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Derbyshire Towns & Parishes

BAKEWELL, Derbyshire

"BAKEWELL, a market town and township, in the extensive parish of its name, and in the hundred of High Peak, of which district it is termed the metropolis; is 153 miles from London 36 S.E. from Manchester, 25 N.N.W. from Derby, 16 N. from Ashbourn, 12 W. from Chesterfield, 12 E. by S. from Buxton, 10 N.W. from Matlock, and 6 N. from Winster. Bakewell is an ancient town, situate at the foot of a hill, on the western bank of the river Wye, whose stream abounds with trout and other fish affording ample reward to the patience of the angler; while the rich and romantic scenery, enhanced in beauty by the noble appearance of wood-clad hills, present strong and almost not to be resisted inducements, to the visitors of Buxton and Matlock, to tarry a time in this vicinity." [There is further information for Bakewell]

[Description from Pigot and Co's Commercial Directory for Derbyshire, 1835]

Bibliography

• Robbins, Linda and Draper, Lesley - The Book of the Bakewell Show. Halsgrove, 2003. ISBN 1-84114-310-0.

• Tuffrey, Peter - Bakewell and the White Peak. Tempus, 2003. ISBN 0-7524-3042-4.

• Brighton, Trevor - Bakewell: The Ancient Capital of The Peak. Halsgrove, 2005. ISBN 1-84114-419-3.

• Hudson, Paul - Ann Summers : Creator of the World Famous Bakewell Pudding. Pynot Publishing, 2008. ISBN 978-0-9552251-7-8. Added 15 Sep 2008.

• Taylor, Keith - Bakewell in Old Photographs. Country Books of Little Longstone, 2009. ISBN 978-1-906789-12-1. Added 29 May 2009.

Cemeteries

• Roll of Honour - Derbyshire - War Memorial Selection lists the names on the Bakewell War Memorial. Added 5 Aug 2005.

Church History

• The Vernon family of Haddon Hall were the providers of much of the funding for building Bakewell Church, including their own "Vernon Chapel". The postcard shows the monument to Sir John MANNERS who died in 1611, and his wife Dorothy VERNON, of Haddon Hall, daughter of Sir George VERNON, the so called "King of the Peak". It is sited at the north end of the Chapel; at the opposite end is a similar monument to their son Sir George MANNERS (d. 1623), and his wife Grace PIERREPOINT - "Grace, Lady Manners" who founded the Lady Manners Grammar School. The Chapel also contains the tomb of an earlier John MANNERS who died in 1477.

Church Records

• A CD containing a transcription of The Parish Registers of All Saints Church is available for purchase from Valerie Neal.

• Here is a list of Bakewell Parish Registers available on Microfilm from LDS Family History Libraries. Film Numbers are reproduced on GENUKI by kind permission of the Genealogical Society of Utah.

  Parish registers, 1614-1973.	Microfilm Number
  Baptisms, 1614-1803 Marriages, 1614-1770; Banns, 1653-1660 Burials, 1616-1803	1041679
  Baptisms, 1803-1887 Marriages,1754-1819 Burials, 1803-1812	1041680
  Marriages, 1819-1895 Banns, 1777, 1815-1821	1041681
  Baptisms, 1821-1847, 1841-1842 Banns, 1862-1893 Burials, 1813-1901	1041682
  Baptisms, 1887-1901 Marriages, 1895-1900	1751974
  Baptisms, 1899-1937 Marriages, 1895-1936 (to 25 Apr. 1936)	2081111
  Marriages, 1936-1944 (from 11 Apr. 1936) Burials, 1901-1918, 1929, 1973	2081112
  Bishop's transcripts, 1614-1872.	Microfilm Number
  Baptisms, marriages, and burials, 1614-1812	0422183
  Baptisms, marriages and burials, 1813-1837 Baptisms and burials, 1838-1858; 1867-1872	0497379

Description and Travel

• Bakewell Tree Trail - these trees are the leafy kind! Features Virtual Walks through Bakewell, naturally with particular emphasis on its trees, plus Maps and Guides. A very enjoyable, and well presented site, with some stunning photographs featuring most areas of Bakewell.

Directories

• A Description of Bakewell and Directory for Bakewell, with the Villages of Ashford, Baslow, &c. transcribed from Pigot and Co's Commercial Directory for Derbyshire, 1835 by Rosemary Lockie.

Folklore

• The Bakewell Witches - a story told by Bakewell's chronicler, White Watson about a Mrs Stafford and her sister (or friend) who were condemned to death as witches in 1608. See also William Wood's version, from Tales and Traditions of the Peak The Witches of Bakewell

Gazetteers

• The transcription of the section for Bakewell from the National Gazetteer (1868) provided by Colin Hinson.

History

• Transcription of section of Lysons' Topographical and Historical Account of Derbyshire, 1817, for Bakewell by Barbarann Ayars.

• The Bakewell Pudding - for those who aren't familiar with the dish, it might be more aptly called a Tart, having a pastry base, which is smeared lightly with jam, and then covered with an almond-flavoured filling, and baked in a medium oven. The recipe is allegedly based on a cooking disaster-turned-success - a mixture of ingredients assembled by mistake whilst the cook was preparing a meal at what is now the Rutland Hotel, for a special guest.

  There are two shops in Bakewell, both claiming to serve puddings based on the original recipe, which in both cases is a jealously guarded secret, having been passed down through the family from the original cook... Personally I don't think it matters which, if either or both establishments follow the original recipe, as both taste quite delicious!

  The Bakewell Pudding Shop is now online - why not try their "Post a Pudding"? [Please note I have no connection with the Pudding Shop other than having been in the past, a not-infrequent customer!]

• The Bakewell Almshouses - subject of a recent restoration project which began in 2003 - are a familiar feature in South Church Street. The present row of cottages dates from 1709, built behind the then Town Hall to accommodate six inmates; however the Almshouse Charity associated with their administration predates their construction by over 100 years, being founded by deeds of 30th April 1602 and 26th April 1605 by Roger Manners and John Manners of Haddon Hall "so that we can give charitable disposition towards the relief of poor people inhabiting the town of Bakewell". It was to be called the St John's Hospital, with its income raised from rents levied on lands at Bradmore in South Nottinghamshire, and granted by John Manners to Roger Manners, Roger Collumbell, Rowland Eyre and George Bowne for administration. The 1602 provision was for accommodation for four men, each of which was to receive a pension. In 1605 this was increased to six Almsmen, together with an increase in their pension allowance, and an increased allowance to the laundress (who lived elsewhere).

  The first accommodation was described in the Deed of 1602 as "so much of a newly erected house, being part of the chapel, as contained four lodgings below and having the Town Hall over it, and the backside or garden-stead and shall remain a hospital for ever and the same should be called St John's Hospital". Evidence of the sleeping cells was found during alterations some years ago. A dining hall for the Governor and poor is then mentioned in the document of 1605.

  The Almsmen were to be "single and unmarried and wear a gown, upon the left breast of which was a cross of blue and yellow to be continually worn", and in the event of an inmate being "an alehouse haunter, drunkard or notorious offender or found begging" he was to be expelled. Church-attendance was mandatory, on penalty of a fine of twelve pence. [Information summarised from history provided by www.bakewellalmshouses.com, which is no longer online]

Manors

• Accounts of Bakewell Hall, Hartle Hall and Holme Hall, taken from Old Halls, Manors and Families of Derbyshire, Volume I 1892 (The High Peak) by Joseph Tilley, transcribed/OCR'd by Rosemary Lockie.

Military History

• Villagers March on Bakewell, an account from a 1796 newspaper of local protests against the Militia Ballot Act, alleging that Derbyshire was being asked for more than its fair share of able bodied men to fight in the Napoleonic Wars.

Names, Personal

• A list of Incumbents of All Saints Church (1253-1973), collected and transcribed by Janet Kirk.

Newspapers

• Some Newspaper Articles mentioning Bakewell. Added 21 Aug 2000.

Schools

• The earliest known education in Bakewell was provided by the Chantry Priest in the Chantry of Our Lady, founded by the Vernon family of Haddon in the 13th century. One source suggests the Chantry property still exists, now as separate cottages in South Church Street, sited just below the Church; however the present buildings (recognisable until quite recently by their thatched roofs) are of a later date, being built in the early 18th century as Almshouses (see also the History section above) Nevertheless it seems likely - whether or not anything of the original building survives, that the location is correct, as the more comprehensive definition of ‘Chantry’ in The Catholic Encyclopedia explains how it was quite common for the Chapels to be sited in buildings separate from the Church, but within, or connected to the churchyard, as these properties, or their predecessors must once have been.

  The abolition of Chantries in 1547, in Edward VI's reign resulted in the loss of this, and other schools funded by the Chantries. After this time, other religious movements stepped in, leading to the founding of Charity Schools, either dependent on a benefactor, or on public subscription.

• The first Lady Manners School may be counted amongst these latter, Charity Schools. It was founded in 1636 by Grace, Lady Manners as a free school for the education of boys from Bakewell and Great Rowsley, and has survived successive revolutions in education to become today a Secondary Comprehensive School, in Shutts Lane.

© Copyright Rosemary Lockie, GENUKI and contributors, 1999-2009, &c.
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