Early Settlement

The earliest known settlement of the Buxton area dates to the Middle Stone Age, or late Mesolithic around 5300 BC. Neolithic (New Stone Age) farmers settled here (3500 - 1800 BC) and left numerous monuments in the form of barrows and the famous henges at Arbor Low and Bull Ring. They were followed by dwellers of the Beaker and Bronze Ages, whose stone circles and burial cairns are still visible around Stanton Moor and elsewhere. Evidence of Iron Age settlement can be seen in the hill forts at Castle Naze and Mam Tor.

'What Did The Romans Ever Do For Us?'

The Romans arrived sometime around AD 70 and finding a warm spring, founded the settlement of 'Aquae Arnemetiae' (The Waters of the Goddess of The Grove). The water was important enough for the Romans to use the name  'Aquae' on only two towns in Britain, the other being Bath (Aquae Sulis).

Middle Ages

The name of Buxton came into being at the time when the area was a Royal Forest and the King's Deer came to drink from the warm springs. One suggestion for the name's origin is from 'Buck' and 'Stan' (stones), though another suggests Bug-Stan (rocking stones).

By the 16th Century, Buxton was a place of pilgrimage as people came to take the waters for their supposed healing powers. One famous visitor to make the journey was Mary, Queen of Scots, who visited the town on several occasions whilst a prisoner under the custodianship of the Shrewsbury's.

Development of The Spa

Buxton continued to develop as a spa throughout the 17th Century, but it was the 18th and 19th Centuries and the Dukes of Devonshire that contributed much of the town that still attracts people today. The 5th Duke of Devonshire financed the building of the Crescent (1784 - 1788) and other buildings followed, such as the Great Stables which were built to house the Duke’s and visitors' horses.

The Victorian times brought the railways and rapid growth as the town's population trebled. New Baths, Pump Rooms, Hotels and Churches were built. The Pavilion Gardens were developed from land donated by the 7th Duke of Devonshire. The Great Stables were converted to a hospital in 1859 (The Devonshire Royal Hospital), and in 1881, a huge slate dome was added. The town became a fashionable spa.

By the dawn of the 20th Century, electricity had arrived in Buxton, and telephones were providing a service for local hotels and businesses. In 1901, a new theatre was commissioned. The renowned theatre architect Frank Matcham designed the magnificent Buxton Opera House, which opened in 1903.