Matlock Bath.
G. Rowe. Lith
Of the three images on this site that were published around
1840 or so[1],
this one definitely shows the village in that year. Rowe's
lithograph was published in William Adam's book "The
Gem of the Peak"[2].
Adam was a mineralogist who ran what had been Mr. Mawe's Royal
Museum. He described the view from the Old Bath Terrace, better
known today as Temple Road. You can see where a section of
the terrace is supported by a high stone wall in front of the
Temple Hotel (left, middle).
""Old Bath Terrace and Scenery.
The view from the Terrace is beautiful - and from its elevation
above the Bath generally visitors have the advantage of
overlooking and enjoying the scenery without being much
observed though close to the high road. From the iron rails,
looking to the North-east, just above the stable yard,
is a view of unparalleled grandeur and beauty - the noble
pine-crowned Heights of Abraham, rising majestically to
a great elevation to the front and to the left, - with
the clean-looking white washed cottages, shops, lodging
houses and Temple on its elegant terrace, reposing at the
foot, - and the bold luxuriantly-wooded rocks and lover's
walks to the right, - the rugged and frowning Tor peering
from between, - the river flowing gently amongst them,
- altogether present an assemblage of bold, and beautiful
features, rarely, if anywhere, to be met with, compressed
into the same space. Hence this view is eagerly sketched
by every comer who can handle a pencil ; and its unexampled
beauties, with more or less facility and truth, pirated
through the length and breadth of the land.
On a dark evening, the lights from the numerous windows
casting a lurid glare on the thick foliage and other objects,
have a singular and imposing effect from this point. But
this view is full of sublimity, and its effects transcendant
on the mind, when lit up by the Moon, riding in her majesty
and loveliness, shedding her soft and mellowed light on
the scene, the din of busy spirit stirring man, and the
tenants of the grove, having sunk to rest, - the stillness
which pervades it, and the apparent increase in magnitude
of the noble objects which compose the picture, - the stream
silvered by the moonbeam, which reflects back the image
of the orb of night a thousand fold, from the ripple of
its waters, - all clothed with Nature's ample foliage,
deeply enhance the intensity of the interest felt by a
stranger on first beholding it".
Next to the Temple Hotel,
but actually higher on the hillside, is Mr. Pechell's villa,
Guilderoy, which was "newly erected" in August
1840 when the Dowager Queen Adelaide, widow of William IV,
visited Matlock Bath[3].
To its right is Masson House, built a few decades earlier.
Just below Masson House is Montpelier; look carefully and
you can just make out the long sloping roof of its vine house
to the right of that building. Several other properties had
also appeared on the lower slopes of the Heights of Abraham.
Enlargement shows the Lower Tower, Mr. Gilbert's home described
in Henry Moore's "Picturesque
Excursions From Derby to Matlock Bath, 1818". The
building can be sen on the hillside, with High Tor to its right.
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References (coloured
links are to transcripts and information elsewhere on this
web site):
[1] Neither of the other images
show as many properties on the lower slopes of the Heights
of Abraham so the original drawings for both must have been
done a few years before.
See: Matlock Bath:
South Parade and Fishpond, before 1840 | Matlock
Bath: Engraving, before 1840
[2] Adam, William (1840) "The
Gem of the Peak", London; Longman & Co., Paternoster
Row - see onsite transcript.
[3] "The Derby Mercury",
5 August, 1840. The Dowager Queen Adelaide went up to Rutland
Cavern and "downwards by Mr Pechell's beautiful villa".
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