• Jane Austen, who mentions Matlock in "Pride and Prejudice" Vol. II, Chapter I
• Elizabeth Barrett Browning, as a girl
• Lord George Byron
• Erasmus Darwin
• Charles Dickens
• John Ruskin (see Matlock Bath: New Bath Hotel Stereoview).
• Sir Walter Scott
• Mary Shelley - see right
• John Wesley preached at Matlock Bath in 1761.

• 22 Oct 1832 - Princess (later Queen) Victoria and her mother, Victoria Duchess of Kent.
• 31 July 1840 - Dowager Queen Adelaide, widow of King William IV
• 23 September 1856 - ex-Queen Marie Amelie of France
• August 1899 - Princess Mary, Duchess of York - later Queen Mary, wife of the future King George V

• 10 November 1815 - Archdukes John and Louis of Austria
• 5 February 1816 - Duke Nicholas of Russia, later Emperor
• 23 July 1818 - Imperial Grand Duke Michael of Russia (see Moore's "Picturesque Excursions" for a short description of the visit, scroll down the page)
• 10 August 1871 - Emperor Dom Pedro II of Brazil and the Empress (see Matlock Bath: New Bath Hotel Stereoview).

Matlock Bath has attracted both painters and writers over the centuries and Artists Corner, opposite High Tor in Matlock Dale (below), was a favourite haunt of the former. Many writers have described the spectacular scenery in glowing terms.

Not every visitor painted a favourable picture of the scene they encountered, though. By 1908, J. B. Firth was less flattering about the village as he describes Matlock Bath as "a tripper's paradise" and he clearly disliked some of the village's less attractive sites, such as a bottling plant and paint works in the Dale^[6]. Quite a contrast with those earlier guides whose authors loved all they saw.

Whilst he was still extremely appreciative of the scenery, Firth describes the noise - "the bawling of the drivers of brakes and waggonettes, the attentions of the pushing salesmen" - and the Switchback Railway, that was for over 40 years on the river bank, as "a wanton outrage to one of the fairest scenes in England"^[6]. The Switchback Railway he mentioned was in the Derwent Pleasure Gardens, formerly Orchard Holme or Orchard Close. By the 1950's there was a miniature railway for children in the Derwent Gardens and a paddling pool was nearby, behind the 'New' or Grand Pavilion near the landing stage. A small pool or pond was there in the early 1920s, and possibly before, but a purpose built paddling pool was installed in 1934.
Matlock Bath: Children's Corner, Grand Pavilion, 1923.

This second pavilion, the Grand Pavilion, is shown on the old pre war postcard on the right. It was built opposite the Fishpond Hotel in 1910, at a cost of £10,000 and was called the Kursaal, though the name was changed during the first war. Clearly designed to impress, it was built of brick "with a large central dome and two smaller domes; it contains a theatre, a large ground floor room and a pump room. The council offices are situated in one wing of the building"^[1912]. The Pump Room is only partially visible on the right of the picture.

The Fish Pond is in the centre of the picture. In the 1920s the Pavilion's car park would have been packed with day trippers, who arrived by charabanc. They always paused to have their photo taken, either beside the vehicle or in it. The pictures provide a unique view of the charas that were the favoured mode of transport at the time.
Visitors to Matlock Bath - Travelling by Motor Charabanc

The Pavilion was the venue for cultural events such as the Musical Festival and dances were also held in the ballroom. The Local Council had offices in one wing and a branch of the library was housed here in the 1950's and 60's. It is now the home of the Mining Museum and Tourist Information Centre.

Both before and after the Second World War cycle clubs, whose members lived in towns such as Derby, used to visit Matlock Bath each weekend. The cyclists would often enjoy a hearty egg and chip tea in one or other of the local cafés before returning home. A group of cyclists, with their cycles parked on the pavement edge, can be see relaxing on the wooden seats beside the bus stop in the photograph of the Pavilion.

The picture (right), another of a series of cards in my personal collection, shows an omnibus belonging to William Furniss Jnr. on South Parade, outside the Fish Pond Hotel. It depicts a quiet scene as South Parade was almost deserted. However, on Bank Holidays and summer weekends the pavements and roads and hillsides were teeming with tourists.

Some of the houses in the village are reminiscent of Swiss chalets.

	South Parade & the Pitchings, a drawing Also describes Matlock Bath in the summer
	Matlock Bath Today (3) Taken from a similar position, photographed by Martin Rowley. Plus more info
	Victoria Tower, Heights of Abraham, 1907-25 Just visible on the skyline of the picture on the right is the Victoria Prospect Tower in the grounds of the Heights of Abraham.

Jewitt's description of the Heights of Abraham, quoted on the right, is not an exaggeration. The view from the summit today, which can now be reached by cable car, is truly wonderful. Those who still chose to visit the Heights as pedestrians, just as the Victorians did, are able to walk up through the delightful gardens. It is well worth the effort if you are fit.

Matlock Bath's "Heights" are believed to be named after the Heights of Abraham in Quebec, Canada, which British troops scaled in 1759 and where their commander, General James Wolfe, was killed. The Heights in Matlock Bath first became a tourist attraction in the late Georgian era.

Although the lower slopes have been developed, there are few buildings higher up and the only residence is the Upper Tower. In the picture of South Parade with the bus in it, immediately above this section, the Upper Tower can be seen in the grounds of the Heights; it is the white building amongst the trees at the top, just left of centre. This was the home of Samuel Sprinthall who was at the Heights of Abraham for many years and was the great grandfather of the late Peter Aspey. Peter also lived there and he describes life at the Heights, its ownership and history. Peter includes a postcard dating from 1870 and describes both the Great Rutland and Great Masson Caverns in considerable detail (see link on the right).

The Petrifying Wells also attracted tourists. In 1888, Black's "Guide" recorded that "a penny is the ordinary charge for admission to these wells"^[1].
The onsite transcripts of "Gem of the Peak" have more on petrifying wells and the numerous caverns

The public promenade opened in 1874, along the riverbank opposite North Parade^[3]. It was extended in 1887. People were entertained on 'The Prom' and there were regular performances from the Band Stand on the far side of the river. As well as local bands, entertainers would return to Matlock Bath year after year to please the crowds.

On the same side of the river as the [old] Band Stand are the Lovers' Walks, possibly the earliest pleasure grounds in Britain and now Grade II* listed, with footpaths both on the river's edge and up through the woodland to the summit. The Jubilee Bridge has spanned the River Derwent for over a century; it originally connected the Promenade across to the Lovers' Walks; sadly the Promenade disappeared when the A6 was widened. The iron bridge was put in place on 14 June, 1887 in time for the Jubilee of Queen Victoria eight days later. A second footbridge, connecting the Lovers' Walks to the Derwent Gardens a little further down river, was finally erected in 1969.

The Fountain Baths were on the opposite side of the road from the promenade; the building is now the Matlock Bath Aquarium. But when it was first built there were several private baths and a large swimming bath supplied by spring water which had a temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

The former proprietors of these attractions were listed in various directories. Those in 1891 included W. E. Howe at the Fountain Baths & Assembly Room, Samuel Sprinthall who was the lessee of the Heights of Abraham (already mentioned above), William B. Hunt at Matlock Bath Skating Rink, Frederick Downs, who was the Manager of the Pavilion, & Gardens and Robert Hall who was listed as Secretary for Matlock & High Tor Recreation Grounds Co. Ltd. Cavern proprietors were Job Hall Cardin at High Tor Grotto in The Dale, Jacob Rains and William Smedley^[1891].

Fountain Baths, Swimmers From Riber School. Boys from Mr. Chippett's School attended swimming lessons at the baths

Five years later little had changed, although Mrs Howe was at the Fountain Baths and the Skating Rink was not listed. However, by 1916 most of these concerns had changed hands: James Fearn was at the Fountain Baths, Robert Hall had taken over the High Tor Grotto and the Pavilion and gardens had become the property of the Royal Hotel. There was by then a Matlock Bath Improvements Society, based at Riversdale, and Thomas Coates was the Hon. Secretary.^[1916]

Many visitors travelled to Matlock Bath by train, some coming from the large cities, after the railways were built.

Matlock Bath Station and High Tor Matlock Bath station was built in the style of a Swiss chalet. It was extended in the 1890s. Includes photos of the station today.

The tourist season was a short one and not everyone was involved in the tourist industry, so local people had to find other ways of making ends meet. There was a wide variety of employment available in Matlock Bath at the end of the nineteenth century, listed in Kelly's Directory.^[1891]

In the Southern part, near Cromford, was Sir Richard Arkwright & Co.'s Masson Mill (a cotton thread mill) and Simons & Pickard had a paper mill there; James Shepherd of Derby Road was the manager.

Samuel Barnes made hosiery on North parade. Samuel Buxton & Son were builders, William and John Smedley were tufa stone merchants and George Drabble had premises at the Railway station as he was a timber merchant. Joseph Reeds was the managing director of Matlock Bath Gas Light & Coke Co. Limited.

In Matlock Dale were the Stevens Brothers who were barytes and colour manufacturers and Mrs. Mary Whittaker was the proprietress of Matlock Bath Aërated & Mineral Water Works.^[1891]

In 1895 the barytes and colour works on Matlock Dale was owned by Edward Stanbridge Ginger^[1895]. Four years later, the Via Gellia Colour Co. Ltd. had taken over the works^[1899].

Although some think of Matlock Dale as beginning just past the railway bridge near the former Boat House pub, the bridge is not the parish boundary; this is a little further along, near the bottom of St. John's Road.

It is easy to get confused as the earlier writers referred to the whole length of the narrow valley, from the Boat House down to Scarthin Nick, as "the Dale", with a north entrance and a south entrance. The north end of the dale was described, for example, in 1840 by W. Adam in his guide "The Gem of the Peak"^[7]. There were then very few properties here.
Excerpts from the book and names of the residents in 1840 are elsewhere on this web site

Nineteenth century census returns record Matlock Dale beginning a few metres from the bottom of Holme Road and finishing at the bottom of St. John's Road. The Dale was included in Matlock Bath in old tourist guides and trades directories and became part of the parish of Matlock Bath when Holy Trinity Church was built.

The houses in the coloured photo are in the Dale, on the opposite side of the River Derwent from High Tor. There is a bend in the river close to here, known as Artists' Corner, that has been favoured by artists for several centuries. These days the section of the River Derwent below High Tor is now regularly used by canoeists and climbers can be seen scaling the face of the Tor almost every weekend.
St John's Chapel overlooks the Dale.

Llewellyn Jewitt, in "The Matlock Companion, and visitor's guide to the beauties of Matlock"^[2] described two things that have now gone from the Dale:

—"It may be useful to the visitor here to mention that from the church to the Tor (i.e. High Tor) is exactly one mile, the one hundred and forty-third mile stone from London being placed under that stupendous rock."

—"A little farther and the railway is seen suddenly emerging from the Tor, and after a single moment's flash, burying itself again in the solid rock beyond. From this point,—having walked through the long and dismal tunnel for the purpose,—we stood in the narrow opening between two rocks ... and shall never forget the effect which the passing train had on our minds, as we stood on the narrow bank ... a murmur like distant thunder, a heavy rumble, a crash of noise as the train darted past us through the short opening, and it was again buried in darkness ..."

It is not known when the milestone disappeared but the tunnel entrance is shown on a number of images:
See Matlock Dale: The Weir and the High Tor Tunnel.

Work to widen the road at Artists' Corner began in 1936, but in 1939 the wall of the High Tor Guest House collapsed. It was not repaired immediately. The sepia postcard on the right shows both the widened road and the newly re-built wall; it was probably taken in the late 1940s.

As already mentioned, the view of High Tor and the Dale was painted innumerable times by artists though they would struggle to do so today because of the tree growth. Many photographs have also been taken and this web site has a large collection of images.

Matlock and Matlock Bath Images includes two sections about Matlock Dale.
Images on their own pages, with biographical and historical information
"Just" Images, contains a further 17 pictures of the Dale

A mid nineteenth century directory described Scarthin:
"SCARTHIN NICK is a hamlet pleasantly situated on an eminence on the southern border of this parish [Matlock], adjoining the village of Cromford"^[1855]. It had, like Matlock Bath, been part of the ancient parish of Matlock.

Black's "Guide", 1888^[1], further described the hamlet: "Scarthin Nick is an opening between two massive limestone rocks, through which the turnpike road passes. Close to these rocks is the entrance lodge to Willersley Castle, the drive passing along between the river Derwent and the rocky boundary of the grounds, until it reaches the bridge".

Matlock Bath and Scarthin Nick, together with Chapel Hill, were governed by Matlock Bath and Scarthin Nick Local Board from 1865 until 1894 when they became Matlock Bath and Scarthin Nick Urban District Council (Local Government Act,1894)^[1895]. In late 1924, after considerable opposition and a Public Inquiry, the Council amalgamated with Matlock, Cromford and Tansley to form the Matlocks Urban District^[8].

Although Scarthin did not have its own parish church there were several establishments where local people could worship. "Here is a Mission church, erected in 1871, with a belfry, containing one bell, in which divine service is held every Sunday and Wednesday evenings. There are also Primitive and Wesleyan Methodist chapels, the former erected in 1853, and the latter many years since, but enlarged in 1840"^[1916].
See Churches and Chapels

Roman coins had been found here in March 1795, close to the head of a human skeleton.
"A few days ago, a labourer employed in getting limestone at Scarthin Nick, in the parish of Matlock, in this county, discovered a human skeleton, at the head of which lay about 100 small roman copper coins, of the lower empire. The coins are in high preservation, and principally of Licinius,-the father and son, and the two Constantines, with different reverses" (Derby Mercury, 12 March 1795).
See documentary evidence in The Wolley Manuscripts, Matlock - vol.6708 f.25.
Also see details of a newly erected house in 1799 - The Wolley Manuscripts, Matlock -6669 f.107 (scroll down).

Thanks to the leading local tradesmen, Scarthin residents celebrated Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in some style. Mr. Boden provided a meat tea in a room at Cromford Mill, the whole district was decorated with evergreens, flowers, flags and banners, there were garlands and triumphal arches and innumerable streamers. A procession was formed that eventually led to the tea and afterwards there was an evening of dancing, cricket racing etc. on Cromford Meadows. Every window in Scarthin was lit with candles and there were Chinese lanterns in the streets. Scarthin looked magnificent (Derbyshire Times, 25 June 1887).
Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee Celebrations, 1897
Matlock Bath & Scarthin Newspaper Cuttings

A large pond is a wonderful asset for any community, but unfortunately, there would have been times in the second half of the nineteenth century when Scarthin was a less than pleasant place to live, partly to do with the over crowding but also because of problems with the drainage^[9].

Over a three and a half year period before the Second World War (1936-39) Matlock UDC issued clearance notices over a number of dwellings and their outbuildings in Scarthin. Those who were to be displaced needed re-housing and a site was chosen on Cromford Hill for Council homes. In February 1939 Matlock UDC invited tenders to construct roads, walls and sewers on the new housing site (Derbyshire Times, 3 February 1939). Many Scarthin families moved into the estate.

	The Southern Entrance to the Dale, 1900-1910. Scarthin Rock
	Scarthin Nick From Allen's Hill, 1892
	Scarthin Nick and the Greyhound Pond, about 1905. Edwardian photograph from the lower slopes of Cromford Hill.
	Scarthin Nick : Staffordshire Row & Chapel Hill, 1905. Late 18thC terraced houses, built by Sir Richard Arkwright. Chapel Hill was named after the old Wesleyan Methodist Chapel.

For such a small area Scarthin had quite a large population.
View onsite transcripts of the census returns
There's a newborn infant, Robert James White, one of the youngest children I've come across in a census return, who can be found living in Scarthin with his family at Schedule 101 in the 1861
Go to 1861 census page
Also see Distribution of Occupations, 1841 and Distribution of Occupations in the 1871 census

Scarthin residents and businesses were listed under Matlock in several onsite Trade Directories.
Kelly's 1848 Directory
Kelly's 1855 Directory
White's 1857 Directory
White's 1862 Directory
Bulmer's 1895 Directory (included under Matlock Bath)

They were also listed under Cromford directories, which are onsite
Cromford, Derbyshire: A collection of 19th century trades directory transcripts

A few people whom we know owned land in Scarthin through their Wills were:
Hannah Boden (pre 1858 Wills, Surnames B);
Thomas Boden (pre 1858 Wills, Surnames B) - there were two called Thomas;
Francis Brookfield, yeoman (pre 1858 Wills, Surnames B);
Thomas Bruckfield, myner (pre 1858 Wills, Surnames B);
Anthony Debanke, papermaker (full transcript);
some of the Pearsons (pre 1858 Wills, Surnames P);
the Wigley family (pre 1858 Wills, Surnames W);
John Swift (pre 1858 Wills, Surnames s);
Samuel Young (pre 1858 Wills, Surmaes Y).