Welcome to Matlock Bath Online. Matlock Bath's only dedicated independent resident and tourist information website.
Matlock Bath - "the Switzerland of England".
The village was built along the River Derwent and lies in a steep sided valley to the south of Matlock. Houses, shops and other buildings are all on the west bank of the river opposite slopes that lead to the mighty Masson which rises to over 1,000 feet above sea level.
In early times there were few inhabitants of Matlock Bath because it was almost inaccessible. The village did'nt really develop until a road was cut through
the rocks from the south end of Matlock Bath. In 1698 warm springs were discovered and a Bath House was built. Princess Victoria's royal visit in 1832 whilst she was a guest at
Chatsworth House confirmed Matlock Bath as a society venue of the time. There were plenty of books to tempt the prospective tourist about the village,
which had become really popular during the Napoleonic Wars when foreign travel was difficult for the wealthy. Matlock Bath responded to the demand. Visitors and tourists came to
enjoy the spectacular scenery as well as for the water cure.
The tourist season was short, not everyone was involved in the tourist industry, so local people had to find other ways to earn a living. In the Southern part of Matlock Bath,
near Cromford, was Sir Richard Arkwrighrt & Co.'s Masson Mill (a cotton thread mill) and Simons & Pickard had a paper mill there. 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.
Mining also played an important part in the development of the area. Abraham Heights (the Heights of Abraham) has two show caves, Grand Masson Cavern and the Great Rutland Cavern - Nestus Mine,
where a little of the mining history of the area can be found. Lead mining started in Roman times and although it is no longer mined,
several hundred people were employed directly in the local lead based industry.
Modern Matlock Bath has something for everyone, and everything for someone, from a steady stroll along the river, annual events, to a cable car ride starting its journey
in the valley to Abraham Heights, a rise of some 450 feet.
