19-584: The Peak District Lead Mining Museum is located at Matlock Bath , Derbyshire , England . The Peak District Mining Museum is operated as charity by the Peak District Mines Historical Society . The museum is housed inside Matlock Bath's Grand Pavilion . The museum has mock-ups of a lead mines & shafts in which children may safely experience and explore how the miners were used in this dangerous aspect of England's industrial past. The museum currently runs guided tours of
38-460: A bath house was built. As the waters became better known, access was improved by building the bridge into Old Matlock and in 1783, the opening of a new entrance at the south of the valley. Princess Victoria of Kent 's royal visit in 1832 confirmed Matlock as a society venue of the time. Victoria's party visited a pair of museums and a petrifying well. John Ruskin and Lord Byron were visitors, Byron comparing it with alpine Switzerland, leading to
57-640: A futuristic version of Matlock Bath, and Eleanor Bowen-Jones' film Return to Mameluke Bath explores both real and fictional versions of the town. Each year the Parish Council organises Pro Loco events in the area. There are pro loco art and photography competitions which are free to enter. The village is mentioned in the Half Man Half Biscuit song "The Light at the End of the Tunnel (Is
76-556: A local 1920s fluorite mine 'Temple Mine' which is situated across the road, up on Temple Walk. 53°07′11″N 1°33′48″W / 53.11972°N 1.56333°W / 53.11972; -1.56333 This article relating to a museum in the United Kingdom is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Matlock Bath Matlock Bath is a village and civil parish in Derbyshire , England. It lies in
95-461: A narrow winding path along the cliff edge. The Heights of Abraham cable cars link the base of High Tor rising to the Heights of Abraham. In autumn of each year, the "Venetian Nights" are held with illuminations along the river and illuminated boats. On Sundays in summer many hundreds of motorcyclists congregate in the town. Andrew Asibong's phantasmagorical novel Mameluke Bath is set in
114-599: A nickname of Little Switzerland . Erasmus Darwin recommended the area to Josiah Wedgwood I for its beauty and soothing waters, and members of the families vacationed and settled there. Edward Levett Darwin , son of Francis Sacheverel Darwin , lived at Dale House in Matlock Bath, where he was a solicitor. When the North Midland Railway opened in 1840, carriages plied for hire from Ambergate station . The Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway ran
133-466: A number of excursions, taking the passengers onward from Ambergate by the Cromford Canal . Matlock Bath is a designated conservation area with an Article 4 direction in relation to properties, predominantly along North and South Parade. Matlock Bath is in the local government district of Derbyshire Dales, and is part of the parliamentary constituency of the same name. The Member of Parliament
152-728: Is John Whitby of the Labour Party . Matlock Bath has attractions including the Heights of Abraham park, Gulliver's Kingdom theme park , the Peak District Lead Mining Museum , the former Life in a Lens Museum of Photography & Old Times , the Grand Pavilion , Derwent Gardens , Lovers' Walks and an aquarium . On the opposite bank of the river Derwent stands High Tor, a sheer cliff used by climbers and walkers. High Tor features Giddy Edge,
171-576: Is Tinker's Shaft, which provides valley views as well as a vertical view into the Great Masson Cavern. A view from a different perspective can be obtained from the cable car, as it ascends and descends across the valley to a terminal on the far bank of the river. The site is home to the Vista restaurant/bar, the terrace café and an ice-cream parlour. There is also a shop specialising in the sale of rock- and mineral-themed items. Access to
190-672: The Derbyshire Dales , south of Matlock on the main A6 road , and approximately halfway between Buxton and Derby . The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 753. Originally built at the head of a dead-end dirt road running along the valley of the River Derwent from Matlock , the settlement developed in the 19th century as residential and a spa town which remains a tourist destination. The steep hillside restricts development, with most buildings on one side of
209-566: The Heights of Abraham cable car . The heights are named after a supposed resemblance to the Plains of Abraham , also known as the Heights of Abraham, in Quebec , Canada, where General James Wolfe died in battle against the French in 1759. Amongst the attractions in the park, which has been open since Victorian times , are cavern and mine tours. There are also views of the dramatic scenery of
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#1732788080172228-443: The 1700s. As deposits began to dwindle, and cheaper lead was imported in the 1800s, the miners found a far more lucrative use for the caves as tourist attractions; in the process of excavation a large network of caverns and passageways were created which wealthy visitors would now pay to see. There are regular guided tours to retrace the miners' footsteps with a nearby exhibition of photography, fossils and an information film, explaining
247-472: The Heights of Abraham is by the cable car only. The lower station of the cable car is located on the opposite bank of the River Derwent to the Heights of Abraham and the town of Matlock Bath, with the cabins crossing the river at the lower end of their journey. A footbridge provides access from the town to the lower station, which is also a short walk away from Matlock Bath railway station . The site
266-686: The Light of an Oncoming Train)". Matlock Bath railway station was built in 1849 on the Midland Railway line between London and Manchester . The section from Matlock to Buxton was closed in 1968, as result of the Beeching cuts . Today, trains run generally hourly each way between Matlock and Derby on the Derwent Valley Line , operated by East Midlands Railway . The A6 , which links Carlisle with Luton , passes through
285-457: The cave's history. The Victoria Prospect Tower was built in 1844 to celebrate the reign of Queen Victoria . From the top of the tower, and from the adjacent amphitheatre , there are panoramic views of the valley of the River Derwent , the spa town of Matlock Bath and the nearby Riber Castle , a ruinous Victorian grand house, and Willersley Castle , a castellated mansion that is now an outdoors pursuit centre. A more modern viewing platform
304-463: The climbing on the cliffs is in traditional style placing protection as you go. High Tor , Pic Tor , Willersley Castle Rocks , Wildcat crags and many others are all documented as having many climbs. Heights of Abraham The Heights of Abraham is a tourist attraction in Matlock Bath , Derbyshire , England. It consists of a hilltop park on top of Masson Hill, accessed from the village by
323-482: The town; it provides access to Manchester , Stockport , Bakewell , Matlock and Derby . The River Derwent in Matlock Bath is a location for canoeing, both recreational and competitive. Matlock Canoe Club hosts national-level wild-water racing and slalom events here, and it is an assessment location for the BCU 4 Star award. There are numerous cliffs around Matlock Bath used for rock climbing. Generally unequipped,
342-482: The valley and only footbridges across the river. The road was upgraded, becoming a through-way, now designated A6, avoiding the previous coaching road approach to Matlock from Cromford over very steep hills near to the Riber plateau area. Matlock Dale is a hamlet about 0.5 miles (0.8 km) north of the village, and the term also refers to this stretch of the river valley. In 1698, warm springs were discovered and
361-732: The valley of the River Derwent . The cable car was opened in 1984 to provide easier access. The Heights of Abraham are listed as grade II* in the register of historic parks and gardens of special historic interest in England . There are two caves at the Heights of Abraham, the Great Masson Cavern and the Great Rutland Cavern , both previously mined for lead ore and fluorspar . It is thought that lead mining in this area began in Roman times and reached its peak in
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