BUXTON, a place in the Peak of Derbyshire, celebrated for its medicinal waters, and lying in W. Long. 0. 20. N. Lat. 53. 20.
It has been always believed by our antiquaries, that the Romans were acquainted with these wells, and had frequented them much, as there is a military way still visible, called the Bath-gate, from Burgh to this place. This was verified about 50 years ago, when Sir Thomas Delves, of Cheshire, in memory of a cure he received here, caused an arch to be erected; in digging the foundation for which, they came to the remains of a solid
Buxton. solid and magnificent structure of Roman workmanship; and in other places of the neighbourhood, very capacious leaden vessels, and other utensils of Roman workmanship, have been discovered. These waters have always been reckoned inferior to those in Somersetshire; but seem never to have been totally disused. They are mentioned by Leland, as well known 200 years ago; but it is certain they were brought into greater credit by Dr Jones in 1572, and by George earl of Shrewsbury, who erected a building over the bath, then composed of nine springs. This building was afterwards pulled down, and a more commodious one erected at the expence of the earl of Devonshire. In doing this, however, the ancient register of cures drawn up by the bath-warden, or physician attending the baths, and subscribed by the hands of the patients, was lost.
The warm waters of Buxton are, the bath, consisting of nine springs, as already mentioned, St Ann's well, and St Peter's, or Bingham well. St Ann's well rises at the distance of somewhat more than 32 yards north-east from the bath. It is chiefly supplied from a spring on the north side, out of a rock of black limestone or bastard marble. It formerly rose into a stone bason, shut up within an ancient Roman brick wall, a yard square within, a yard high on three sides, and open on the fourth. But, in 1709, Sir Thomas Delves, as already mentioned, erected an arch over it, which still continues. It is 12 feet long, and as many broad, set round with stone steps on the inside. In the midst of this dome the water now springs up into a stone bason two feet square. St Peter's or Bingham well rises about 20 yards south-east of St Ann's. It is also called Leigh's well, from a memorable cure received from it by a gentleman of that name. It rises out of a black limestone, in a very dry ground; and is not so warm as St Ann's well.
From the great resort of company to the waters, this place has grown into a large straggling town, which is daily increasing. The houses are chiefly, or rather solely, built for the reception of invalids; and many of them are not only commodious, but elegant. The duke of Devonshire has lately erected a most magnificent building in the form of a crescent, with piazzas, under which the company walk in wet or cold weather. It is divided into different hotels, shops, &c. with a public coffee-room, and a very elegant room for assemblies and concerts.
The hot water resembles that of Bristol. It has a sweet and pleasant taste. It contains the calcareous earth, together with a small quantity of sea salt, and an inconsiderable portion of a purging salt, but no iron can be discovered in it. This water taken inwardly is esteemed good in the diabetes; in bloody urine; in the bilious cholic; in loss of appetite, and coldness of the stomach; in inward bleedings; in atrophy; in contraction of the vessels and limbs, especially from age; in cramps and convulsions; in the dry asthma without a fever; and also in barrenness. Inwardly and outwardly, it is said to be good in rheumatic and scorbutic complaints; in the gout; in inflammation of the liver and kidneys, and in consumptions of the lungs; also in old strains; in hard callous tumours; in withered and contracted limbs; in the itch, scabs, nodes, chalky swellings, ring worms, and
other similar complaints.—Besides the hot water, there is also a cold chalybeate water, with a rough iron taste: It resembles the Tunbridge water in virtues.
For the methods of composing artificial Buxton water, or of impregnating the original water with a greater quantity of its own gas or with other gases, see WATERS, Medicinal.