inmany places inthe immediate neighbourhood of the

E YAM . 153

village, the scenery is of a highly picturesque and

romantic character. In Cucklet Dell these qualities

are strikingly conspicuous. The steep hills that form

the sides of the dell, crested with mural cliffs— the

jutting craggs below,with intervening slopes of verdure,interspersed with underwood, honeysuckles, and wildroses— the rich foliage of the ash and the elm, whichare here amongst the finest in the county, altogethercombine to form a scene of uncommon beauty. Thissecluded spot derives also a peculiar interest from the

circumstance of an arched rock onthe western side of

the dell, being used as the scene of divine worship at

the time of the plague in 1 666, when the village of

Eyam was nearly depopulated by this dreadful scourge.

This, it will be recollected, was the year in which thisfatal pestilence ravaged London and which, accordingto Dr. Mead and the concurrent testimony of otherauthorities, was introduced into this remote village bya box of clothes sent from the metropolis. The personwho opened the box, from whence the imprisonedmalady burst forth, was its first victim and the wholeof his family, with the solitary exceptionof one only,shared the same fate. The plague raged with unre

mitting violence in this little spot for nearly threemonths. To prevent as much as possible the spread ofthe contagion, pest-houses were opened inthe village,and here the dying and the dead were huddled togetherin horrible confusion, the v ictims Of an infliction forwhich no remedy appeared . Graves were dug in the

adjoining fields, ready to receive the expiring sufferers,

who were hurried with unseemly haste from their deathbeds to the tomb, the corpse uncoffined, and sometimes

154 EYAM .

unattended. The populationof Eyam was at this timeabout three hundred and thirty two hundred andfiftynine ofwhom fell victims to this calamitous visitationa mortality, averaging nearly four out Of five in everyfamilyBut few memorials of the ravages of the plague at

Eyam nowexist. Nearly the whole of the stones thatWere formerly found inthe fields, with the record 1 666upon them, have disappeared, they no longer remainto tell the story of the desolationof Eyam .

” MissSeward says, that the little spot of ground, nowcalledRiley Grave-stones, was the burial place of the deadwhenthe plague raged at Eyam, and the Church-yardhad become too crowded to admit any more of its

victims.

” The correctness of this representation, notwithstanding the authority ou which it rests, may bedoubted for the whole spacenowknownby that name,is entirely occupied by the graves of one family only, ofthe name of Hancock, who lived at Riley Cottage, on

the hill above. This place of sepulture is situated onthe side of a steep eminence, about half a mile from the

village ; and a fence of rude stones has been erectedaround it. At the time of the plague, the whole of thishill waS ‘

one entire moorland waste ; and when I firstvisited Riley Grave-stones, now about twenty yearsago, they were embedded inheath, and overgrownwithnettles and foxgloves. They are nowinthe middle of

a cultivated field. They consist of six head-stonesand one tabular monument, the inscriptions onwhich,though much worn, and partly obliterated, mayyet betraced . The different legends are

Elizabeth Hancock, died August 3rd, 1 666 .

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

156 EYAM .

heaven, he administered the sacramental rites of his

religion, and, from the portal of the rocky cavernpre

viouslymentioned, and since called Cucklet Church,enforced the obligations of his faith— the duty of resig

nationto the dispensations of Providence— and, mingling the hopes and promises of the Gospel with his

admonitions, “allured to brighter worlds, and led the

way.

”

Contemplating the good Mompesson inthe dischargeof the functions of h is high office, in connexionwith

the place, and the occasion, howaffecting and sublime

is the picture" Paul preaching at Athens, as the

minister of “ the UnknownGod,” and Johnthe Baptistinthe wilderness, seem the hallowed prototypes of this

pious“ legate of the skies, when “ he stood between

the dead and the living, and the plaguewas stayed.

”

The rock called Cucklet Church is now so obscur

ed by foliage, that the arch from which Mompesson

preached is scarcely observable from the dell below.

That the good priest of Eyam, inthe discharge of his

arduous and trying duties, should at all times preservehis fortitude unshaken, can scarcely be expected. He

did his duty like aman, buthe also suffered likeaman

how poignantly, may be gathered from the followingletters, which are too interesting to be omitted . The

first is addressed to Sir George Saville, patronOf theliving of Eyam, and dated Sept. lst, 1 666

HON OURED AN D D EAR SIR,

This is the saddest news that ever mypen couldwrite. The

destroying angel having taken up h is quarterswithinmyhabitation,mydearestwife is gone to her eternal rest, and is investedwith acrownof righteousness, having made a. happy end. Indeed, had she

E YAM . 157

loved herself aswell as me, she had fled fromthe pit of destruction

with the sweet babes, and mighthave prolonged her days ; but sheresolved to die a martyr to my interest. My drooping spirits aremuch refreshedwith her joys, which, I think are unutterable.

Sir, this paper is to b id you a hearty farewell for ever, and tobring you myhumble thanks for all your noble favours and I hopeyouwill believe a dying man, I have asmuch love as honour foryou,and I bendmyfeeble knees to the God of Heaven, thatyou, mydearlady, and your children, maybe blessed with external and eternalhappiness, and thatthe same blessing mayfall uponLady Sunderlandand her relations.

“Dear Sir, let your dying Chaplain recommend this truth to youand your family, that no happiness or solid comfort canbe found inthis vale Of tears, like living a pious life ; and pray ever rememberthis rule— never do anything upon which you dare notfirstask the

blessing of God.

Sir, I havemade hold in mywill with your name as executor,

and I hope that you will not take it ill. I have joined two otherswith you, who will take from you the trouble. Your favourableaspectwill , I know, he a great comfort tomydistressed orphans. I

amnot desirous that they should be great, butgood : andmynextrequest is, that they be brought up inthe fear and admonitionof the

Lord.

S ir, I thank God thatI amcontented to shake handswith all theworld, and havemany comfortableassurances thatGodwill acceptmeonaccount of h is Son. I find the goodness of God greater thaneverI thoughtor imagined ; and Iwish frommysoul that itwere not so

much abusedand contemned.

I desire, Sir, thatyouwill be pleased tomake choice of a humblepious man to succeed me inmyparsonage ; and could I see youbeforemydeparture hence, Iwould inform you inwhat manner 1think hemaylive comfortably amongst h is people, which would besome satisfactionto me before I die.

Dear Sir, I beg the prayers of all aboutyou, that Imaynotbedaunted by the powers of hell, and thatImayhave dying graces.With tears I beg, thatwhenyou are praying for fatherless orphans,youwould remembermytwo pretty babes.

Pardonthe rude style of thispaper, and be pleased to believethatI am, dear Sir, Sec.

WILLIAM MOMPESSON .

1 58 EYAM .

This letter, writtenatthe time the diseasewasmakingthe greatest havoc ; when it had already entered thewriter’s dwelling, prostrated his hopes, despoiled, and

almost desolated his affections, and evidently under theapprehension of an immediate attack of the plague, isbeautifully illustrative of the amiable and pious cha

racter of the author.

A short timeafter the date of the preceding letter thedisease subsided, and ina subsequent one addressed toJohn Beilby, Esq., Nov. 20th, 1 666, his sensations,though strong, appear to have been less acute, and the

prospect of death removed farther from him. In this

letter he says

The conditionof this place has beenso sad, that Ipersuade myself itdid exceed all history and example Imaytruly saythat our

place has beena Golgotha, the place of a Skull and had there notbeena small remnant of us left, we had beenas Sodom, and beenlike unto Gomorrah .

’ My ears never heard such doleful lamentations, and myeyes never beheld such ghastly spectacles. Now,blessed be God, all our fears are over, for none have died of the

infectionsince the eleventh of October, and all the pest-houses havebeenlong empty. I intend, God willing, to spendmost of thisweekin seeing all woollen cloaths fumed and purified, as well for thesatisfactionas the safety of the country.

Here has beensuch burning of goods that the like I think wasnever known, and indeed inthiswe have beentoo precise. Formy

part I have scarcely leftmyself apparel to sheltermybody from the

cold, and havewasted more than needed, merely for example. As

formypart, I cannot say that I had ever better health thanduringthe time of thedreadful visitation, neither canI saythatI have hadanysymptoms of the disease. My manhad the distemper, and upon

the appearance of a tumour, I gave himseveral chemical antidotes,which had a very kind operation; and with the blessing of God,

kept thevenom from the heart, and after the rising broke he wasvery well.

I have largely tasted the goodness of the Creator, and, blessed

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

E YAM.

And howreligionmitigates the blowPoints the brightpath, by pilgrim footsteps trod,That leads the pure inheartto restwith GodAssures the contrite soul, the feeble cheers,Reanimates their hopes, and calms their fears ;Strives to estrange the heart fromearthly ties,And fix its hopes of bliss beyond the skies,

Where sinne’

er enters, andwhere sorrows ceaseThey hear, and to their homes returninpeace.

Inthatword, HOME , oftheard with fond delight,All the sweet sympathies of lifeuniteAll that the heart cancrave of earthly blissParental joys— love’

s hopes— afl'

ection’

s kiss ;

Amiction’

s nurse— the lightand balmof life,The tendermother, and the lovingwife,Inthat endearing word are all combined,To softenhearts, and humanisemankind.

But sad theminer’

s home— h is cherished care,

For all he loved inlifewas centred there.

There, as returning to his cottage door,Whenthe long labour of the daywas o’

er

With artless glee his sportive wee things”come,

To greet their father to h is humble home ;Climb onhis knee— thennestling to his face,Taste the fond kiss, and feel hiswarm embrace ;Meanwhile, the partner of his joys and cares,

With cheerful haste h is evening meal prepares ;And soonthe neat cleanplatter decks the board,With roots, and herbs, and frugal viands stored ;

While close around his childrenpress to shareHis kind caress, and lisp theirnightly prayer ;With their’s, amother’s orisons unite,And her loved converse wiles away thenightThen, onhis couch his tired limbs he throws,And love’s fond arms encircle his repose.

Are joys like these a brief delusion, given(The perfect foretaste of a future heaven)Butto deceive ? A dream of happiness,Thathopes, insleep, butwakes towretchedness.

The plague-fiendcomes— fromhome to home he roves,And as along with fatal step hemoves,

E YAM . 1 6 1

He taints the air, loads with disease the ground,And spreads awasting pestilence aroundThe pastor

’

s manse— the poorman’

s humbler cotThe farmer’s homestead— inone commonlot

Are all alike involved, and Eyam becomesThe charnel house of death— a place of tombs.

Downinthe Vale, and onthe steep hill-side,Where heath and foxglovewantonintheir prideAndwhere the footof manhath rarely been,Death’s narrowhouse, the yawning gravewas seen,Dug to receive, ere life had scarcely fled,Another victim to h is clay-cold bedBehold him borne, with pensive step and slow,Unnoticed to his dreary home belowO

’

er h is uncofflned corseno pall is hung ;No prayer is uttered, and no anthem sungThewidow’

s silent tears, and orphan’

s cries

Alone attend onhis sad obsequies.

High onthemountain’

s brow, where heath-flowers bloomThyinmates RILEY, found anearly tomb ;Long shall thysculptured stones the tale disclose,Where awhole family indeath reposeAnd oftthevillage patriarch shall guideThe traveller’s step to where the deadabide ;Or point the spot by mountaintorrents riven,Where goodMompessontaught the path to heaven.1

When this coupletwaswritten, theauthorwas notaware thathe had so

closelyparodied a passage inDr. Darwin’s Botanic GardenAnd o

’er the friendless bier norites were read

N o dirge slowchaunted, and no pall outspread.”

He, therefore, requests the reader to note itas aquotation.

Riley gravestones and Cucklet Church are generally pointed out tostrangers.

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

CHAPTER I .

RRADWELL— RACSHAW CAV ERN — APPROACH To CASTLETON— srAR

MUSEUM— PEAK CAV ERN— THE CASTLE— CAV E DALE— LON G CLIFF .

FROM Eyam to Bradwell, a walk of four miles, thecountry round is almost totally devoid of interest. In

differently cultivated fields, not long since claimed fromthe moorland wastes, and everywhere intersected bystone walls, with here and there a solitary tree, to re

mind one of their general absence, stretch far to the

left; onthe right is a lofty hill, the steep sides of whichare disfigured by refuse from the mines. The wholescene is sadly dreary, and the same kind of cheerlesslandscape continues all thewayto Bradwell, with theexception only of Hazlebadge-Dale, about a mile fromGreat Hucklow, where there is some picturesque rockyscenery, but ona diminutive scale.

On the right of the road-side, entering Bradwell, isthe residence of John Bradwell, or, as he is generallycalled in the Village, John 0

’Brodda, the guide to

Bagshaw Cavern. This intelligent miner has latelypublished anelaborate and minute account of this Cavern, which, notwithstanding the peculiarity of the styleinwhich it is written, contains much valuable information, andmaybe read with plewure.

This Cavern, or rather, this series of Caverns, wasdiscovered about thirty years ago, andextends insuccession through different rocky fissures and chasms, fornearly half a mile ; Mr. H. Moore says, three thousandthree hundred and thirty feet.

166 BRADWE LL .

The entrance into this place is extremely uninyiting, and but fewvisitors venture to explore its secretlabyrinths. A descent of one hundred and twenty-sixrough-hewn steps leads to the first landing : from this

place the Caverns are approached by lownarrow passages, that hold out but little inducement even to themost adventurous, and to the timid are absolutelyappalling. Toiling through one passage,” says JohnBradwell, “

you stand in danger and peril from the

rugged roof and of another he remarks, that “ for

thirty-six feet the aperture is not more than a yardhigh ; and he characterises another of these fissuresas

“one of the most dg

'

fiicult passages Of the cavern.

”

But having surmounted these impediments, scenes ofunparalleled splendour and beauty succeed. Thestoriesthat are told of the subterranean magnificence of these

caverns savour too much of the romantic and themarvellous to be implicitly relied upon, and the differentrecesses have been so fantastically named as to throwanair Of ridicule over an interesting place. Instead of

caves, holes, and caverns, by which such places are

generally designated, we have the Grotto of Calypsothe Grotto of P aradise Music Chamber— Gon

stellation Grotto— and the Hall of S tate, 850 . &c. Itis impossible to pass through these caverns, — ten or

eleven innumber,— without meeting with many objectsof great interest and singular beauty. Glover, whennoticing Bradwell, and referring to Bagshaw Cavern,says A correspondent observes, that were a publicroad to go through this place, he has no doubt it wouldbecome the most celebrated cavern in the kingdom ;

and that it would vie with, ifnot exceed, the Grotto of‘4Antiparos .

”

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

1 68 BRADWELL .

evening scene, and for some time we preserved uninterrupted silence ; each individual of theparty appearedto be in mental communionwith himself, and it wasnot until we had reached the v illage Inn at Castleton,that we found language to express the feelings that hadbeenexcited .

I have often travelled over this romantic country,and admired the great variety of landscape which itincludes, but onno occas ionhave I ever.feltso impressedwith its scenery, or witnessed its hills and vallies underso imposing an effect. This feeling was indeed com

mon to us all ; and over our frugal repast at the Inn,wherewe stopped for the night, the evening scene wehad beheld, furnished the chief topic of conversation,

Incomparisonwith theloftiest eminences that distinguishthe land of the Lakes, the hills of Derbyshiremaycer

tainlybe called diminutive, but grandeur of effect doesnot always depend ondimensions. It is frequently thecase, that objects in landscape, seenunder some degreeof obscurity or indistinctness, as powerfully affect themind with a feeling of the sublime, as others of far

greater magnitude, under a less illusive effect.This digression is somewhat lengthy, but here it

ends ; and here, at Castleton, we resume our presentexcursion.

CASTLETO N .

CHAPTER II.

CASTLETON— PEAK CAVE RN— THE CA STLE— SPEEDWELL-MIN E— TB E

W IN NATS— TRAY CLIFF— ODIN -MIN E— AND MAM-TOR.

CASTLETON , twenty-six miles from Matlock, lies at thewesternextremity ofa beautiful valley, which, inthecon

trarydirectionextends as far as Hathersage. Thecurioustourist will find it one of the most interesting villages inDerbyshire : the neighbourhood is every where studdedwith mines, and the hills are rent into fissures and

caverns, some of which are rich with spars, fluors,

stalactites, and various beautiful crystallizations. MrMawe, inthe preface to his Mineralogy of Derbyshire,Observes, that “ for the purpose of Obtaining mineralogical information, Castleton seems to be the bestsituation, where such a variety of strata, mines and

minerals occur as perhaps no other situation in the

kingdom can boast. The various mines and veinsof ores,

”he subsequently adds are of the first con

sequence, while the mountains around present a va

rietyof strata worthy the attention Of the Geologist.”

Castleton is indeed an epitome of all that the Peakof Derbyshire contains— hills, rocks, caverns, mines,fossils, and minerals, are here congregated together,presenting a rich assemblage of materials for study and

contemplation.

It is not necessary to enumerate the fossil productions of this district ; a collectionof them maybe foundat Needham’

s Museum, which is opposite the CastleInn, and forms a pleasant lounge for strangers. The

170 CASTLETON .

proprietor is a very worthy man, intimately acquaintedwith the neighbourhood of Castleton, and familiar withall its productions. His Museum contains many beautiful specimens of Urns, Vases, Obelisks, Candelabras,&c.

, manufactured of the fluors, alabasters, and stalactites of the County French andEnglish bronzes, sculptured figures, and richly inlaid tables, some of themformed of nearly a hundred varieties of stones and

marbles. Fewtravellers pass through Castletonwithoutvisiting this Repository, which is open alike to all,

whether purchasers ornot, and is a source of informationand amusement.The village of Castleton is closely hemmed in on

three sides, by lofty and precipitious hills, which, withthe exception of Mam-Tor, and part of the adjoininghill, may be ascended by winding paths carried alongtheir steep acclivities. They consist of huge masses ofmountainlimestone, thinly covered with verdure, throughwhich the grey rock frequently protrudes. Close uponthe village, is the steep eminence on which the Castleis situated. It stands onthe extreme verge of a rockyprecipice which forms the roof of Peak’s Hole.

This Cavern is‘

classed amongst the WONDERS OF

DERBYSHIRE , and it is highly deserving the reputationit has acquired . Turning the corner of the CastleInn, a narrow path by the side of a clear sparklingstream,

leads to this celebrated place. Several cottages

and Spar shops, dignified with thename of Museums,have lately been erected in this part of Castleton, and

they now cOnsiderably interfere with the approach totheentrance into the Cavern. Near the last of these thereisahigh bank ontheright, so situated as to prevent a view

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

CASTLE TON '

. 171

of this singular orifice, until the traveller is near enough

upon it, to be fully aware of its dimensions, and feel

the power of its grandeur ; it thenbursts upon him in

all the vastness of its character. This mighty arch of

unpillared rock

By its ownweightmade steadfastand immovable,”

fills the mind with sensations of awe and terror. Herethere is indeed ‘

a path which no fowl knoweth, and

which the vulture’s eye hath not seen.

’ We fortunatelyvisited Peak’s Hole in the absence of the packthreadSpinners, who carry on their manufacture under theimmense archway which forms the entrance, and we

were in consequence free from the annoyance of the

various discordant noises that generally disturb the so

lemnityof the place, and sadly impair the effect whichits natural character is eminently calculated to produce.

The entrance into Peak’s Hole is formed by a de

pressed arch, one hundred and twenty feet wide, forty

two feet high, and two hundred and fifty feet inlength .

This mighty vestibule of rock leads to a succession of

interior caverns, and towards its farthest extremity, thelight gradually pales away, into apparently impenetrablegloom ; but when the eye has become familiarised withthe darkness inwhich this immense vacuity is involved,the sides and roof are thensufficiently developedto berendered intelligible inevery part, and the whole effectis powerfully impressive. The guidewho attended usinour subterranean excursion, was certainly not overcivil ; having lighted the candles, he refused to proceedwithout his accustomed fee, which is usually paid ona

172 CASTLETON .

returnto themouth of theCavern. He, however, stated,that a short time before, a party had left him unpaidaltogether, and suspecting that we came from the sameplace, hewas determined to have his money beforehand.

’

His demand being complied with, the party proceeded.After passing through the first Cavern, Peak

’s Hole

suddenly contracts, and becomes, inseveral places, fora short distance, merely a narrow aperture, whichwinding through rocky fissures, leads to cells of variousdimensions, extending from the entrance, two thousandtwo hundred and fifty feet, where a deep water appearsto interdict any farther progress. Traversing thisdreary pathway, the visitor arrives in succession at

the different Caverns, known by the various appellations of the Grand S aloon— Roger Rain

’

s House

the Devil’

s Cellar— Halflwan ouse— Devil’sHall

Gloucester Hall— and last of all, the Bell House, or

Great Tom of L incoln, &c.

In exploring the deep recesses of this subterraneanpassage, it is necessary to pass and repass a current ofwater twice ; which is generally accomplished either bymeans of a boat, or onthe shoulders of the guide. The

stream which courses its ways through this series of

Caverns, buries itself inthe earth ata place called Perryfoot, about three miles west of Castleton, onthe Buxtonroad ; it afterwards passes through Speedwell-mine,and reissues into day, at the great entrance into Peak

’s

Hole.

During one Of my excursionsto Castleton, I observedapartyofeight or tenpersons, ladiesandgentlemen, enterthis Cavern, and being anxious to mark the appearancewhich sovast a caveof unhewnrock presented, whenillu

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

174 CA STLE TO N .

appendages CHI “dnch the eye cfl'

the arfist loves a)

dwell, and sinks into utter insignificance amongst theh ills andmountains by which it is surrounded . The

antiquary, however, will contemplate THE CA STL E

or THE PE AKE” with feelings of greater interest, and

its mouldering walls, rude and unshapely as they are,

maybe to him a source of gratification. The summitof the hill onwhich the Castle stands is but a very cir

cumscribed plot of ground nor canit atanytime havebeensufficiently ample to have accommodated the nu

merous establishment of a great feudal Chieftain; yetthe family of the Peverils are said to have occasionallyresided here, with some degree of pomp and splendour.

Mr. King, who has minutely described this Castle,in the 6th volume of the Archaeologia, is of opinionthat “ it was a place of Royal residence during the Governmentof the Saxons.

” Others maintain that “ it is

a Norman structure,”and that it was probably built by

William Peveril, the natural son of William the Con

queror, to whom the traditions of the country ascribeit, and inwhose possession it certainly was :at the time

of the Doomsday Survey, inthe records of which it isdenominated THE CA STLE or THE PE AKE .

According to P ilkington, a splendid tournament washeld at this Castle inthe timeof the first of thePeverils,inwhich Guam

’

ne deMeez, a branch of the House of

Lorraine, and an ancestor of the Lords Fitzwarrine,vanquished his opponents and carried away the prize.

It is difficult to imagine howthis was at anytime possible. The whole area of the Castle Hill is not,

evennow, sufficiently spacious for such a display, and

when it was, inpart, covered with the different build

CASTLE TON . 175

ings and offices necessary to a great establishment, the

space that remained would scarcely afford room in

which tomanage a spirited horse. The very limited dimensions of the site of this Castle— the few remains of

outbuildings, the peculiarity of its situation, and

the difficulty of access to it, all concur to induce thesuppositionthat it was merely a strong military position

to flee to in case of danger, and never the establishedresidence of a feudal Baron.

At the foot of the hill, and close to the Tideswellroad, is Cave-Dale, into which we entered through a

rocky portal scarcely six feet wide. This deep recessamongst the hills is closely hemmed in with rocks on

'

every side, and with one soli tary stunted exception,neither tree nor shrub is to be found in it . Rugged,weather-beaten crags, with occasionally a stripe of

mossy verdure between, form the two sides of this un

frequented dell, which is insome places from fifty to'

sixty paces wide, and inothers notmore than ten or

twenty. As we entered this wild ravine, we were at

tended by some boys from the Village begging halfpence— (for Castleton is one of the most mendicantplaces in the Kingdom .) These troublesome urchinsrun by your side, and annoy you with their importunity, which they always expect to be paid for. As

we passed under a group of rocks at the lower end

of the dale, a placewas pointed out to us where a boynotmany hours before, had had a serious fall, from a

considerable height, into the dell below. We naturallyenquired if hewas hurt N o much

,

” replied our in

formant, but his head war so big it would no go intohis neet cap.

” The boys and girls of Castleton are so

176 CA STLE TO N .

accustomed to runamong these rocks, that they appre

hend no danger. They skip and play about them likerabbits, and seem equally fearless inall theirmovements.

Proceeding to the upper extremity of the dell, we clam"

bered up a rock onthe right, from whencewe hada fineview of Cave-Dale. The Castle, seated onthe extremeverge of a narrow ridge of rock, rose high above us,borrowing importance from the situation it occupies,amongst jutting cliffs and craggy precipices, that are

throwninuncouth masses around it. From this point ofviewthe Castle becomes an important object. Lookingtowards Castleton there is a picturesque wildness inthelandscape, not to be met with inanyother part of thisrocky district ; andyet where the two sides of the dellclosely approach each other, a p leasing view of the

tower of the Church is admitted through the rockyvista, and the remote hills and shadowy eminencesbeyond give a character of beautyto the scene. Pro

“

ceeding still farther up the glen, another contractedpass, similar in dimensions and appearance to the first

entrance, admitted us into a somewhat more open

valley, where the regular basaltic columnof Toadstone,mentioned by Mr. Mawe, inhis Mineralogy of Derbyshire, is situated . The path, although still slippery,steep and rugged, became less precipitous, and we fol

owed its windings until we had attained the summit of

the extensive eminence called LONG CLIFF . Herewe“

were richlyrewarded for the toil of the ascent, by

one of the most delightful landscapes in this part of the

Peak. We stood onanimmense sweep of hill extend;

ing onour right, beyond Highlow to the river Derwent, where it meets that portion of the East Moor

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

178 CASTLETO N .

and day, (Sundays excepted,) for elevenyears. Eachmanused one pound of gunpowder per day, (for thewhole excavationwas effected by blasting.) The quantityused amounted to 5 1 ,6451bs. The sum expendedin this undertaking amounted to about fortyfive years ago ; but at the present time, it is said thatsuch a work would not cost less than The

principal proprietor,”he adds, a Mr. Oakden, of Staf

fordsh ire,was ruined by this undertaking.

”

One hundred and six steps, carried down a rockypassage, lead to the inmost recesses of Speedwell Mine.

On arriving at the bottom of this long descent, thevisitor is ferried ina boat along a channel, hewnintheheart of the rock, for at least six hundred and fiftyyards —Mr. H. Moore says, feet— whenhe enters

a terrific void, vastand dark asMilton’s Palace of Pan

demonium, Our torches, overpowered bythe impervious gloom of the place, gave but a feeble light, and

glimmered indistance like little stars surrounded by aworld of night and blackness. Leaving the boat, weascended a stage, or platform, erected above the level ofthe canal. He must have, firmand well-strung nerves,who, in this situation, can contemplate the black, unmeasured space around him, and hear the reverberated

sound, and mighty rushing of the caverned waters,without a feeling nearly allied to terror. Standing on

the very verge of a tremendous gulph of unfathomabledepth— rabove, an immense cavern, whose lofty recesses

no light has yet been able to penetrate, a sensation of

awe takes possession of the mind— s and breath, and

thought, and motion, are for a time. nearly suspended .

Our guide clambered up a rocky projection with

C A STLE TO N . 179

lights, which gave us a partial glimpse of the horrorsof Speedwell Mine, - but only served to make darkness more visible. Two gentlemenwho lately visitedthis place, took with them some powerful rockets, whichthey threw up inthe midst of the cavern. They roseto their highest elevation, exploded, and spread out

their brilliant scintillations as uninterruptedly as if theyhad ascended under the canopy of heaven. The extentand grandeur of this sublime vault were thus partly ex

hibited, but its utmost altitude and expansion remainstill unascertained . Wewerenowone thousand andfiftyfeet below the surface of the mountain, and nearly thewhole of the intervening space is supposed to be occupied by this magnificent cavernAs we emerged from Speedwell Mine, the clear warm

light of a beautiful sunny evening, gleamed onthe sidesof the mountains, and played along the valley. Inever

sawthe fair face of nature look half so lovely, nor feltthe influence of the fresh breeze so welcome and cheering as on this occasion. The sensations caused by thetransition, gave an elasti c buoyancy to our spirits, and

prepared us for newexertions.Close to th is Mine, is the entrance into theWinnats,

or Wind—gates, a deep, winding, narrow chasm, about amile in length and which, till lately, was the onlydirect communication between Castleton and Buxtonand Chapel-en-le-Frith . A tolerably good carriageroadpassed through this ravine ; but the steepness of theascent rendered it inconvenient to travel upon, and

another has, therefore, beenmadealong the baseof TrayCliff, and forward by Mam-Tor, which has increasedthe distance from the top of the Winnats to Castleton,

mz2

1 80 CASTLE TON .

nearly a mile and a half. The magnificent views of thecountrywhich this new line of road commands, may,perhaps, more than compensate the tourist for the additional distance ; the advantages otherwise are not veryobv ious. Had one half the money which this schemehas cost, beenjudiciously expended on the Winnats, anaccessible and easy road to Castletonmighthave beenmade, without incurring the inconvenience of additionaltravelling.

The scenery of the Winnats is wild and dreary, but

yet interesting, both onaccount of its peculiar character,and the many picturesque combinations which the hillsthat form the two sides of the pass present. Proceeding downwards from the western entrance, the rocksand hills, every where steep and~

precipitous, graduallyassume a loftier and bolder character : generally theyare crested with rugged crags, which insome places aresplit into fantastic pinnacles ; and from the slopes below,

isolated cliffs of considerablebulk and elevationprotrude.

Between these interruptions, and above and below,

these lofty eminences are covered with a scant verdure,onwhich sheep are fed and fattened, yielding some of

the best muttoninthe mountain districts ofDerbyshire.

The hill that forms the northern boundary of thiswild dell extends from theopening into Speedwell Mine,at the foot of theWinnats, to Mam-Tor, and is knownby the general denomination of TrayClg

'

fl‘l It is an

immense mass of limestone rock, thinly covered withherbage, and only remarkable from its formidable ap

pearance from the vale of Castleton, of which it formsthe western termination. Midway up this acclivity are

the caverns where theamethystine fluor of mineralogists,

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

1 82 CASTLETON .

accounted for but its power andeffects arewell knownto the Peak Miners.

Haycliff Mine, near Eyam,was once the grand depository of this exploding ore. When this mine wasopen, a man of the name of Higginbottom, who wasunused to the working of slickensides, and notmuchapprehensive of danger, was repeatedly cautioned nottouse his pick ingetting the ore. Unfortunately he paidbut little attention to the warning of the miners. He

struck the fatal stroke, that, by anapparently electricalcommuni cation, set the whole mass instantaneously inmotion, shook the surrounding earth to its foundation,and, with a noise as tremendous as thunder, scattered

the rocky fragments in every direction through the

whole vacuity of Hayclifi‘

Mine.

‘

Thick boards of ash ,

at the distance of nearly twenty paces, were perforatedby pieces of rock several inches indiameter. The poor

miner was dreadfully cut and lacerated, but he escapedwith life. The impression made on his mind by thisincident determined him, onhis recovery, to relinquishthe dangerous trade of mining. He now’“

resides at

Manchester, still bearing themarks of his temerity about

him .

The loudest explosionof slickensides remembered tohave taken place in this mine has been noticed byWhitehurst, inhis Theory of the Formation of theEarth .

” It occurred inthe year 1 738, and he affirmsthat “ the quantity of two hundred barrels of materialswere blownout atone blast, each barrel being supposedto containfrom three to four hundred pounds weight .

This paragraph was writtenin 1 8 1 8 .

CA STLE TON . 1 83

During the explosion, he adds, “ the ground was ohserved to shake, as if by anearthquake.

”Theaccuracy

of this statement canhardly be questioned : if correct,what an idea it conveys of the power required to dissever such an immense mass of solid rock, and move so

tremendous a weight "Mineral caoutchouc, or elastic bitumen, is another of

the singular productions of Odin Mine. It is of adarkish ‘ brown colour, and is easily compressed ; butthe same piece is not always uniformly elastic. Whenlighted, it emits a beautiful whiteflame, similar to that oflighted gas. Mr. Mawe classes this substance amongstthe inflammable ores.

Referring to Mr. Mawe’s authority, where he says,that Castletonseems to be the best situation for thepurpose of obtaining mineralogical information thatthe kingdom can boast,

” it mayalso be observed, thatthe various other objects of curiosityand attractionwhich this district embraces, render it altogether themost interesting of anypart of Derbyshire. SpeedwellMine, and Peak Cavernare alone worth a pilgrimage.

AS4 MAM-TOR.

CHAPTER III.

DIAM-TOR— V IEW l NTO CASTLETON DALE— ELDON HOLE -EBBING

AN D FLOWIN G WELL— FAIRFIELD.

WE left Castleton some hours after mid-day, and tookthe route by Mam-Tor. The SE VE N WONDERS OF

DERBYSHIRE have been celebrated both in prose and

verse for more thana century and a half HOBBE S hassung their praises in Latin Hexameters, and COTTON

in English Iambics . Two of these Wonders, Chatsworth and Peak’s Hole, have already beennoticed, and

we were nowat the base of the .third . Mam-Tor, or

the Shivering Mountain, by both which names it is

known, rises from the level of the Vale of Castleton, tothe height of one thousand three hundred feet ; it may,therefore, be classed amongst the loftiest hills of the

Peak. But it is not on account of its altitude thatMam-Tor has been ranked amongst the Wonders of

the Peak ; Kinder Scout and Axe-Edge are of stillgreater elevation, but it is said to be continuallymouldering and shivering away, without anywaylessening in magnitude. If this were actually the case,this extraordinary Mountain would indeed be fairlyentitled to the distinction with which it has beenhonoured . The summit of Mam-Tor consists of a

stratum of silicious Sandstone ; below this a deep bedof friable Shale occurs, which onthe front of the hill isnaked and exposed to the actionof the atmosphere ;decomposition in consequence is continually going on,

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

1 86 E LDON HOLE .

Many and marvellous are the stories that have beentold of Eldon Hole. Cotton, who may be called thePoet-Laureate of the Peak, once endeavoured to asoertain the depth of this fathomless pit, as it has b eentermed ; but, according to his ownaccount, he did notsucceed : he says

For I, myself, with half the Peak surrounded,Eight hundred, four score, and four yards have sounded ;And though of these four score returned back wet,The plummitdrewand found no bottomyet,Though whenIwenttomake a newessay,I could notgetthe lead downhalf theway.

There is nothing like a tale of wonder, and thistremendous gulph, which is about fourteenyards

‘

long,

seven wide, and sixty deep, has often excited bothastonishment and terror. So early as the reign ofElizabeth, the Earl of Leicester is reported to havehired a manto go down into Eldon Hole, for the purpose of ascertaining its form and dimensions. The

account of this experiment says Hewas let down twohundred ells, and after he had remained at the length of

the rope awhile, he was pulled up again, with great

expectationof some discoveries, but whenhe came up

he was senseless, and died within eight days of a

phrenzy.

” This circumstance has beenalluded to byCotton inthe following lines

Onceamercenary fool ’

tis said, exposed

His life for gold, to findwhat lies enclosedInthis obscure vacuity, and tellO f stranger sights thanTheseus sawinhellBut the poorwretch paid for h is thirstof gain,For, being craned up, with a distempered brain,A faultering tongue, and awild staring look,He lived eight days, and thentheworld forsook .

”

E BBING AND FLOWIN G WE LL . 1 87

Between fifty and sixty years ago, a Mr. Lloyddescended into this gloomy abyss ; explored the depths,and the capacity of its interior recesses, and dissolvedthe mystery, which, until then, had hung over it. A

detail of this adventure was published in the Philo

sophical Transactions, vol. lxi ., page Mr. Lloyddescended about sixty yards, to the bottom of the

chasm, where he found several cells of different dimen

sions, whose sides and roof were every where coveredwith stalactites and calcareous incrustations. In one

part of the principal cavern he discovered a fissure inthe rock, from which a strong current of

'

air proceededthis, however, he could not examine, as it was nearlyfilled up with large stones, that appeared to have beenrolled upon it . This aperture, the miners say, communicates with a lower shaft of vast depth, with waterat the bottom ; if so, Cotton, whose measurement of it,to the extent of eight hundred yards, was, as he says,“ witnessed by half the Peak,

” may still be correct ;but Mr. Lloyd’s statement induces the conclusion, thathe actually reached the lowest extremity of EldonHoleat sixty yards from his entrance into it.THE EBBIN G AN D FLOWIN G WE LL— the fifikWonder of Derbyshire— lies in a field close by theroad side, about six miles from Castleton, surroundedwith mud and weeds, a mere watering place for cattle;The last time I passed this curiousnatural phenomenon,I stopped by its side for some time, but saw it neitherebb nor flow. I had, however, previously observed therising and sinking of the water of this well twice inthespace of half an hour. When I first saw it, the waterwas inaperfectlyquiescent state, and reached to within

1 88 BUXTON .

eight or ten inches of the top of the basin; shortly itbegan to be agitated, and rising rapidly, it almost immediately overflowed its narrow boundary, and thenas

rapidly subsided to its former state. In less thananother quarter of anhour, the flowing was repeated inthe same manner. Such is the common operation of

this well in rainy seasons ; but in fair weather its tranquillity is but rarely disturbed . The quantity of waterdischarged every time it flows, is calculated to be abouttwenty hogsheads per minute.

BUXTON was our next resting place, and the sunhad

set whenwe got to Fairfield, a little village within amile of this much frequented bathing place. Fairfield

is situated on the summit of a gentle eminence, whichforms a part of theextensive chainof hills that surroundBuxton. The Church Yard here appears to have beenlong the burial place for the greater part of the neighbourhood ; and several tabular monuments and sculptured stones are found within it, that record the namesand deaths of individuals who had sought health at

Buxton, and found a grave at Fairfield. The Churchseems fitted only to adorna landscape, and such apparentlyis the feeling with which it is regarded by thosewho areentrusted with its care. Indistance it is a goodobject, though its exterior architecture is far fromimposing ; and within it is one of the most neglectedplaces inwhich manever bent before his Maker.

On Fairfield Moor and near the village, is BuxtonRace Ground . Here the Duke of Devonshire has

built a commodious stand for the convenience and

accommodation of the company, and the races are

generally well attended .

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

190 BUXTON .

extends along thewholerangeofthebuildings. Enteringthe Square, onthe right, betweenthe back part of theGreat Hotel and the Church, is the George Inn, one of

the best houses in Buxton. It is ina retired and quietsituation, near to theBaths, and has a beautiful Gardenand pleasant Promenade immediately before it.Returning through the central corridor, we entered

the Crescent, close to the Shop of Messrs. Brightand Sons, a place which offers a splendid treat forstrangers. Every descriptionof jewellery and preciousstones, silver plate, cutlery of the most exquisite workmanship, and a great variety of other elegant articles,are to bemetwith in this establishment together witha rich and choice assortment of the marbles, spars, andfluors of Derbyshire, -manufactured into tables, urns,vases, and Obelisks, 8m. The Banking business ofBuxtonand the v icinity is transacted by this respectablehouse.

Connected with these premises is the entrance intothe Promenade Rooms, where an excellent band of

music is in regular attendance ; the admission is one

shilling each, and the performances are select and

attractive. These Rooms furnish an agreeable and

elegant resort for visitors, and they are ingeneral wellattended, particularly when the weather is adverse toout-door exercises.

A little farther in the Crescent is the Post Office,kept by Mr. Moore, and immediately connected with itare his Bookselling establishment, and CirculatingLibrary, where a variety of engravings and publicationsillustrative of Derbyshire, maybe had. There is likewise at this place, 1mder the management of the same

BUxTON . 191

gentleman, a commodious News Room, where the

Londonand Provincial Papers are well supplied .

In the western wing of the Crescent are St. Ann’sBoarding House and Hotel, and a little farther ontheright is the Hall . On this site, inthe reign of QueenElizabeth, and sometime about the year 1560, William,

the Third Earl of Devonshire, built the first general

house of entertainment for Buxton visitants. Thisbuilding, long known bythe name of the OLD HALL ,was subsequently enlarged, and when the Crescentwas erected, a part of it was allowed to remain,and it is now one of the principal Hotels. In

the west Wing of the Crescent, and close upon the

Hall, the tepid Baths of Buxton are all comprised .

They are six innumber, one public and two private forgentlemen; one public, and one private for ladies and

the Charity Bath for the poor. The hot-baths are a

recent establishment. The apparatus connected withthem, and the manner inwhich thewater and the roomsare heated are thework of Mr. C. Sylvester, domesticEngineer, late of Great Russell-street, London. Theyare opposite the Grove Inn, and have a ready com

municationwith the Great Hotel, theonly circumstance,perhaps, that induced their erection in so confined a :

situation.

This brief mentionof the Baths naturally suggests anotice of THE BUXTO N BATH CHARITY ; one of the

most humble and unostentatious, yet efficient institutions that benevolence ever established . This Charityis principally supported by atrifling contribution leviedupon visitors to Buxton. Whenever anynew comersarrive, either at the Inns or principal Lodging Houses,

192 BUXTON .

immediately after dinner the Subscription Book 1s m

troduced, inwhich all strangers are expected to inserttheir names and residence, and payone shilling each,towards the relief of those who suffer the double in~

fliction of pain and poverty. This trifling donationblesses him that takes and him that gives it purchases the privilege of recommending one poor personto the Charity, who, onhis admission, is furnished withmedical assistance, the use of the Baths, and five

shillings a week for three weeks, towards his support .Though the policy of limiting donations to so trifling asum may perhaps be questioned, yet the practicaloperation of this regulation is generally approved.

Whenthe SubscriptionBook is introduced there is nobalancing between shillings and

‘

pounds, neither thedepth of the purse nor the feelings of the heart can beascertained, or even guessed at by the sum subscribedand all invidious comment or illiberal surmise are therefore precluded . In aid of the funds thus raised twoSermons are usually preached during the season at the

Parish Church, .where collections are made. The fol

lowing report of'

the Managers of this Charity for theyear 1 836, will sufficiently shew the extent of the

benefit derived from this small contribution

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

1 94 BuxTON .

Nearly opposite the westernwing of the Crescent isSt. Ann’s Well, a neat little structure, surmounted withanelegantly sculptured urn. Here the water is usuallytaken, the attendance of the Bath women being so

arranged as to suit the convenience of all who may

The efficacy of the Buxton waters in cases of rheumatism is well known and the gout and the palsy havealso sometimes yielded to their salutary influence. Dr.

Denman considers the Buxtonwaters as more active intheir effects thanis commonly supposed. In inflamma

tory and feverish complaints he interdicts them altoge

ther ; and even in cases where they are considered to bepeculiarly efficacious, he l imits the quantity to be takento a moderate portion. Two . g1asses,

”he observes,

each of the size of the third part of a pint, areasmuch

as ought to be drank before breakfast, at the distance offorty minutes betweeneach ; and one or two of thesameglasses betweenbreakfast and dinner,will,

”he adds, be

quite sufficient.” For invalids bathing, he recommends

the time betweenbreakfast and dinner ; and he directsthat “ the usual exercise shall be taken before goinginto the bath thewater never to he drank immediatelyprevious to bathing.

” From these observations, it isobvious that the Buxton waters should be resorted towith some degree of caution.

Having enumerated the various establishments included withinthe interior arrangements of the Crescent,the seat of these sanative waters, a fewbrief remarks

on its exterior character, may be here permitted.

This princely edifice is a fine specimen of the Doric

style of architecture. The whole extent of the front is

BUxTON . 1 95

threehundred and sixteen feet ; the spanof the Crescentbeing two hundred feet, and the wings fifty-eight feet

This splendid structure, saysMr. H. Moore, con

sists of three stories, the lower one being a rusticatedarcade, which forms an agreeable promenade. Abovethe arches, an elegant balustrade stretches along thewhole front and ends of the fabric ; over the piersof the arcade rise fifty- two fluted Doric pilasters, thatsupport the architrave and cornice : the triglyphs of theformer, and the rich plancher of the latter, have a beau

tiful appearance. The termination above the .corniceis formed by another balustrade, that extends along thewhole building, inthe centre of which are the Devonshire Arms, finely sculptured. In the space betweenth e windows runs anenriched string course.

”

The stables belonging tothe Crescent Hotels, constitute a fine range of buildings ; they occupy a gentlyrising ground, and their style of architecture is in

unisonwith the grandeur of the edifice with which theyare connected . A covered ride is carried round thearea which these buildings include, for the purpose ofaffording an bpportunityto the company at Buxtontoindulge in the useful exercise of riding, even inrainyweather. The cost of these two erections exceeded

fourteen thousand pounds. Thearchitectwas Mr. Carr,of York.

Another of the architectural ornaments of modernBuxton is the NEW CHURCH, a very handsome stonestructure, which owes its erection to the same noblefamily at whose expense the Crescent was built, and

under whose auspices a humble village has become, notN 2

196 BUXTON .

only one of themost important towns inDerbyshire, buta place of general and fashionable resort .The erectionof the Crescent was, no doubt, dictated

by a spirit ofmunificence, and it is executed ina style ofgrandeur that might well befittheresidence of a Princebut the site has been, in some respects, injudiciouslychosen. It is closely obtruded upon by a very un

seemly hill and the space inthe fiont of the building,instead of being broad and ample, as such a structurerequired, is in consequence too much contracted. To

make room for this erection, the river Wye, whichmight have beenmade a delightful object inthe scene,was, in this part of its course, denuded of its foliage,arched over, and completely hiddenfrom view ; andnow,

instead of appearing a sparkling, pleasant feature on

earth, it has to burrow its wayunderground, like a

mole— unseen, unheard .

We see what the Crescent is at present, and can

readily imagine what it might have been, had the

situationbeen selected with better judgment. On the

gentle elevationnear the site of the Church, it wouldhave had a far more splendid effect. The whole area

in front of the building, to the foot of St. Ann’s Cliff,might have been laid out in pleasure grounds, appro

priatelyadorned, and would thus have furnished, notonly an object of great beauty, but a series of delightfulpromenades. The proximity of the hotels to the baths,was, no doubt, the consideration that determined thesite of the Crescent.Within the last few years, St. Ann

’s Cliff has been

rendered tolerable by the taste and ingenuity of Sir J.

Wyatville. The form of the ground admits of but one

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

1 98 BUXTON .

they command, render them peculiarly delightful assummer residences. The top of Hall Bank opens ona

wide space of unoccupied ground, which is devoted tothe fairs and markets of Buxton. Here there are

several respectable inns and boarding houses ; and a

little farther on is the Eagle Hotel, a large establishment, and anexcellent posting house. Still farther, on

the left of the road, are theRising Sunand the CheshireCheese, both very comfortablehouses, andgenerally wellfilled during the season. From this, the old and upperpart of Buxton, a good carriage road leads to the openspace at the east entrance to the Crescent. Here theGrove and Angel Inns are situated, both houses ofsuperior accommodation, and the resort of the bestcompany. Nearly opposite the gate that leads to theCrescent, is Mr. Hall

’s Spar Museum, a pleasant lounge

for visitors. This gentleman’s manufactory and prin

cipal establishment are at Derby. He is well ac

quainted with the mineralogy of the county, always

willing to impart information to strangers, and a safeauthority to rely on. Lower down the street, in the

directionof Bakewell, there are several minorMuseumsbut theyneed notbe individually or particularly noticed .

P ooLE’

s HOLE . 199

CHAPTER V.

room’

s HALL— DIAMON D HILL— WALKS AND RIDES ABOUTEUXTON— CHEE -TOR, &c.

Amongst the curiosities of Buxton, PO OLE’S HOLE ,

which has the honour of being classed amongst theWonders of Derbyshire, claims precedence. Thiscave is situated at the foot ofGrinlowHill, about half amile west of Buxton. The entrance into it is low,narrow, and repulsive ; but within, it progressivelywidens, and the interior caverns are of considerableextent. I sawthis place in 1 8 1 8 , but have never beeninduced to pay it a second visit . Entering, we wereattended by a woman; so, at least, her garb bespokeher ; but, as she preceded us with her torch, she lookedmore like one of the Furies than a being of thisworld . We followed her from cell to cell, through asuccessionof rocky chasms, without being much pleasedwith our underground excursion. Those, indeed, whohave visited the Devil’s Cavern, at Castleton, willderive but little gratification from exploring Poole’sHole. The roof, floor, and sides of the cave aboundwith stalactical formations, which are sometimes so

thrown together as to bear a remote resemblance to

various objects. In one place we were shewn a

petrified turtle— aflitclzof bacon— and a rude mass ofstalagmite, called Old P oole

’s Saddle. Further onin

the cavern are other calcarious incrustations— a wool

pack— a chair— afont— a lady

’

s toilette— a lion— and

thep illar of Mary Q ueen of Scots. That thesenames

200 DIAMO ND HILL .

have beendealt outand appropriated ina very arbitrarymanner, may be easily imagined . The objects thusdesignated bear about as much resemblance to the

real ities, as the cloud that Hamlet points out to poor

Polonius might to a whale or a weazle. Poole’s Hole,from the entrance to the farthest extremity, is said to betwo thousand and seven feet.

Mr. H . Moore, in h is Excusions in Derbyshire, hasvery particularlyand accurately described all the principal caverns in the county. 1 , therefore, refer myreaders to his little volumes for a more elaborate and

minuteAbout a mile beyond Poole’

s llole is DIAMO NDIIIL L , a place often v isited by strangers, for the purposeof collecting those detached crystals which are heredenominated Bur ton D iamonds . These crystals arehexagonal, and their sides and angles are accuratelyformed ; but ingeneral they are of a bad colour, as butfewof them are found perfectly transparent. They are

hard, and the points, like the diamond, will cut glass ;but this property soonwears off . Mr. Moore observes,These crystals being found perfect and detached,

is a singular circumstance, and perhaps peculiar to

the spot.” He may, however, be informed, that they

are not peculiar to Buxton. They have been found inabundance on the western side of Priestcliff, on the old

road from Taddington to Miller’s-Dale, where they

If this gentlemenwould collect together all 11 15 yar1ons accountsof the different subtenanean recesses O f the Peak , and d1seneumber

them of other subjects, he would render a SCN lCG to tounsts . The

title The Caverns, Caves, and Grottos of the Peah"

-would sellh iswork, and he has the matter already prepared.

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

202 vu i N ITY o r RexTO N .

mayrest, whenhe is disposed, and enjoy this sylvanand

secluded scene.

The next delightful walk, or ride, (for it maybe

either) is along the Bakewell road, through Ashwood

Dale and Wye-Dale, in the direction of TOpleyP ike.

The scenery for three or four miles on this road is

peculiarly romantic and beautiful, and the ride maybe

extended to Miller’s-Dale, seven miles from Buxton,where the riverWye — the rocky avenue through whichit runs, and the luxuriant foliage that adorns its

banks, will amply atone for a little extra exertion.

From Miller’

s-Dale a path by the river, for pedestrians

only, leads to Ghee-Tor.

The road called the Duke’

s Drive leaves Buxton inthe same direction, but branches off to the right, about

half a mile from the town, and, ascending a gentle

elevation, it reaches the summit O f the rocky barrier

that forms one side of \Vye-Dale. Approaching the

chasm known by the name of the Lover’s Leap, the

v iews on the left are wildly romantic, and rich with

picturesque combinations. The channel of the W'

ye,

seen from this situation, is a narrow and deep ravine,the two sides of which are, inmany places, crested withjutting crags and spiral cliffs. Farther 0 1 1 , this pleasant

drive turns through an Open valley0 1 1 the right, and,

after making a circuit of about three miles, joins the

Ashbourn road, and re- enters Buxtonnear the Cheshire

Cheese. The Macelesfield road, on the side of Axe

Edge, and the Manchester road, over the h ills from the

Grove Inn, may likewise be enumerated amongst the

pleasant rides ab out Buxton; but the most attractive

CHER-TOR . 203

object inthe vicinity, within the reach of an hour’s ex

cursion, is CHE E -TOR .

The nearest road to this place, a distance of about

five miles, is through Fairfield to Wormhill . Our visit

was pedestrian; and a little beyond the Church at

Wormhill, on the left of the road, we stopped at a

respectable public house, called Chee-Tor Tavern.

Herewe obtained a guide to the Tor. We approachedthe dell, which is distinguished by the presence of this

huge rock, by a small wicket gate, nearly opposite to

Wormhill Hall, a neat pleasant residence, where a steep

and narrow path led us into the very depths of the dale,just where two formidable springs of water rush frombeneath the rocks, and, forming an impetuous current,course their way in one united stream into the river

Wye below. This body of water,— called WormhillSprings, after being engulphed inthe earth, attheWaterSwallows, near Fairfield, pursues its way, for aboutthree miles, through a subterranean channel, and thenemerges into dayin this contracted dell.We had now to clamber over a rock on our right,

which guards the entrance into Chee-Dale. Here we

paused, to gaze uponthe scenewhich this rocky moundcommands. Looking upwards, the Tor, and the deepdell around it, form a grand and splendid picturedownwards, it is a stiller, aless spirit stirring scene, butnot less beautiful . In the deepest recess of the dellbelow, the river Wye, fringed with trees, and spannedby a rustic bridge, runs rapidly along. The king-fisher,just flitting underneath the branches, h is gayplumagetouched with light, is scarcely more brilliant thanthestream . The sides of theDaleare formed by steep hills

204 CREE -TOR.

andjutting crags ; lower down, a line of thick wood, withrock above and foliage below, extends across the Dale.

Here the Wye pursues its way unseen amongst thetrees ; its progress is, however, distinctly defined by theforms of the hills that shape its course. Beyond thissylvan screen the broad eminence of Priestcliff rearshigh its mighty cone.

We now descended into Chee-Dale by a steep and

slippery path, and another wicket gate admitted us intothe spacious recess that spans the front of the Tor.

Sentiment, feeling, passion, and pathos, mayall be

expressed and enforced by words ; but in the delineationof such a scene as nowlaybefore us, language isimpotent : andyet, the tourist who undertakes to describe the features of the country in

~which he makes his

perambulations, must not be deterred by commondifficulties, even though his efforts prove unsuccessful .Chee-Tor is an immense limestone rock, which rises

with a bold and broad convex front from the level ofthe Dale below, to the height of at least three hundredfeet some accounts saythree hundred and sixty. It ischiefly naked, and, towards the top, indented withfissures, from which, in a few places only, branches of

trees shoot forth, varying and adorning this stupendouselevationwith picturesquebeauty. It is nearly isolated,and protrudes its huge dimensions far into the dell.At its base, the river Wye rushes rapidly along, as

sparkling and brilliant a stream as ever imparted beautyand animation to a scene in nature. A high range

of perpendicular rock, in the form of a mighty ere

scent, rises in front of this GIANT OF THE DE LL ,on the opposite side of the stream, at the dis

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

206 TISSIN GTON .

CHAPTER VI.

TISSIN GTON— ADDRE SS TO FLORA— THORPE CLOUD— DOVE-DALES C EN E RY OF THE DALE— DOVE-DALE CHURCH— REYN ARD’SHALL— ILAM STON E— DO VE H OLE S.

FROM Buxtonto Newhaven, a distance of about elevenmiles, the country, although not absolutely sterile, isextremely dreary, and totally devoid of picturesquebeauty. Hillsanddalesappear indistanceonboth sidesofthe read; some are barren, and some havethe appearanceof recent cultivation: here and there some stunted firshave beenplanted, but so “ few and far between,

”as

neither to adorn the landscape, nor afford shelter to acottage. All around, as far as the eye can reach, thewhole prospect is singularly cheerless and uninviting.

Approaching Newhaven, the fields assume a pleasanteraspect, and the herbage, at the time of our excursion,was fresh, cheerful, and abundant. At this place, numerous booths were erecting for a Fair, which is heldhere twice a year. A pub lic Fair, in the midst of awild country, newly obtained from the moors, with onlyhere and there a solitary dwelling to intimate that it isnot entirely deserted by man, seems somewhat of ananomalous establishment ; and yet, we understood thatthese Fairs are generally well attended, and muchbusiness in the sale and purchase of cattle transacted .

Proceeding a fewmiles farther, along the Buxtonand

Ashbournroad,we came to the vicinity of Tissington.

Here the fields and dales onour left beganto look verypicturesque and beautiful, and the hedge-rows were

TISSINGTON . 207

studded with trees. We had left the region of stonewall fences behind us, and had come oncemoreamongstmore cheerful andpleasing objects. Nearer Tissington,the fields, the fences that enclose them, and the fine

foliage of the trees, began to assume somewhat of anaristocratic character, and we felt that we were in the

immediate neighbourhood of a good, if not a splendid

mansion. TissingtonHall, the residence Of Sir HenryFitzherbert, was close upon our left, but so thickly

surrounded with trees, that we could only get a

glimpse Of it as we passed . Immediately connectedwith this baronial mansion is the small but pleasantvillage of Tissington. This retired place, insignificantas it is in size, and scant in population, is, in somerepects, of too much importance to be passed withoutremark. It is the seat of a custom that once extensively prevailed in many parts of the kingdom, but

which is now nearly confined to Tissington. The

practice of dressing wells with flowers, and appro

priating a particular dayinthe year to the grateful expression of feeling, for one of the best boons of nature,is a custom which we cannot but regret should everhave beensuffered to fall into decay. Holy Thursdayis annually devoted to the Observance of this ruralfestival. On this occasmn, the village wells, five in

number, are fancifully, and often tastefully decorated,with the richest and choicest flowers peculiar to the

season. There is a sermonatthe Church, from whencethe inhabitants go inprocession, preceded by a band ofmusic to the different wells, where the collects for thedayare read insuccession, and psalms and hymns aresung. Afterwards, the villagers entertain their fiiends

208 TISSINGTON .

inthegood old fashioned styleofEnglish hospitality,and

spend the remainder of the dayin cheerful amusements.

Who but a gloomy, cold-hearted ascetic, that cannotbear to see his fellow creatures happy, would wish toblot out such a dayas this from the calendar of villageholidays ? N o"let it be preserved as a record of

grateful feeling ; and should the goddess Flora evervisit this part of Derbyshire onHoly Thursday, let herpause here, and give her choicest flowers to decoratethewells of Tissington, ere she proceed to her own

peculiar domain at Alton Abbey. The followingstanzas were the result of my musings on this interesting village festival

ADDRESS TO FL O‘RA .

Blythe Goddess"leave thythrone of flowers,Opening their bright eyes to the sun

’Mid the gaygroves of AltonTowers,Andwend thywayto Tissington.

There, as the gurgling streamlets flow,Or bubble intheir nativewellFlora thychoicestwreaths bestow,To grace the village festival,

Gemthe greenfields with fairestflowers ;But, oh "keep Lows" and PRIDE * apart ;

FORGET-ME-N OT twine round their bowers,And banish thence the BLEEDING HEART.

‘

The nymphs thatmingle inthytrain,With roseate cheek and sparkling eye,

Shall shoot fromouttheir gaydomain,Love’swily shafts, whenthou art by.

0 Provincial names of some of thepansies, 8 m.

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

2 1 0 DO VE -DALE .

Cradled inwells, or runlets playing,Water where’

er thybrightstreamflows,’Mongst rocks, orwastes, orwildwoods straying,

The desert blossoms like the rose.

”

Directly opposite the entrance to Sir Henry Fitzherbert’s Park, we left the Ashbourn road, and

turned into Speu-lane, just where the guide-post announces, four miles to Ilam .

” Two miles farther,shortly after leaving that well known public house, theDog and Partridge, on our left, we came to Thorpe,through which there is a carriage road to Cheadle.

Our path now lay along some open pastures, until,winding round the northernbase of Thorpe Cloud, wefirst beheld the translucent stream of the Dove, playingand sparkling inthe deep hollow of the Dale below.

The first part of Dove-Dale is an open dell, nearlyhalf a mile inlength. The hills on both sides of the

river are steep, butnot precipitous. Bunster Hill, on

the left, is a fine eminence. From the base to the sum

mit, the surface, though everywhere rugged and un

even, is notmarked by anystriking peculiarity : occasionallya fragment of rock, or here and there a stuntedtree standing alone, varies the general monotony of thisside of theDale. The right is more diversified dwarfash, and aged thorn trees cover the s10pes downto thevery brink of the stream . There is a character ofwild

ness, rather than of beauty, about the scene ; andyet

the river, in its whole progress, is as delightful a stream

as ever enlivened a mountain recess. At the upper

extremity of this division of the Dale, a high rockymound, stretching to the very verge of the river, interposes— a rugged, but not an impassable barrier. On

DO VE -DALE . 2 1 1

attaining this eminence, Dove-Dale displays all the

grandeur of its character. Opposite the base of thishill

, the views from the Staffordshire side of the riverare peculiarly fine. The foreground is broken, and

singularly rich with picturesque materials ; the streamas it rushes over the rocky fragments that impede itscourse, is a brilliant feature in the scene. The crags

and cliffs above rise grandly out of the foliage and the

remoter eminences, beautifully varied inoutline, surface,and colour, unite happily with the composition, and

present altogether one of the finest landscapes intheDale.

It is nowabout twenty years since I first visited thisplace every featurewas thennewtome, and every objectdelightful . Charmed with the scene, I sat down on a

fragment of rock to describe the picturebeforeme, for Ithen trusted nothing to recollection. The delineation,if at that time correct, has not yet lost anymaterialportionof its fidelity.

“The river Dove,” I then. oh

served, “ is one of the most beautiful streams that evergave a charm to landscape ; and while passing alongthe first, and least picturesque division of the Dale, theear is soothed with its murmurings, and the eye

delighted with the play and brilliancy of the water. In

some places it flows smoothly and tranquilly along, butnever slowly ; inothers, its motion is rapid, impetuous,and even turbulent. The ash, the hazle, the slenderosier, and the graceful birch, hung with honey sucklesand wild roses, dip their pensile branches in the stream,

and break its surface into beautiful ripples. Hugefragments of stone, toppled from the rocks above, and

partly covered with moss and plants that haunt and love0 2

2 1 2 DOVE —DALE .

the water, divide the stream into many currents roundthese it bubbles in limpid rills, that circle into innumer

able eddies, which, by their activity, give life and

motionto a great variety of aquatic plants and flowers,that grow in the bed of the river : these wave theirslender stems under the surface of the water, which,flowing over them, like the transparent varnish of a picture, brings forth the richest and most v ivid colouring .

Occasionally, large stones are thrownacross the stream ;

over, and amongst these it rushes rapidly into the poolbelow, forming, in frequent falls of this description, a

series of fairy cascades, about which it foams and

sparkles with a beauty and brilliancy peculiar to thisl ively and romantic river.

”

The second division of Dove-Dale now layin the

hollowbefore us. It was a transition from one speciesof beauty inscenery to another— from the simple to thegrand, andwe felt and admired the change. The rocksin this part of Dove-Dale, although singular, and, in

some places, rather fantastic in form, are strikinglypicturesque in combinationand effect ; and the foliage,particularly on the left of the dell, is rich and beautifully varied.Honest Isaac Walton, and his friend Cotton, have

both paid due homage to the river Dove ; and nearBeresford’s enchanting glen,

”the old fishing house, a

memorial of their friendship, still exists upon its banks.

Since the time of these two worthies, other bards havemade this river the theme of their song. Dr. Darwinhas hymned its praises insplendid versification ; andMr. J . Edwards, of Derby, has made it the subject of

two long, andpleasing cantos. His Tour of theDove”

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

2 1 4 DOVE -DALE .

ratelyof anyone scene or object inthe Dale : and yet,Farringdonwas a Royal Academecian This is takinga liberty with nature on the one hand, and with the

public on the other, which is utterly unwarrantable,both inartand morals. Sir Francis Chantrey, R . A., is

perhaps theonlyartistwho has done full justiceto thepicturesque scenery of this romantic Dale. His drawings,made for the quarto edition of Peak Scenery,

”and

engraved by the late George Cooke, are faithful representations of the various scenes that he selected for theexercise of his pencil, and their beauty and brillianceare equal to their fidelity. The view from the Staffordshire side of the river is a peculiarly fine combinationofforms and objects, pourtrayed with so much truth andcharacter as to render descriptionuseless.

Onthe left bank of the river in this division of theDale, a curious assemblage of rocks, called DOVE -DALECHURCH, forms a peculiar and imposing feature. Theyare closely united at the base shooting upwards, theyare split and rent into separate parts, that terminate incones and pinnacles. Edwards, in his poem, alreadymentioned, has beautifully alluded to this singularspot

Thouvenerable fane"thywallswere reared,

Thyivied arches springing roofed the void,Thyfretted spires above the trees appeared,Ere science one fair order had employedOnemetal, gold or silver unalloyed,

To shape and ornament her piles with graceAndyet, the high emotions here enjoyed,

The humbling thoughts thathumanpride abase,

Mightwell befitthe service of a holier place.

DOVE -DALE . 2 15

I glance around the dale from right to leftIt seems as paradisewere passing by,

And I beheld it from this secret cleft,Flowers yield their fragrance ; trees, luxuriant, high,Climb the rude rocks ; and inthe orient sky,

O’

er yonder peak, the sunreveals h is fires ;The sparkling stream of Dove has caught his eye

His glory lightens all the cliffs and spires

1 see, I feel, myspirit glows with raptdesires.

O hither bring the harp fromJudah ’

s palms,With psaltery, sackbut, dulcimer, and lute ;

Themusic tuned of old to goldenpsalms,This crag-built Church , these rocky aisleswill suitThey come— thewilderness no more is mute ;

Thewinds have broughtthe harpings of the sky;Dove breathes her dulcet tones, the lark his flute

The psaltry, trees, the sackbut, caves supply,And one harmonious voice of praise ascends onhigh .

Nearly opposite to Dove-Dale Church, on the,side

of a steep hill, is Reynard’s Hall, a magnificent rocky

arch of considerable dimensions . This archway formsthe entrance to an open space beyond, at the fartherend of which a smaller portal is seen, at the base of an

interior rock ; and one side of it communicates with aspacious cavern, from whence a fine view of this part ofDove-Dale is obtained .

Near this cavern, (some accounts say lower downin the dale,) a Reverend Gentleman, the Deanof Clogher, rode his horse amongst the rocks highup the side of the hill, with a lady (Miss la Roche)mounted by him . The horse and the riders fell intothe hollow below . The Deanwas killed, and a tombstone inAshbourn Church-yard records his fate. Miss

2 1 6 DOVE -DALE .

la Roche escaped with some slight bruises, and lived torepent the enterprise.

The third divisionof Dove-Dale succeeds. This is

a narrow cleft between the rocks, affording just space

enough for the river, and a contracted pathway along

one side of it ; on the other, the stream washes thebase of the rocks. Proceeding forward, this channel,narrow as it is, becomes still more contracted, and, fora short distance, the only means of advancing is bystepping from one stone to another inthe bed of the

river. Here the rocks onthe right tower perpendicularlyto a fearful height, and seem almost ready to toppleon your head . On the opposite side, they are almostcovered with luxuriant trees, that dip their pendantbranches in the stream . A little~beyond this narrowpass, the third section of Dove-Dale terminates. On

the left, an immense isolated pillar of rock, called IlamStone, disrupted, as it were, from the mighty masswith which it appears to have been once connected,stands halfwayinthe stream onthe right, and narrowsthe chasm, through which apleasantbut remote prospect

appears. This portal forms the entrance into a fourthdivision of the Dale, where the scenery assumes a

widely different character. On the right is a steeprocky bank, nearly covered with hazle, ash, and dwarffoliage, amongst which a few j utting crags are occasionallyseen. This range of hill continues for abouthalf a mile, and terminates at the narrow entrance intoMill-Dale, a wild and cheerless recess amongst the

mountains. At a considerable height above the levelof the river, we entered a magnificent rocky cavern,

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

THE

DERBYSHIRE TOURIST’

GUIDE ,

AND

T R A V E L L I N G C O M P A N I O N .

SECTION V .

ILAM HALL— ALTON TOWERS .

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

222 ILAM.

one broad, harmonious composition. Turner woulddelight in depicting such a scene : the soft aerial tintand visionary light with which this artist, particularlyinhis water-colour drawings, invests the productions ofhis pencil, would make Ilam look almost as lovely on

canvass as i t does embosomed inits woody domain.

From the terrace walk at the front of Ilam Hall, thegrounds slope gently toward the river and the villageChurch—yard, from which they

,

are divided by an

invisiblefence. The Church, which is a structure of

by-gone days, has a tower at the west end, a nave, anda chancel. The tower, and the pinnacles at the angles,are entirely covered with ivy ; not a fragment of stonework is to be seen, and the clock lies like a bird’s nest

amongst the branches. N o boundary wall separates theChurch-yard from the adjoining grounds but an ornamental border of shrubs and flowers marks the extent ofthis place of village sepulture.

Onthe north side of the chancel of the Church, a

family vault has been recently built, and a moderngothic Chapel erected over it . This Chapel containsone of themasterly productions of Sir Francis Chantrey,a monumental group inmarble, to the memory of the

late P ikeWatts, Esq. the father of Mrs. Watts Russell.I had noticed this fine work of art previously to itserectionat Ilam, but I shall here take the liberty of re

peating my remarks :“Monumental sculpture, gene

rally, is of a very common-place character, consisting ofgroups, dignified by the word classical, where the car

dinal virtues, as they are called, unmeaning personifications, allegorical allusions, and winged figures, repre

senting angels, 8m. commonly occupy the most conspi

ILAM . 223

cuous situations butChantrey’

s designs, in this department of his art, have a far more simple, more affecting,and sublimer character : they appeal to the heart, by a

representationof natural and probable occurrences, or

what the mind and feel ings naturally associate with thedisruption of all earthly ties. Humanbeings are hisonly agents, and he employs them in those oflices in

which humanbeings alone canbear a part . This mo

nument in the new Chapel at Ilam is strikingly illustrative of these observations. In this fine work, thevenerable Pike Watts is represented on

'

his bed ofdeath, from which he has half raised himself by a final

effort of expiring nature, to perform the last solemnact

of a long and virtuous life. His only daughter, and herchildren, all that were dearest to him in life, surround

his couch, and bend at h is side, as they receive from hislips the blessings and benedictions of a dying parent .Nothing canbe more affecting than this family groupthe figures have the semblance of beings like ourselves,with passions, feelings, and affections similar to our

own; we can, therefore, sympathize in their affliction,and mingle our tears with theirs. Fame, justice, wisdom, fortitude, charity, faith, religion, are all repre

sented by certainunderstood modifications of the humanform, and they may be bodied forth in marble withgreat skill and felicity of execution. But incomparisonwith the work now referred to, how cold and feeble arethe effects they produce" As specimens of beautifulworkmanship, they may excite admiration, but theycannot reach theheart,nor call its finer and more touching sympathies into action.

”

Peak Scenery.

224 ILAM .

The Chapel inwhich this monument is placed is entered by a door from the chancel of the Church, and islighted by windows of painted glass but unless the skybe clear and bright without, the light is somewhat toofeeble and sombre. Ilam has other attractions thanthesplendid monument just mentioned : there is, indeed, adegree of romantic beauty about this quiet and secludedspot that no descriptioncan convey anadequate idea of.The gardens and grounds, although but ona limitedscale, are laid outwith the greatest tasteand judgment,and the surrounding woods are unrivalled ingrandeurand beauty. Ina sequestered spot, amongst the treesonthe right of the valley, thereis a grotto, inwhichCongreve is said to have written his comedy of The

Old Bachelor,” and a part of his “Mourning Bride.

”

At the foot of the rock near this\

place, the HAMP Sand the MAN IFOLD, two of the principal rivers inthenorth of Staffordshire, after pursuing their course forseveral miles through subterranean channels, burst instantaneously into day, about twenty yards apart fromeach other. They almost immediately unite, and, running rapidly along through the grounds and village of

Ilam, and the meadows below, join the river Dove, a

mile, or amile and a half above Mappleton.

At Ilam Hall, an elegant conservatory and picture

gallery are connected with the house. During the lastthree years, I have paid four visits to Ilam but owingto some cause or other, - probably the absence of the

family, — I have never gained admittance to the newpicture gallery, a circumstance I much regret, as it was

my wish to have noticed the pictures in this volume.

Hilton’s Una among the Satyrs,” I have beforemen

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

226 ALTON TOWERS .

we were comfortably seated in a good supper-room,

at Orrell’

s Hotel, in the pleasant village of Farley— an

excellent inn, wherewepassed the night, highly gratifiedwith the attention of our host, and the good cheer hishouse afforded.

The scenery around Farley is of a highly romanticcharacter, and well stored with picturesque objects.

The bold inequalities of the ground on the right, and

the masses of dark wood with which they are covered,together with the towers and turrets of Alton Abbey,directly opposed to the horizon, and rising out of aforest of sombre foliage, so extensive as to appear

almost interminable, present a scene of more than

ordinary beauty, which the dubious and indistinct atmosphere, at the timewe first saw it,

‘

during the twilight ofa summer’s evening, elevated into grandeur.

CHAPTER II.

A LTON ABBEY— THE raosrsc'r rowan— rm: GARDE NS— MOONLIGHT

SCEN E— EARL or snauwssuav’s DRIV E .

ON the morning after our arrival, the sunat intervals

shone forth with unwonted splendour, and the rainwhich had fallen during the night gave a hue of fresh

ness to the scene around.

From the inn at Farley, a five minutes’ walk across

some pleasant fields brought us to the entrancej nto theplantation grounds that environ the noble mansionof

AltonTowers. A smooth carriage road, bordered with

turf and flowering shrubs, and thickly fenced beyond

A LTON TOWERS . 227

with dark gloomy pines, that form an impenetrablescreen, leads to the front of the house, which is situated

ona smooth verdant lawn of moderate dimensions, thatslopes gently to the verge of a small lake, onthe opposite side ofwhich there is anextensive farm house, with

a castellated front, so situated and arranged as to form

anharmonious feature inthe scene. The lawnand the

lake areseparated from the principal gardens, by amagnificent gothic bridge, and a high embankment, on

which its foundations rest. The battlements of thebridge are surmounted with openbalusters, that have afine ornamental effect, particularly whenseenfrom within

the gardens, the access to which is through one of theprincipal arches.

AltonAbbey is afinespecimenof castellated architecture, and admirably adapted for a picturesque display oflight and shadow. The parts are simple, broad, and

massy, andnowhere loaded with ornament ; though thelarge cathedral-likewindow ofthe dining hall,andthe talltower of the Chapel beyond, are ina richly decorativestyle. The tower is light and elegant inproportion, ofa commanding height, and beautiful in workmanship .

Alton Abbey is indeed a magnificent edifice, and a

fitting residence for the noble family of the Talbots.

This fine structure occupies a situation on a plainof considerable extent, surrounded by a highly picturesque country of hills and dales ; streams, rocky precipices, deep ravines, and woods of almost impenetrablefoliage. Thus situated by nature, art has rendered ita paradise of loveliness.

At a short distance west of the mansion, a prospecttower has beenerected, the top of which commands a

r 2

228 “

ALTO N TOWERS .

panoramic view that comprises within its vast horizonanassemblage of objects, so rare and interesting, as to

have but few parallels in anypart of the kingdom .

The tower itself is not a paltry narrowbuilding, placedona hill as a landmark merely, but of great altitudeand broad dimensions— fine in its proportions, simpleand beautiful in design, and excellent in execution.

This isolated structure, rising with majestic grandeurfrom out a forest of thickest foliage, from whatever partof the grounds it is beheld, is a remarablynoble featureinthe scene. It gives dignity and consequence to theplace where it stands, and the very woods that wavearound it seem ennobled by its presence.

I have enumerated a fewonly of the principal objectsof attraction at Alton Abbey, and must confine myfuture observations to the gardens, which have obtaineda celebrity not to be affected by anypraise or censure

of mine. These we saw in all their splendour. The

sun shone brightly in the h eavens, and the richestfoliage

“ just washed with a shower,”enlivened the

earth . Under anarch of the bridge near the lake, at

the north front of the house, we entered this elysian

scene— this fairy ground of delight. A temple, almost

as beautiful as that of the Sybils at Tivoli, occupies aprominent place near the entrance into the gardens.

Inthemiddle of this elegant structure, amarblepedestal,inscribed, HE MADE THE DE SERT SMILE ,” sustains abust of the late Earl of Shrewsbury— a masterly production, by Campbell. He made the desert smile.

The words struck forcibly on the mind : thirty years

ago,this delightful spot was a mere rabbit warren,

overgrown with gorse and fern, and a few stunted

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

ALTON TOWERS .

and classic columns— terracewalks and gayparterreswith shrubs and flowers of every hue, insome placesharmoniously combined, like the tints of the rainbowinothers, varied, sparkling, and brilliant as the figuresina kaleidoscope— composed the rich picture set beforeus. Inthe midst of this bright and fanciful scene, midwayup the hill onthe left, stands the conservatory, theglory and boast of the gardens, with its sevenglassdomes, coroneted around with ornaments of burnishedgold, and looking like a fairy palace amidst a scene ofenchantment.The view from this elevated terrace walk, compre

hends nearly the whole of this splendid vale of flowerswhich London, in his “ Observations on Cottage and

Villa Architecture, characterises as one of the mostextraordinary combinations of garden building, withgardenscenery, anywhere existing inEurope.

”Inthe

lower part of the valley, onan island inthe midst of apond of water, stands an unfinished pagoda, which isapproached by a richly ornamented Chinese bridge.

This structurewas originally intended to have beenone

of the most wonderful things in this wonderful place ;but one story only has beenerected. It was designedby Mr. Abraham, the principal architect employed inthese gardens ; and, according to Loudon, was to h avebeen one hundred feet high, and to have spoutedwater from one hundred dragons.

” This height was tohave been divided into six several stories, each diminishing in dimensions ; and forty highly enrichedChinese lamps, lighted by a gasometer in the lowerStory, were to have been suspended f rom the separatestages of the structure. Numerous dragons, gorgons

ALTON TOWERS. 231

and “ chimeras dire, spouting out water from theirmouths, eyes, fins, tails, andnostrils, were to have ornamented the different angles. It was likewise intended

to have projected a perpendicular column of water,seventy or eighty feet, from the topmost point of thepagoda : but the death of the late Earl of Shrewsburyprevented the accomplishment of this superb con

trivance.

’le

From the situationwe nowoccupied, a fragment ofStonehenge is seennear one extremity of the view ; andthe other, looking towards the north-east, is dis

tinguished by a bold craggy eminence, called Thomson’s Rock, which is the site of anelegant gothic temple,consisting of several tiers or balconies, rich with architectural ornament and splendid gilding.

Pursuing the usual route of strangers, and passingalong the gardens onthe south side of the valley, wecame to anelevated situationnear the SWISS COTTAGE ,a building large enough for a farm house, which isnestled amongst the most luxuriant foliage, and ornamented with honeysuckles, jasmines, and roses. It is adelightful spot, and a fit abode for a mountainminstrel .The view from this retired walk is extremely rich inarchitectural splendour. The different conservatoriesare conspicuous objects, and all the magnificent adornments of this enchanting scene are finely displayed.

Following our guide and leader, we descended to thepagoda inthe valley, and from thence wound our wayamongst a labyrinth of sweets and flowers, to a broadand lofty terrace, where the principal conservatory

This account ofwhat the pagodawas intended to be, is chieflyabridged fromLondon.

232 A LTON TOWERS .

stands. Richly sculptured urns, vases, columns, busts,groups, and statues unite their various attractions in thisfavoured spot, and invest it with a character of classicelegance.

Whenwe first entered these gardens, I took outmySketch-book, intending to store it with observations, to beafterwards referred to butI soonabandoned my design,and pocketed both book and pencil. Detail and descriptionare useless in such a scene : it cannot be depictedinwords. Thosewho have read the ArabianNights’

Entertainments,”

(andwho, indeed, has notP) and beenblinded with the splendour of the scenes in that popularromance, have only to imagine a series of gardens, andgrottos, and temples, almost equal inmagnificence, and

the visionary picture their fancy creates may, perhaps,shadow forth a faint resemblanceof the gardens atAlton

Abbey. They are, in fact, more like a vision thana

reality— an ideal creation, that seems not of earth,”

and yet“ is onit .”

The site of these gardens is a deep narrow valley,that, gradually widening, extends from the house nearly

a mile and a half, where it opens into a wider vale,watered by the river Churnet, which in many places is

an.

object of beauty. This place, originally, was farfrom rich in natural advantages ; on the contrary, itmust have presented many formidable obstacles to thevarious improvements that have beenmade, and which

nothing but the most determined perseverance couldpossibly have accomplished. The late Earl of Shrewsbury was one of the boldest men that ever waged warwith nature, and “ MADE A DE SERT SMILE .

” It wasonly about the year 1 8 14 that he first beganto orna

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

234 ALTON TOWERS.

should have more forcibly felt, had we not beenpreviouslyinformed, that during the absence of the Earl ofShrewsbury, who was at this time ontheContinent, theinterior of AltonAbbey is invariably inaccessible to

strangers.

A very intelligent gentleman from London, withwhom I have conversed S ince my visit to this place,told me that he once passed a few hours here bymoonlight, in the early part of autumn. After pm mbulating the grounds for some time, he took up hisstation on the bridge that separates the lawn from thegardens. He leaned upon the balustrades, contemplating the subdued glories of this enchanting place.

The minutia of detail was lost in bold and imposingmasses. The dark pines, which cover the hills thatform the two sides of the valley, marked the extent ofthe scene. Theglassy domes of the conservatories, andthe golden ornaments with which they were enwreathed,glittered in the Silvery light. Statues, busts, urns,columns, vases, and temples were dimly seen in the

various walks, and the bright lake, with its picturesquewater tower, filled up the hollow of the vale. The

temple onthehighest hill onthe left, and the Swiss Cottage, the residence of theWelsh harper,nestled amongstthe pines onthe right, were touched with the mild lightof the broad harvest moon, and the whole scene wasdelicious. The owl was heard occasionally bootingamongst the trees ; but the song of the nightingale,which, but a few months before, was heard inAveryrecess ofthe valley, was nowsilent. The evening wassingularly beautiful and tranquil ; not a cloud was intheheavens, and every thing around seemed hushed and

ALTON TOWERS . 235

soothed into the deepest repose. Such was the night

scene which my friend enjoyed atAltonTowers.

Leaving this delightful place, we returned to Farley,ordered our carriage, and from thence proceeded, along

the Earl of Shrewsbury’s ride, to the Uttoxeter road.

This ride is carried through groves of pine, near thetop of the hill that forms the northernboundary of thegardens ; but, for the first mile and a half, it is so

closely beset with trees, that scarcely a glimpse canbe

obtained of the lovely scenery beyond. Where the

pine plantations terminate, the foliage on the road sidebecomes less impervious, andwe had, for the first time,anuninterrupted view of the deep vale of the Churnet.The river here flows smoothly and slowly along, a

powerful but tranquil stream, Without even the sem

blance of a ripple. Such, indeed, is the general character of the Churnet but directly opposite to theelevated situationwe occupied, its quiet current is interrupted by a wear, thrown across for the purpose ofworking a mill which is here situated amidst the surfand foam, and circling eddies of the stream : it thenbecomes rapid and sparkling ; anobject of beauty, life,and motion. Looking across the valley and the river,to the hills beyond, and taking a retrospective glance atthe scenery we had left, theground is finely diversified inform, and almost entirely covered with woods, composedchiefly of lofty pines, from whose dark coverts thetowers and turrets of Alton Abbey rise with peculiargrandeur. About half a mile further, we left the Earlof Shrewsbury

’s drive by a splendid lodge andgateway,

and proceeded onward for about half a mile, whenwecame to the Uttoxeter road, near the fifth mile-stone

236 A SHBOURN .

from Ashbourn shortly after, we passed throughEllastone and Mayfield, crossed the river Dove, and

proceeded to Ashbourn, where we stopped for a middaylunch .

CHAPTER III .

A SE EOURN — TR E CHURCH— MON UMENT or Si r. BROOKE EOOTREY’

S

DAUGHTER— MON UMENT or THE TWO CHILDRE N AT LICHFIELD,BY S IR r . CHANTREY— V IA O ELLIA— CON CLUSIO N or THE FIRSTEXCURSIO N .

ASHBOUBN , twelve miles from Matlock, is a neat, clean,and respectable looking town, pleasantly situated in a

very beautiful part of the country. High hills shelter itfrom the cold winds of the north, and, towards thesouth,it looks upona fine open valley, richly cultivated, alongwhich the river Dove meanders through some of the

most fertile mea dows in the kingdom. The Church, a

pleasing specimen of gothic architecture, was' built

about the middle of the thirteenth century. It is intheform of a cross, with a square tower rising from the

centre, which is surmounted by a lofty and elegantly

ornamented spire. The interior is light and spacious,and the pillars that support the roof are strong and

messy. These pillars have in several places been

strangely defaced and cut away, inorder that some unmeaning monumental tablets, might be more conveni

ently put against them . It is a pity that the Churchwardens who allowed such a mutilation to take place

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

238 A SHBOURN .

and tender feeling, probably suggested to Sir F. Chantrey the executionof that masterpiece of art, the groupof the two children, which is nowthe grace and orna

ment of Lichfield Cathedral, and the boast of modernsculpture.

A visit to the monument inAshbourn Church, aftera lapse of twenty years, together with the coincidenceof being seated inthe same room, and probably at thesame table, where the designof Sir F. Chantrey

’s mas

terly production at Lichfield was first committed to

paper, afford me anopportunity of correcting somemisrepresentations that havebeencirculated onthe subject .I may, therefore, I hope, he indulged with a page or

two ofd igression, previously to proceeding onmywayto Matlock.

It has been repeatedly said, and extensively bruitedabout, particularly amongst artists, that Sir F. Chantrey,the sculptor of this monumental group, having but littleimagination, and not being capable of making a gooddesignhimself, was at one time inthe constant practiceof employing others in this department of his art, and

that Stothard was the highly gifted manof whose talenthe regularly availed himself. It has, indeed, been con

fidently stated, that the monument to Miss JohneS, ofHafod, and the group of the two children at Lichfield,

were both designed and drawnby Stothard.It is equally as unjust to rob a personof his reputa

tionas of his purse and it is equally a duty we owe toone another to defend a man’s fair fame from injury, as

to protect his money from the robber. My acquaintance with the origin of the two monuments just mentioned would have enabled me to have done this long

ASHBOURN . 239

ago ; but Sir F. Chantrey'

s indifference on the subject

has always interfered with an intention which, without

his knowledge, I nowfulfil .

The E clectic Review for November, 1 828, inanar

ticle on Smith’s Nollekins and his Times,”after de

tailing the several stages through which productions in

sculpture regularly pass, observes, Here is obviously

no necessity for the intervention of the master, except

ing in the designand the model ; nor is it, as we haveunderstood, by anymeans unusual for the first of theseto be furnished by artists of readier inventionthansomesculptors are supposed to possess. We have heard, inparticular, that one of our ablest men, and another ofvery inferior eminence, have beenaltogether indebted,the one to Smirke, and the other to Stothard, for theiroriginal sketches. Of course, we do not vouch for thecorrectness of these reports, though we repeat them on

high authority. Thereviewer, inthispassage, evidentlyalludes to Sir F. Chantrey. He does not, as he says,vouch for the correctness of these reports,

” but headds, “we repeat them onhigh authority.

” I amnotuninformed of what has beenoften said onthis subject,nor am I ignorant of the fact that Mr. Stothard’s privateSketch-book contains drawings of the two monumentsin question; a circumstance that has been frequentlyadduced to establish the correctness of the report,

”re

presenting Mr. Stothard to have beenemployed by SirF. Chantrey as the designer altogether

” of his monumental sculpture. That he atone time receivedmanyuseful suggestions fi'

om this veteranartist, is extremelyprobable ; they were in the habit of frequently seeingand conversing with each other, and such amanas Sto

240 ASHBOURN .

thard could scarcely talk five minutes onsubjects'

of art,

without making some observationor other which a tyrointhe profession might turnto account, and sometimesadvantageously use ; but I cannot imagine that he evercountenanced the report that the monument of the twochildrenatLichfieldwas designed by himself. He ought,indeed, to have said that itwas not, becausehis Sketchbook had led, in many instances, to false conclusions.

The originof this designwas briefly as follows. Sir F .

Chantrey had received acommissionfor thismonumentalgroup from Mrs. Robinson, of Lichfield, the widowedmother of the two children, whose untimely fate it wasintended thus to commemorate. A request accompaniedthe commission, that he would see the monument to thememory of Sir BrookeBoothby

’s daughter, inAshbourn

Church, previously to making his design, as She wishedto have something like it. About this time, Sir F.

Chantrey was ona visit inDerbyshire, and I accompanied him to Ashbourn, where we arrived late in the

evening from Bakewell. The following morning wevisited the Church ; he there sawthe monument recommended to hisnotice, and made a slight outline drawingof it inhis Sketch-book. Itwas nowbetweennine andten o’clock, and, leaving the Church, we proceeded bya pleasant route to Dove-Dale. Amongst the romanticscenery of this delightful spot,we spent a long summer’sday, and returned to Ashbourn to a late dinner. Itwasour intentionto have proceeded to Londononthe following morning at one o

’clock, by the coach from Manchester : we had, of course, several hours of waiting onour

bands, which might prove tedious or otherwise, as weemployed them . About teno

’clock, Chantrey took out

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

242 VICINITY OF ASHBOURN .

the same way, and precisely for the same purpose. Isawthe drawings of both theseworks of artinStothard’sbook, and observed at the time, that they ought not tohave been inserted there.

“And why notP” was

Chantrey’s question. Because,

” I replied, whenhereafter they are seen inthat book, in company withStothard

’s original drawings, it will most assuredly be

supposed that they are his designs, and not yours.

”

This anticipationhas been verified, and the talents of

this eminent sculptor unjustly impugned in'

consequence.

Being, perhaps, the only individual living, with theexceptionof Sir F . Chantrey and his Lady, capable of

setting this matter to rest, and considering the abovestatement not only due to the reputation of my friend,but anact of common justice, I have availed myself ofthe opportunity this publication affords me of doing

,

although late, what it was certainly my wish to havedonemany years ago.

The first Six miles of road from Ashbournto Matlockis extremely uninteresting butonapproaching Hopton,it greatly improves : and at Carsington, a little villagewith which Hopton is closely connected, the scenery issylvan and pleasingly picturesque. From this placethere is a good carriage road to Wirksworth and Mat

lock, by thewayof Middletonand Cromford but V iaGellia is by far the best route for a stranger to take.

Immediately on leaving Carsington, turn up the steephill on the left. A thick, leafy screen skirts the road

for some distance but occasionally some beautiful bits

of landscape are descried through the openings amongst

the branches. Having attained the top of the hill, a

level road of nearly a mile succeeds ; the descent is

VICIN ITY OF ASHBOURN . 243

then rapid, but the road is good, and the steep Slopeson each side present a succession of very interestingand novel scenery. Abrupt acclivities, chiefly coveredwith hazels, mingled with dwarf oak, ash, and elm,

interspersed with jutting crags, mark each side of theroad. Descending towards Matlock, the prospect iscontinually varying, and full of beauty : the differenteminences amongst which the road winds are seen

rising behind each other in succession, and graduallydeveloping theirmighty forms others still more remote,appear beyond, their shadowy outlines receding intofarthest distance, and blending with the heavens, thatseem to rest upon them . Such are the views from the

upper part of V ia Gellia : lower down in the dale, thedistance is hiddenfrom view, and the prospect is limitedto a narrower range of vision. At a public house,known by the S ign of the Pig of Lead, where a roadbranches off to Bonsal, V ia Gellia, properly so called,terminates in Cromford-Dale. The hills here are stilllofty and precipitous. Those on the right are wellcovered with wood ; but onthe left, they are naked andscant, evenof herbage, with the exception of the highereminences, which are crested with trees. EnteringCromford, the scene changes, and still nobler prospectssucceed . At Matlock Bath we terminated our firstexcursionto AltonTowers.

244 APPROACH To V IA GE LLIA .

CHAPTER IV.

SECON D EXCURSIO N TO ALTO N TOWERS— BON SAI. ltIlLL— V IA C ELLIA

GRIFFE-DALE — BRA SS IN GTO N MOOR— A SHBOURN — E LLASTON E

WOTTON HALL— ROUS SEAU— THE EARL or SHREW SEURY’

S DRIVE ,AND FARLEY.

THE necessary arrangements having been made for a

second visit to Alton Towers, in the month of May,1 837, we once more proceeded there, by the wayof

Ashbourn, for the purpose of seeing the interior of the

house, from which, in consequence of the absence of

the Earl of Shrewsbury, we had been previously ex

cluded.

Leaving Matlock, our way lay through Cromford,and immediately onpassing the front of the GreyhoundInn, we left the Wirksworth road by a sharp turntothe right, which leads through a deep dell to V ia

Gellia. The scenery along this dale is very beautiful .High precipitous hills rise on the left, every wherecovered from the base to the topmost

~

clifl’

s, with luxuriant foliage and jutting crags. A small and busyrivulet, Occasionally spread out into a series of littlereservoirs, or dams, divided from each other by brilliantcascades and miniature waterfalls, courses its waybythe road S ide. It was early in the month of May the

trees had on their gayest foliage, and a brisk wind,always favourable to picturesque effect, played amongstthe branches ; thewater sparkled amidst the long grassesand flowers that were imbedded inthe stream, or nur

tured on its margin; and hundreds of birds, straining

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

246 APPROACH To ALTON TOWERS .

fragments of rock, amongst which the fresh green larch,not long since planted, appears to flourish . The cragsthat crown the summit of this eminence are split intocountless pieces, and have a Singular and curious effecttaken in connexion with each other, they look like thehuge teeth of some enormous monster, placed here toguard the lovely scene below. On the right of the

road, S ituated ina capacious natural basin, partly sur

rounded by shattered crags Of considerable elevation,lies a small but delightful farming establishment, notlong ago claimed from the rude was tes that hem it inon

every side. The hand of taste and industry has

evidently beenhere at work, and this little spot is so

peculiarly situated amongst the rocks and bills, as to

derive additional loveliness from the very sterility bywhich it is surrounded.

At the lower extremity of this secluded vale, the roadpasses through a narrow cleft amongst the rocks, fromwhence it shortly emerges into a more open, but yethilly country. The broad square tower of Bradbu m

Church is seenon the hill onthe left, and onthe right

lie Tissington Pastures. The remaining part of the

road to Ashbourn is through a succession of pleasingScenery, enlivened by the little rivulet Schoo . Ap

proaching the road to Buxton, Thorpe Cloud, the bold

eminence that guards the entrance into Dove-Dale

appears in shadowy majesty inthe distance.

Anhour’s rest atAshbournrefreshed our horses, and,resuming our journey, we passed, two miles farther,through the village of Mayfield, where Moore, the poet,long resided, and from which many of his delightfulproductions are dated . Another two miles brought us

WOTTON HALL . 247

to Ellastone ; from Which place a . road to the rightleads to Wotton Park and Farley . Wotton Hall,a singular looking old edifice, was built by Inigo Jones.

The valley inwhich it is situated is well wooded ; andin the immediate v icinity of the house, we noticedseveral beautiful combinations of sylvan and meadow

scenery . About a mile from the Hall, under the hugehill of Weever, is the v illage of Wotton, a place whichthe old topographer, Camden, has noted as proverbiallysterile.

“ The people in this neighbourhood,”he re

marks, describe the climate of this moorland districtinthe following distich .

” The first line is the common

name of the village

Wottonunder Weever,Where God comes never.

The park grounds, however, that immediately environWottonHall, do not deserve this character ; they arefertile and beautiful. This mansionwas, for nearly one

year, the residence of that selfish, capricious, and (notwithstanding all his affectation of sensibility,) heartlessFrenchman, Jean

'

Jacques Rousseau ; who, even in

France, and surrounded by friends, lived in continualagitationand alarm . He was possessed with the ideathat plots and conspiracies against his personal safetyand happiness were carrying on in every country inEurope, and he sought anasylum in E ngland from the

imagined persecutions of his imaginary enemies. At

this time, advised by his friend, thehistorian, Hume, hefixed on Wotton Hall as a place of retreat from his

troubles. In April, 1766, he first settled here. I

248 ROUSSEAU.

have, says he, “arrived at last, at an agreeable and

sequestered asylum, where I hope to breathe freelyand at peace.

”But “

at peace” he did not long re

main: he soon found some cause of dissension withthose who were endeavouring to serve him, and inthe

month of April following, he quitted his “agreeable

and sequestered asylum,

”and returned to the continent,

heaping reproaches onhis friends. He was anunamia

ble and petulant character. The rent of WottonHallhad been greatly reduced, to allure him into the

country his spirit revolted at this circumstance, and assoonas he became aware of it, he indignantly left

'

the

place. On one occasion, whilst here, he received a

present of some bottles of choice foreign wine ; butbeing a gift, his pride would not permit him to taste it,and he left the wine in the house untouched, for thenext comer. For some reasonor other, — or more probably for none,— he had formed a determinationnot tosee Dr. Darwin. The Doctor, aware of his objections,

placed himself on a terracewhich Rousseau had to pass,and occupied himself apparently in examining a plant .Rousseau,

”said he “

are you a botanist ? ” They

entered into conversation and were intimate at once ;butRousseau, onreflection, imagined that this meeting

was the result of design, and he discontinued the intimacy. It was, indeed, no easy matter for anyone to

be long on terms of friendship with the eccentric andill-humoured Jean Jacques Rousseau. Madame de

Stael, in her observation on his character, says °

Sometimes he would part with you with all his former

affection; but if an expression has escaped you which

might hear anunfavourable construction, he would re

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

250 ALTON TOWERS .

inonemagnificent combinationofarchitectural grandeurand sylvanbeauty.

Arriving at Orrell’s Hotel, at Farley, leave your car

riage, and obtain tickets of admission to the house andgardens an indispensable introductionto theplace.

CHAPTER V.

APPROACH To ALTON TOWERS— THE E NTRAN CE HALL— THE AR

MOURY— THE PICTURE GALLERY— THE SALOON— THE HOUSECON SERVATORY— N EW SUITE or APARTMENTS— COUNTESS or

SHREWSBURY’

S BOUDOIR- DIN IN G ROOM— THE CHAPEL— THE

EAST TERRACE— GEN ERAL OBSEBvATION s— CATALOGUE or PIC

TUBE S .

ALTON ABBEY is about half a mile from Farley. A

footpath, through a few pleasant fields, leads to an

entrance into the plantations immediately connectedwith the house.

Strangers generally visit thegardens first ; anaccount

of which is given in the preceding excursion. Supposing this to have been done, a broad flight of stepsleads through massy folding doors to the Hall of

Entrance, a lofty but not very large apartment, hunground with swords, spears, helmets, shields, and various

other implements of war. Here, seated inanancientgothic chair, may generally be found an old Welchbard, the minstrel of the mansion, hab ited in a picturesque costume, striking his harp to songs of otherdays. This is a pleasing incident inthe arrangements

of the place, and prepares the mind for the scene that

ALTON TOWERS. 25 1

immediately follows. This Hall communicates with theArmoury. The numerous and rare assemblage of

objects which are here displayed, . in one continued

range of about threehundred feet, (including the long

perspective of the Saloon and Picture Gallery,) is,perhaps, unrivalled ineffect inanymansioninthe kingdom . The first compartment, the Armoury, is dividedfrom the PictureGallery, by a pierced-work ornamentalbronze screen, which extends across the whole width of

the apartment, and is composed of halberds, spears,lances, and other implements Ofwar, so arranged as toform but little obstruction to the view. The figures offifty knights, placed on pedestals, and armed cap-a-

pie,

inpolished suits of mail, are disposed along the walls,and on the floors ; and hung onthe sides of the roomare sundry specimens of bows and arrows, ordnance,musketry, &c. of various fash ions, and belonging to different periods of time. The broad battle-axe of ancientwarfare, the richly ornamented Turkish yhatagan, and

polished stiletto,

Helmet and hauberk, targe and spear,

Cuirass, and sword, and culverin,Indreadarray are gleaming here.

”

This apartment is perfect in its kind : seats of darkcarved oak are placed at intervals ; and the roof

, in

style, ornament, and colour, is in perfect consistencywith all below. The light, which is admitted throughstained glass windows only, is of that dubious kindwhich throws over every object a half defined, unreal,and visionary effect. Nothing is palpably and distinctlySeen, but sufficient is developed to fill the mind with

ALTON TOWERS .

images of days, and scenes, and customs long Since de

parted .

The next apartment, the Picture Gallery, in form and

dimensions, is similar to the Armoury . The ceiling,which is flat, is divided, by richly ornamented gothictracery, into different compartments of ground glass, sodisposed as to admit of an equal distributionof light ;and, therefore, admirably calculated to give effect to an

exhibition of pictures. I should not envy the feelingsof anyman who could enter such a place as this, and

gaze uponthe splendid works before him with indifference. They are not the emanations of common minds.

An accurate knowledge of character, through all its

varieties and inflexions — a nice perceptionof beauty of

form and colour— a sovereign power‘

of expression to

excite and sway the sympathies of the heart —anentiremastery inthe use of his materials, and much previousstudy— all these, and more than these, are requisite toform a painter inthe higher classes of the art : andherethese qualities are all combined. Sentiment, passion,

pathos, grace, and beauty, speak from the living canvassthat adorns these walls.

The busy grouping and luxuriant colouring of the

Venetian and Flemish style of painting, are here con

trastedwith the still, sober, andmoredignified characterof

theschoolsofRome, Florence,andBologna. Someof thefinest pictures here, however, are by Spanish masters, particularlythose by Murillo

"

andVelasquez . O thers of thefirst note,

“

belonging to the same high class of art, liberally contribute to the splendour of this collection.

These schools have each their peculiar excellencies.

The first, lively, bright, and sunny as a summer’s

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

254 ALTON TOWERS .

Shrewsbury’s purchase of nearly the whole of Madame

Laetitia Buonaparte’s picture gallery at Rome.

To this splendid apartment the Saloon, or SculptureGallery, succeeds : it .is a noble room, of an octagonalform, and instructure and ornament has altogether thecharacter of a gothic Chapel, or Cathedral Chapterhouse. A clustered column rises in the centre, fromthe foliaged capital of which the ribs that sustaintheroof ramify, and form different compartments along theceiling. It is lighted by tall lancet-shaped windows ofpainted glass, rich incolour, and beautiful indesignandexecution. The finest work in this apartment is a

statue of Raffaelle, by Cecarini, a Roman sculptor, anda pupil of Canova’s. The countenance is intelligent,imaginative, and expressive ; the position graceful,and the drapery is free, easy, and natural . The

figure is seated, and the left hand supports a tablet,onwhich Raffaelle’s famous picture of the Transfigura

tion is pourtrayed. The artist, in this beautiful work,has successfully imitated the style and excellence of his

master but it is to be regretted that so much Skill andlabour should have been expended onso indifferent apiece of marble it is sadly disfigured by the intervention Of pyrites. It is one of the misfortunes of a

sculptor to find, perhaps, his finest and most elaborateproductions sometimes blurred over and stained by thisunwelcome intruder, which, lurking beneath the surface

of the marble, lies b id from observation until his workis nearly finished - and then, probably, the more helabours to obliterate the blemish, the more distinct and

obvious it becomes.

ALTON TOWERS. 255

The sculptures inthis room are notnumerous : there

are, however, some busts in this collectionwhich anyone might be proud te call his own. Two colossalheads, a Juno and a Jupiter, from the antique, are

worthy a distinguished place inanygallery Of art, how

ever exalted its reputation. In the countenance ofJuno, dignity and grandeur are tempered with themilder and more fascinating graces of feminine beauty.

Jupiter seems formed to govern and keep a world in

The sM p of fateand flatof a God

seem enthroned upon his brow. Between these nobleworks is placed a bust of the late Premier, Wm . Pitta head doubly colossal ; a bad subject, certainly, for a

bust, and only worthy ofnotice onaccount of its size.

Nearer theentrance into the conservatory are two masterly busts, by Campbell, of the present Earl and

Countess of Shrewsbury : they are eminently beautiful,

and, in style and manner, strongly resemble some of

Sir F. Chantrey’s most successful efforts. Cardinal

Gonsalvo, by the same admirable sculptor, is a finelyexecuted head, and so like Thorwaldsen’s bust of thisamiable prelate, inthe gallery at Chatsworth, as to be

mistaken for a copy. The style of this head is peculiarly chaste and simple, and the expression of the

countenance bland and benevolent inthehighest degree.

It is a pleasure to look onsuch a face, eveninmarble.

The next room, the House Conservatory, is one of

the glories of the place. This apartment, one hundredand fifteenfeet in length, is, in general character, not

256 ALTON TOWERS .

unlikezthe aisle of a Cathedral : it‘

is lighted by tallornamented windows, with light and tasteful mullionsonboth sides ; and, midway, it is div ided into two sec

tions, by the interventionof anoctagonal compartmentOf greater altitude and broader dimensions. In thiselegant and delightful retreat, the refinements of art are

skilfully blended with the loveliest productions of nature.

The various shrubs and plants ; the tender germs of

Spring, the flowers of Summer, and the fruitage of

Autumn, expand their beauties and breathe their fra

grance amongst some of the choicest and finest works ofart. Busts and statues, of the purest marble and themost exquisite workmanship— urns and vases, elegantin form and rich in ornament, are associated with a

variety of other tasteful and beautiful objects : nothing,indeed, seems to have been omitted which could add tothe splendour of the scene. Glass globes, with goldand silver fish in continual motion— magnificent giltcages, with birds of the finest song and the richestplumage, hung amongst the leaves and branches of thechoicest exotics, all combine to produce and perfectone of the most brilliant pictures ever realized withinthe narrow confines of an earthly abode. The chiefattraction, however, of this splendid place is the exquisite sculpture with which it is enriched : these productions are a lasting and invaluable treasure, which neither“ the churlish chidings of the wintry wind,

”nor the hot

suns of summer canaffect for ages. A bust of Napoleon, and another of Cicero, both masterly works,are the first objects that present themselves onthe right

and left of the entrance from the Saloon. Near these, astatue of Ceres, a beautiful copy of the celebrated

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

258 ALTON TOWERS .

These two gardens, connected with the Conservatory,form one continued and united picture— each is a por

tionof the same design.

Both the entrance and the exit from this delightfulspot is through folding doors, which have the semblanceof Cathedral windows the frame-work is ornamented inthe gothic style, and the pannels are stained glass. Itstruck us, that the wood-work of these doors was somewhat too heavy ; a slight Objection, and perhaps, afterall, notwell founded.

From the Conservatory we entered the Transcept

Gallery, a noble apartment, spacious, lofty, light, and

cheerful. The furniture is uncommonly splendid ; the

pictures numerous, and of the first class of art : the

Vandykes are admirable. There are in this gallerytwelve ivory chairs, elaborately carved : they were a

present from Warren Hastings, Governor General ofIndia, to the late QueenCharlotte, and probably wereintended to smooth the asperities of his impeachment.Howthey found their wayherewe did not learn.

From this “splendid gallery

” we passed throughLady Shrewsbury’s Library into the Music Room, the

first of the newsuite of apartments that form thewesternwing ofAltonAbbey. TheNorthernLibrary succeeds,and, at the farther extremity, a door onthe right opensinto the Square Tower Library, a small, but veryelegant apartment : it is lighted by stained glass windows, and the sides and ceilings are richly embellished

,

The ceiling is divided into numerous compartments ;the ground is a delicate pale blue, the rosettes and

mouldings are of burnished gold, and the extremities of

the border of each divisionare relieved by what painters

ALTON TOWERS . 259

call pickings out, in bright crimson. The effect ispeculiarly beautiful. Immediately on the left of thisroom are theWesternLibrary, the principal Staircase,and the State Bed Room, with Dressing Rooms eu

nexed, one of which occupies a lower story of the Octagonal Tower, at the South-west extremity of the house.

The style and finish of this fine suite of apartments are

not exactly uniform ; the details are tastefully varied,especially in the ceilings, but the same general cha

racter, both incolour and ornament, prevails throughoutthe whole ; and all are novel indesign, and chaste andbeautiful indecoration. Thewalls are coated over witha composition, to imitate richly variegated wood ; and

being covered with French polish, the figure or flowervividly appears beneath the varnish . These roomswerenot entirely finished at the time we passed throughthem : they have Since been most magnificently furnished.

From a digressionto this new part of AltonAbbey,wereturned into the TransceptGallery, and from thencepassed into the Drawing Room, a long and beautifulapartment,

'

which extends to the Northernextremity of

the building, and is so connected with the Transceptasto appear to be a part of it, although distinguished byanother name. It is furnished inthe same superb style,and contains many choice and valuable pictures. The

porcelainscent-jars and vases, which are placed intheseapartments, are magnificent specimens of this beautifulware. England, France, Saxony, and China have allcontributed to enrich this collection; but in drawing,pencilling, and artist-like execution, Francemayjustlyclaim the pre

-eminence. We particularly noticed, inR 2

260 ALTON TOWERS .

this room, a tea service, from the celebrated manufacture of Sevres, of rare and exquisite beauty. The

designs with which the different pieces are embellishedare by some of the first artists in France ; the gold

ornaments are of themost brilliant polish, and the paintings, to which they form a kind of frame, are wroughtto the highest perfection of the art. They include aseries of portraits of some of the most distinguishedpersonages inthe records of French history, and are so

elaborately and exquisitely finished as almost to rival

some of Bone’s finest enamels . AS specimens of miniature painting, they are decided gems. This last apartment is lighted by large stained glass windows, in one

of which is a whole length figure of Edward the BlackPrince, inarmour, painted ina

‘

very masterly style.

We were next conducted along a corridor, gaywithbrilliant lights from variously coloured glass, to the OldDining Room, and from thence, down a singularlyelegant flight of stairs, into the newone— a spacious andlofty apartment, upwards of forty feet high , lighted by a

grand Cathedral- like window, of fine proportions and

beautiful workmanship . This magnificent room con

tains some admirable pictures, one of which is remark

able for its dimensions, being above twenty-threefeet byfourteen, exclusive of the frame. The subject is, theCoronation of Barbarossa, by Rippenhausen. It is asplendid composition,

‘

and well painted ; the figures,both men and horses, are as large as life. The frame

for this picture cost nearly two hundred and sixtypounds, and was made by Moseley, of Derby. The

ornaments are beautifully designed, and the carving isin the first style of the art. The magnificent pier

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

262 ALTO N TOWERS .

lake, the arcade bridge, the gardens, the conservatories,the gothic temple on Thomson’s Rock, and the abundant foliage around, are all included in the prospect .From Lady Shrewsbury’s room we proceeded to the

Chapel, a fine Abbey-like structure of magnificentdimensions, and surmounted by a lofty square tower.

It is ninety feet long, thirty wide, and fifty-six feethigh ; well pewed with carved oak below, and has a

very handsome gallery. This capacious Chapel ischiflylighted by a large stainedwindow at the east end,under which is the altar, surmounted by a sculpturedimage of our Sav iour onthe Cross, and surrounded withthe usual accompaniments of Catholic worship. The

subdued, yet rich light that pervades this sanctuarythetranquillity, stillness, and sacred character oftheplace,all contribute to impress the mind with sentiments ofreverence and awe. The sculpture and paintings withwhich Catholic places of worship are usually adorned,together with the different services and ceremonies of

the Church of Rome, notwithstanding all that has beenurged against them, are admirably calculated, not onlyto have an imposing effect uponthe senses, but to pre

pare the heart for serious and religious impressions. At

the time of the Reformation,works of artwere excludedfrom the Churches of the new establishment, it beingthen alleged that they were calculated to promoteidolatry. That such was their cfl

’

ect, mayreasonablybe doubted . The subjects chosen are generally of a

religious character ; their designand object are to illustrate some portion of the history of Jesus Christ and hisApostles, and excite compassion for his sufferings.

With this view,the Crucifixion is sculptured inmarble,

ALTO N TOWE RS . 263

and brass, and in precious metals, and placed upontheir altars not, we would presume, as many have re

presented, to be worshipped, but as an object to bealways present to themind during the hours of rel igiousdevotion.

The pictures in the Chapel at AltonTowers are not

numerous. The largest and most important is a copy,but a masterly one, by Durantini, of Raffaelle

’

s Transfiguration. All the elements essential to the compositionof a fine picture-" breadth of tone and colour, dispositionof light and shade, grace and grandeur of form,

feeling, expression, pathos, and power— are all mostskilfully united in this grand achievement of art -thisglorious conception of a mighty mind, and work of a

mighty hand. Fuseli, noticing the Resurrection of

Lazarus, by Sebastiandel Piombo, nowintheNationalGallery, emphatically terms it, the triumph of art,and the despair of artists a strain of eulogium thatmay, with equal propriety, be applied to Raffaelle

’s

sublime picture of the Transfiguration. St. Jerome re

ceiving the Sacrament, which is also a copy, by Durantini, of amasterly original, and nearly of the same sizeas the Transfiguration, occupies another part of the

walls. Others, of lessnote, butyet good pictures, mustbe more briefly noticed . Of these, Christ healing theBlind, a production of the Bolognese school ; Monksreceiving a Mantle ; the Head Of a Female Saint, sur

rounded by a wreath ; and two subjects, the Fathers of

the Church, from Pietro Perugino, are amongst themost important.

At the back of the gallery, fronting the altar, wenoticed a very extraordinary achievement of the pencil.

264 ALTON TOWE RS .

The subject represents the interior of a Church, withMonks at devotion. The only light in this picture isfrom awindow at the farther end ; the figures onwhichi t falls are so strongly relieved, that they absolutelyappear to stand out from the canvass, and the effect iscomplete deception. The original of this picture is byGranet.From the gallery of the Chapel, a narrow corridor

leads to a long and lofty terrace, with embattled para

pets, at the East end of the building, along which, at

short intervals, there are gothic towers, or keeps, withtheir portals guarded by figures of armed menincompletesuits of mail. I know notwhether it is the custom of

the place to admit casual visitors to this terra ce ; butunless this be allowed, it is scarcely possible fully toappreciate the surpassing beauty of the gardens at

AltonAbbey. The floral richness of the view fromthis elevation, combined with the splendid architectural

objects scattered about the grounds, present altogether

a scene of enchantment. The Swiss Cottage, the residence of the minstrel of the mansion, embosomed infoliage, is the nearest prominent object ; a deep valley,with a bright lake, from which rises a sparkling fountain, lies below. The other side of the valley, from the

very marginof the water to the topmost boundary lineof the gardens, is covered with flowers of every varietyand every hue. Terraces, temples, grottos, arbours

,

urns, vases, columns, busts, and statues - splendid con

servatories, and bright parterres, constitute altogether

anassemblage of objects, as cheerful, as brilliant, and as

gayas ever the eye beheld .

We had nownearly finished our perambulations. In

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

266 ALTON TOWERS .

the present structure. Of this latter range, the HouseConservatory forms a part.One of the finest features ina large mansion, when

properly managed, is a noble staircase and I confess Iwas disappointed in not finding one of this descriptionat Alton Abbey. There wants that general communication between the lower and higher apartments whichshould exist in such a place. On looking at the lithographic ground plan of the principal floor, it occurredto me, that the Northern end of the Drawing Room

,

marked M, would be a fine Situationfor such a purpose.

Corresponding inform and dimensions with the Saloon,

", and the Conservatory, X, it might be united withthem in design, by the introduction of busts, statues,vases, plants, and flowers, without, perhaps, materiallyaffecting the picturesque exterior of the place. The

staircase connected with the suite of apartments latelybuilt, mayprobably render this suggestionuseless.

The following Catalogueof Pictures atAltonTowersis here subjoined

SUBJECT.

Portrait of a LadySt. Maryof Egypt

Bl adonna

Madonna

AnnunciationPortrait

St. Peter

St.Jerome

Portrait 0 ' 0 0 0 ' 0 0 0 oa o o o c o c u o o u o oo o o o o u o

PAINTER.

PaulMoreelze.

VenetianS chool.

P ontormo.

Peter Boel.

Rafiaellinodel Garbo.

Tintoretto.

E lliger.

Spagnoletto .

S alvator Rosa.

AlbertDurer .

Guido.

Gennari.

ALTON TOWERS .

SUBJE CT. PAINTE R .

St. Francis S al. Rosa .

Portrait Domenichino.

Descent from the Cross Le Sueun.

St. Sebastian Loir.

Madonna

Portrait S chool of Bologna.

Portrait Ditto.

Belisarius* David.

HolyFamilyMagdalen

f '

St. Catharine

Madonna

St.

PortraitDittoErminiaEcce HomoPortraitAdorationof theMagiPortrait

A Doge

HolyFamilyPius V .

Historical GroupDitto

Prodigal Son* iA BambochadeV iewof RomeBirth andDeath of AdonisV iewof RomeLandscape

The Eternal FatherMadonna, &c.

*

Adorationof theMagi

Carlo Dolci.

Ditto.

Fra Bartolomeo.

N . Loin

Unknown.

Tinelli.

Il P rete Genovese.

S chool of CarloDolci.

Garofalo.

S ebast. Ricci.

Ghemrdo della N otte.

Tintoretto.

Paris Bordone.

L. Bassano.

Giorgione.

Unknown.

Bonifaccio, called Il

Veneziano.

”

S eb. Bonrdon.

VanLint.

Giorgione.

VanLint.

Ditto.

Guercino.

Andrea del Sarto.

Girolamo do Carpi.

268 ALTON TOWERS .

S UBJ ECT.

Tigers, &c. .

Our Saviour in"

the House of thePharisee

Portrait

EcceHomo*

A Pope

Annunciation 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Madonna*

Portraitof RaffaelloPortraitPortraitSt. Johnthe Baptist*PortraitAngels appearing to ShepherdsMoonlight*

The Prodigal SonFamilyGroupInterior of a ChurchRembrandt’sDaughterA Lady.

Peasants, 8 mTancred and ErminiaGuercinoSt. John Masaccio.

St. Jerom AlbertDurer.

Landscape* Berghem.

St. Maryof Egypt* Guercino.

FlowersA Dukeof Burgundy GovaertFlink.

PopePaul Third Titian.

Child andDog Gaspar N etscher.

Ecce Homo Gucrcino.

AWhite F lemish S chool.

PAINTE R.

Snyders.

Paul Veronese.

Giorgione.

CarloMaratta .

Guido.

Unknown.

Paul Veronese.

S asso. Ferrato.

Paris Bordone.

S chool of Bologna .

D itto.

Guercino.

Paris Bordonc.

Tintoretto.

Vandemeer .

T. Bombants .

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

270 ALTON TOWERS .

SUBJE CT. PAINTER.

Original Sketch of theMartyrdom Domenichinoof St. Cecilia

Portrait Gonsala Coques.

HolyFamilyMartyrdom of St. Sebastian

A Page,with theheadof St. Johnthe Baptist

Artemisia

Madonna

Jacob ’sDream*David, with the head of GoliahChristina of Sweden

Madonna

Agar inthe Desert Guido.

HolyFamily Agostino Carracci .

Portrait S lingelandt.

LastSupper

Murillo.

Madonna and St. Alonzo Cano.

Columbus Pandils.

HolyFamily Annibal Carracci.

Ditto Giacomo Francia.

PortraitofMengsPortrait Mayno .

The Angel releasingPeterPortraitA Martyr

Entombmentof our SaviourMartyrdom of St. Stephen

Madonna

HolyFamilyCardPlayers

Madonna and InfantSpagnoletto looking ina GlassDeath ofMaryMagdalen

* S chidone.

Lanf ranco.

Guido.

Ditto.

Domenichino.

Domenica Feti .

Tobar.

Mola.

Giorgione.

J. C. Procaccini.

Ludovico Carracci .

Ditto.

JohnMabuse.

Lagrini.

Moya.

Murillo.

ALTON TOWERS .

S UBJE CT. PAINTER.

Philip the Fourth of Spain* Velasquez.

Birth of St. Catharine of Sienna Ludovico Carracci .

Animals andFruit* Snyder'

s D. deHeem.

Portraitof aBoyChristat thePillar* DivinoMorales.

Descentfrom the Cross Unknown.

A Caravan Castiglione.

A Fox seized byDogs

PortraitTheAnnunciationcattle* o o o o o o o o o o o o o c t o o o o o o o b b o o b o o i o o o o t b

MagdalenHOIYFamily u n o o u o o oo o h u o n e on ate

Portrait

Adorationof theMagi*

ArchimedesSt. Johnthe BaptistPassage of theRed Sea

*

Adorationof the

St. Mark

PeterMartyISt. Mark Vicenza Catena.

St. George andDiagon* Razzi.

Childrenand Fruit Gobbodei Frutti .

Pope Paul theFifth Alex . Bron. Allori.

Pope Pius the Fourth Titian.

Himself .

OldManspinning Annibal Carracci .

Poultry Hondecooter .

Ditto Ditto.

Lotand hisDaughters Guercino.

EliazarpresentingJewelstoRebecca Mocyart.Dogs fightingMartyrdomof St. Gasper Crayer.

271

Lucini.

Lanfi'

ancs.

P . P otter .

Luca Cambiaso.

Angelo Bron. Allori.

Alex . Bron. Allori.

Innocenza d'

Imola.

Spagnoletto.

Vicenza Catena.

Polidoreda Caravaggio .

Giacomo Bassano.

S chidone.

ALTON TOWERS .

SUBJE CT. PAINTER.

V andyck’s Marriage

A FruitWoman Spanish S chool.

HolyFamilyandSaints* Seb. Bourdon.

Fall of SimonMagus* Subleyras.

Sketch forPortraitof P opeJulius II Giulio Romano.

HolyFamily* Titian.

Madonna and Saints

Sea Port

V iew inHollandSea Port

Dead Game.

Ballad SingersTriumph of Love RottenhammerOlindoand Houbraken.

Interior of a ChurchPortraitDitto. . Ditto.

Madonna and Saints“ VanEyck.

CrucifixionandTwelveApostles Goltius.

Interior of Church, with Figures N eef s and Franks.

Ditto ditto Ditto ditto.

Ditto dittoDitto dittoSolomonadoring an

Gaming

Vandergoes.

Amberger.

Sal. Rosa.

Idoock.

Berkhcyden.

Beerestraten.

Biltius.

Ditto.

Ditto.

Franks,younger.

S lingelandt.

Jan S tein.

Ditto.

Rondhard.

Ditto.

Ditto.

Herrleinde Fulda.

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

274 ALTON TOWERS .

SUBJE CT.

Portraitof aBoy.

St. Teresa*Landscape

ChildrenPlaying withCardm

s

Landscape

Landscape and Cattle

Religion trampling on a Dragon

The V irginSt. CatherineLandscape

Dead BirdsShellsFlowers, withMedallionLandscape

*

Dead

Ditto

Sea Port

Sea Coast inaMistsea Storm 0 0 0 0 0 0

Landscape c o c oo o ooo o o o o o o o o o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Ditto

Landscape and FiguresRuins

Sea Piece*

Ferryover theRhine

Landscape andFiguresDitto dittoV iewinV eniceDittoInterior of aDitto 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 0 C O O O O O O O O O Q Q O O C Q Q CQ Q CO O

Goltzius.

PAINTER .

Laireue.

Titian.

M urillo.

Lint,

Lint, S tudio.

Koninck.

S ingelbach .

M ichan.

Ditto.

Canaletti.

Ditto.

Wouvermans.

Peter de Laar.

CON CLUSION . 275

S UBJE CT. PAINTER .

Landscape and CattleLandscape and CupidsSunset

Landscape

Ditto

Ditto

Ecce HomoPortraitSt. JeromePortrait of one of theMediciFamilyCircumcisionS t. Agnes

Childrenof Charles theFirst*

83 Those Picturesmarked ‘ f are of theveryfirstclass of art.

N . B . The pictures inthe TransceptGallery, the DiningRoom and the Chapel, and a number of others, are not included inthis Catalogue.

On bidding adieu to AltonAbbey, I cannot refrainfrom acknowledging my obligations to the Rev. Dr.

Rock, domestic chaplain to the Earl of Shrewsbury.

TO this gentleman’s kindness and politeness, during ourvisit to this delightful place, we were indebted for

many advantages, which might nototherwise havebeenattainable and I feel happy inthe opportunity of thusexpressing my thanks for his Obliging attentionto myfriends and myself onthis occasion.

Guido.

Hue.

Domenichino.

Swanfeld.

Peter Brettghel, father.

A . Durer .

Ferburg .

S chalchen.

C. Bron. Allori.

J. Bellini .

Guercino.

Vandyck.

276 CON CLUSION .

In concluding this excursion, it may be observed,that the best time of the year for a visit to AltonTowers is either in August or early in September, as

the gardens, which maycertainly be regarded as the

glory of the place, are then in full beauty. It shouldbe farther remarked, that tickets of admissionare issuedonly to persons coming inprivate carriages. Allothers,in consequence of the frequent injuries formerlycom

mitted inthe house and gardens, it has been thoughtnecessary to exclude.

“

We left Alton Abbey with regret, and as we passedalong the road called the Earl’s Drive, on our way to

Ellastone, we several times stopped to take'

a lingeringglance, and felt strongly tempted to return, and spendanother day in its romantic precincts. Hewho eitherloves the scenery of nature, or can derive enjoymentfrom the achievements Of industry and art, mayramblefor hours, with unceasing delight, in this rich domain,where every hill and valley are full of beauty, and en

riched with all the adventitious aids that the hand oftaste can bestow. The river Churnet, seen in the vale

Perhaps the Earl of Shrewsbury maybe induced to reconsider

this subject. The terms of admission to this princely place are at

present too aristocratic and exclusive. Many persons, who live inaremote part of the kingdom, and have their carriages whenat home,travel ina post chaise, or other hired vehicle ; and they must nudoubtedly feel the restriction, onvisiting such a place as Alton, to beunusual, if not unnecessary. The owner of a noble mansion hascertainly an indisputable right to make his own regulations but,

supposing the issuing Of tickets to be confined to the Inn at

Farley, or to some other respectable and competent authority,withoutstipulations as to carriages, ormodes of travelling, mightnotanyabuse be then guarded against, or easily remedied, should oneoccur ?

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

278 CON CLUSION .

Oakover Hall is an Old mansion, built chiefly ofbrick, and very pleasantly situated onthe Stafi

'

ordshire

S ide of the river Dove but it seems never to have beena favourite residence with the present proprietor. It isnow rented by a stranger ; and withinthe last twentyor thirty years it has had a succession of tenants.

Around the house, the grounds are spread out intoupland lawns and pleasant meadows, interspersed withforest trees and copse wood, and enlivened with groupsof deer.

In less thantwo miles farther, we came to the villageof Blore, which we passed onour left ; and then, aftercrossing some openmeadows, downa steep hill to IlamHall, we went forward to Dove-Dale, whichwe enteredat the upper extremity of Bunster-Dale. Here, infording the river, one of the traces of our carriagebroke, and we narrowly escaped being upset into theDove. Regaining the Ashbournroad, near Tissington,we proceeded by Newhavento Buxton, at which placewe terminated a pleasant three days

’excursion.

THE E ND .

G . RIDGE , PRINTE R, SHE FF IE LD .

A few Copies of “ PEAK SCENE RY,” either inFour

Parts, or inTwo Volumes Royal Quarto with proof

Impressions of the Plates— published at£6 l6s., may

be had Of the Author at £4 each Copy. The Plates

separately, 405 .