The Pavilion Gardens, Buxton

Advantages: Free, lovely plants, nice ornamental lake
Disadvantages: Can get very busy at times

...Buxton is a Spa town in Derbyshire, right on the edge of the Peak District National Park. People have come here since medieval times to enjoy the healing properties of the town?s natural springs, and even before then it was a Roman Spa town. It is however probably true to say that it was during the Victorian era that Buxton was really transformed into a league of its own, and the resort began to flourish. The Victorian period saw the arrival of the super rich businessmen and entrepreneurs and it was these people that began to flock here in their droves for recreational purposes. Prior to this, the wealthy citizens that had enjoyed Buxton had been largely restricted to the aristocracy. In 1863 the railway arrived in Buxton and the 7th Duke of Devonshire, who owned the land on which the town was built, saw this as an ideal...

micksheff 19.06.2007 (20.06.2007) · Read review
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Review of The Pavillion Gardens, Buxton

The Beautiful Spa Town Of Buxton

Advantages: Lots of history, Wonderful Architecture
Disadvantages: Cold in Winter

...Buxton is a medium sized, picturesque town that lies in the natural hollow of a valley plateau, right on the fringe of the Peak District National Park in Derbyshire. Despite this location the town is still situated at almost 1,000 feet above sea level, making it the highest town of its size in England. Today Buxton is the largest and most important town in the western and central Peak. It has a population of around 21,000 people. It lies on the boundary of the gritstone and limestone edges, where the River Wye has been forced to cut magnificent gorges out of the limestone to finds its route. The River Wye has its source in Buxton and as it flows downhill to join the River Derwent it forms one of the area's most important and impressive Rivers. The nearby Goyt Valley slopes away in the opposite direction and this is where one...

micksheff 06.03.2007 · Read review
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Review of Buxton (England)

Poole's Cavern, Buxton, Derbyshire

Advantages: Lots of history, Educational
Disadvantages: Damp and dark, Expensive

...Poole's Cavern is situated just under a mile outside of the Derbyshire town of Buxton, on the fringe of the Peak District National Park. During a recent visit to the town I actually stumbled upon this place quite by accident, and since the weather was abysmal for trudging around I decided to pay this place a visit. It is well sign-posted from the town centre so we decided to follow the brown tourist signs that led us out of the town centre, past the School and through a rather desirable residential District of this picturesque town. I would describe Poole's Cavern as one of those little Gems of a place I occasionally find when I wander off the beaten track. The only difference here is that this place is no hidden secret, yet despite my many visits to Buxton this is the first time that I was aware that the place existed...

micksheff 13.03.2007 · Read review
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Review of Pooles Cavern, Buxton

The Buxton Museum And Art Gallery

Advantages: Lots of history, free
Disadvantages: Closed in Winter, and Mondays during Summer

...Buxton is a beautiful little picturesque town situated right on the fringe of the Peak District National Park in Derbyshire. It is place that is both picturesque and historic and is well worth a visit. Any visitor to the town wanting to know a little more about this old Roman Spa town should set an hour or so of their day aside and pay a visit to the Buxton Museum and Art Gallery. Admission to this building is completely free, something of a bit of a rarity these days. I visited here a couple of weeks ago and was very impressed. The Building that houses this Museum has an interesting history of its own. It was built in 1880 and was originally the Peak Hydropathic Hotel. This Hotel closed in the early 1900's and for a few years stood empty. During the First World War however it was used by the Red Cross as a Hospital and cared...

micksheff 18.04.2007 · Read review
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Review of Buxton Museum and Art Gallery

Buxton posh and The silent clowns

Advantages: well worth the visit
Disadvantages: Cold and Snowy in the deep mid winter.

...A LITTLE HISTORY Buxton Opera House opened on 1 June 1903. First plays to be staged, Mrs Willoughby's Kiss and My Milliners Bill. This set the scene for the next three decades with the Opera House running as a successful and vibrant theatre. Touring Shakespeare companies, West End successes, ballets, concerts and musical comedy were regular visitors to the Opera House. In 1927 the theatre was turned into a cinema. Silent films were shown at first and in 1932 the theatre was wired for sound and 'talkies' took over. The demand for live theatre persisted though; among the stars to delight Buxton audiences at this time were Sybil Thorndike, Lewis Casson, Robert Donate, Anthony Quayle, Robert Morley and Alec Guinness. Despite its success as a cinema through the fifties and sixties, audiences...

halk 29.12.2007 · Read review
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Review of Buxton Opera House, Derbyshire

A Buxton Beauty?

Advantages: Front of the hotel, reception area and communal areas, friendly staff.
Disadvantages: Rooms, dated decor, bathrooms, dusty artificial flowers.

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uglyboots 28.05.2009 (04.06.2009) · Read review
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Review of Barceló Buxton Palace Hotel, Buxton

Buxton great, Portland Hotel not great

Advantages: Close to the Pavillion Gardens
Disadvantages: Below par food, below par rooms.

...Buxton is a picturesque town, clearly a place for holidays for the well-off in days gone by. The Portland Hotel is located near the Opera House, and opposite the Pavilion Gardens (but with a view of the car park, rather than the gardens), and may have been a decent hotel once, but not anymore. It's a medium sized, with 22 rooms, and it definitley looks like it may have seen more affluent times in years gone by. All rooms are en suite. However, our room had an extremely small en suite? erm, I can't call it a bathroom? toilet with a shower in. Our room was nicely decorated, but somehow felt like a very standard B & B room - possibly because of the smell of smoke which was lingering on everything in there. The publicity states that you have Sky TV - in our room that seemed to be restricted to one sports channel and 2 radio channels...

rsmith 16.10.2001 · Read review
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Review of Portland Hotel (Buxton - Derbyshire)

Buxton:Lovely Spa Town

Advantages: Beautiful spa town. Heritage.Wonderful countryside
Disadvantages: Lots of visitors

...I have visited the lovely spa town of Buxton in Derbyshire twice,on both occasions we were blessed with fine weather,and I really enjoyed my two short visits. The place has been a spa for ages and the needs of visitors are well catered for. There is a lot to see and do.There is the delightful Crescent designed by John Carr of York for the 5th Duke of Devonshire. then there are the Natural Baths and the quaint Cavendish Arcade which is now home to to a range of craft,antiques and book shops. The town's main shopping area, Spring Gardens, is pedestrianised and shopping here is very enjoyable. The town also has a Museum and Art Gallery and a nice church St Anne's Church in what is called Upper Buxton. The Pavillion Gardens were a riot of colour on my visit and I love the Opera House-it is an architectural gem. Not far away is the Devonshire...

zorbay 09.07.2000 · Read review
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Review of Buxton (England)

Buxton Opera House - a vast range of shows for all ages

Advantages: Comfortable seats, plenty of leg room.
Disadvantages: None

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colliedog2 18.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of Buxton Opera House, Derbyshire

A WELL OF HISTORY AND LIVING WATERS

Advantages: A beautiful interesting town, a lovely day out or stay for all the family
Disadvantages: it get very very cold!

...Buxton a beautiful town that lies just outside the National Park in fantastic rolling countryside, and is host to a wealth of history. At 300 metres above sea level it is the highest market town of its size in England as well as probably being the coldest one! I have actually seen snow in May and June so it always pays to take some warm clothing with you on the sunniest of days! If visiting in winter do go expecting the worst. The Romans were first drawn to Buxton in 79AD by the warm springs and built their Roman baths. Buxton was known to the Romans as Aquae Arnemetiae in homage to their love of water. St. Anne's Well and Poole's Cavern were two of the Seven Wonders of the Peak. Buxton was once called "Little Lourdes" by the Victorians seeking relief for their afflictions. The water from Buxton has become one if its most famous...

LICARUS 30.07.2001 (13.08.2001) · Read review
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Review of Buxton (England)