Over the years, Buxton has benefited from the designs of some great architects. The likes of John Carr, Robert Rippon Duke and Frank Matcham have all contributed to the outstanding buildings throughout the town. We will concentrate on these three architects and introduce you to some of the work they have done.

John Carr

John Carr was brought in to design The Crescent, modeled on the Royal Bath Crescent and financed by the 5th Duke of Devonshire, and also designed the Great Stables. The Stables had space for 110 horses, plus accommodation for the grooms and stable boys, and a large central exercise court. This building later became the Devonshire Royal Hospital.

Robert Rippon Duke

The 19th Century brought further great development to the town. The 7th Duke of Devonshire donated nine acres of land which became the Pavilion Gardens (landscaped by Edward Milner). Robert Rippon Duke designed the Concert Hall (now called The Octagon) for this complex. In 1859, the Great Stables had been converted to the Devonshire Royal Hospital and in 1881 Robert Rippon Duke designed one of the architectural masterpieces of the town - a huge slate dome to cover the central courtyard. The dome weighs 560 tons and spans 145 feet. At the time it was the largest unsupported dome in the world, and to this day is still the largest of its kind in the country.

Frank Matcham

In 1901 the Gardens Company commissioned a new theatre and the renowned theatrical architect Frank Matcham was brought in to design it.  Matcham's other projects include the London Palladium and the London Coliseum Theatre and he used his expertise to design the Buxton Opera House. The Opera House opened in 1903. The Opera House was refurbished in 1979 when it hosted the first Buxton Festival.

For more information and photographs of Buxton architecture, see the Buxton Group Web Site’s Listed Buildings page.