Themed Trip

Victorian Splendour

Buxton truly hit its height during the Victorian era with much of its housing, parks and leisure facilities established during this time.

Get a feel for the town with the following suggestions, whether you’re a fan of steampunk, afternoon tea or antiquarian exploration.

If you would like a guide for your visit, Discover Buxton Tours offer a meet-and-greet and various guiding services including walks and experiences focused on the Victorian era. Tours can be tailored to your interests and itinerary.

Where to Stay

The imposing Palace Hotel, built in 1868, stands proud above the town. Its grand halls and conservatory bring a real sense of the period – the ideal place to stay!

If you are looking for something other than a hotel, the Roseleigh and Compton guest houses are both within Victorian-built town houses close to the town centre and offer the authentic feel of a Victorian lodging house, now the “Buxton B&B“.

Self-catering apartments, The Old Post Office and The Servants’ Quarters, and holiday house, Wellwood Lodge, stand within Victorian-built terraces in the town centre and Priory Lea Holiday Apartments is further away in a leafy part of town.

Where to Eat & Drink

Afternoon tea is a must! Soak up the atmosphere at the Palace Hotel‘s conservatory or the Pavilion Restaurant & Bar. See our afternoon tea page for a full listing.

Many of the restaurants and pubs and bars in both Lower Buxton and Higher Buxton are situated within older Georgian buildings, but those along Spring Gardens, Cavendish Circus and The Quadrant are Victorian, including Baileys Bar & Restaurant and Vintage Tea Rooms & Wine Bar.

Where to Visit – Wonders of the Peak (and World)

Ever since they were denoted in 1681 by Charles Cotton, people travelled from far and wide to visit the seven ‘Wonders of the Peak’, two of which are in Buxton – St Ann’s Well and Poole’s Cavern. Be sure to visit these on your stay. Sadly (or not), the monkey house at Poole’s Cavern is no longer full of monkeys.

Victorians also came to marvel at the Devonshire Dome: when built, the largest unsupported dome of its kind in the world. Still the largest in Europe, this magnificent feat of engineering is a must-see on a visit to the town. Head into the centre to experience its acoustics to full effect. You can even visit with dome-architect Robert Rippon Duke himself… or at least the Discover Buxton Tours character guide.

And, of course, no Victorian visitor would miss out on ‘taking the waters’. Visit St Ann’s Well to fill up your drinking receptacles and head in to the adjacent Pump Room, built in 1894 and recently-restored to its original splendour and now serving as the town’s tourist information centre, while you sip the natural, thermal waters.

Where to Shop

For a truly atmospheric shopping experience, head to the Cavendish Arcade, situated in the old Hot Baths to the east of the Crescent, re-developed in the 1850s. Enjoy the original Minton tiling, boutique shops and see a Victorian plunge pool.

You can even shop where the Victorians shopped. A number of local independent retailers were first established in the 19th Century, such as Hargreaves & Son Ltd (kitchen and homeware), Potters of Buxton department store (menswear, ladieswear, home furnishings) and CR Clowes & Sons Ltd (chemist).

Where to Walk – on your daily constitutional

An absolute must is to take a ‘constitutional’ around Buxton’s many gardens. Particularly The Slopes opposite the Crescent, Ashwood Park and the Pavilion Gardens. If you’d like a guide, let Discover Buxton Tours take you round.

The Pavilion Gardens have been restored to their Victorian splendour as designed by Edward Milner in 1871, though these days they are free to access. Walk the meandering pathways and bridges crossing the cascading River Wye, listen to brass bands play on the bandstand on summer Sunday afternoons, enjoy an ice cream from the parlour and find the perfect gifts and souvenirs from one of the many fairs in the Octagon Hall.

Robert Rippon Duke character guide outside the Octagon Hall, Buxton. Image: Discover Buxton

Victorian Heritage Experiences

Discover Buxton Tours offers a number of Victorian-themed heritage experiences including character-led tours on the town’s architecture and ghost stories and themed tours on its spa heritage. See the ‘by era’ listing on the Discover Buxton website here for more information.

Fan window at Buxton Railway Station. Image courtesy of Ali Quas-Cohen.

Other Victorian Features & Pastimes

Enjoy an afternoon of ballroom dancing at a tea dance in the Octagon Hall in the Pavilion Gardens.

Be sure to see the original Penfold letterbox opposite the Buxton Opera House. One of only a few still in use in the country, it is older than the Palace Hotel! And head to Buxton Railway Station to see the beautiful fan window, built in 1863. See these and other Victorian features of the town on the Buxton Heritage Trail.

Victorian visitors would often take day trips from Buxton to landmarks such as Axe Edge, Shining Tor or the Cat & Fiddle, often employing a local lad to pull them in a bath chair! Why not get your walking boots on and follow in their footsteps. Click the link to see details of popular local walks or, for a shorter walk, head to Solomon’s Temple.