{"id":12336,"date":"2016-06-14T18:13:51","date_gmt":"2016-06-14T18:13:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.proj3ctm4yh3m.com\/urbex\/?p=12336"},"modified":"2017-08-09T11:37:53","modified_gmt":"2017-08-09T11:37:53","slug":"urbex-buxton-mineral-water-baths-buxton-january-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.proj3ctm4yh3m.com\/urbex\/2016\/06\/14\/urbex-buxton-mineral-water-baths-buxton-january-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"Urbex: Buxton Natural Mineral Water Baths, Buxton – January 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"

History<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

The abandoned Buxton Natural Mineral Water Baths. These Baths were originally founded by the Romans but were entirely rebuilt by the Corporation and officially re-opened by Sir Humphry D. Rolleston President of the royal college of physicians on May 17th 1924.<\/p>\n

Buxton is a natural Spa where there are pure mineral water springs and there are thermal springs which come from the ground at a constant temperature of 82 degrees Farenheit. For this reason, the town was known to the Romans as Aquae Arnemetia, (\u201cthe waters of the Goddess of the Grove\u201d).<\/p>\n

During Victorian times, a building to house the natural Baths was built on the site of the original Roman baths. This building, The Natural Mineral Baths was built by Henry Currey (1820-1900) in 1851-3. The building is being renovated and will form part of the Spa Pool and treatment rooms of the new hotel which is expected to open in 2014.<\/p>\n

The Natural Baths evolved over many centuries and occupies the site of the Roman Baths situated over the main mineral water spring. The current building was constructed in 1853 to the design of Henry Curry but was altered in the 1920s. It was partly refurbished as the Tourist Information Centre but the majority of the building has been empty since 1972. Henry Curry built the Pump Room for the 7th Duke of Devonshire in 1894. It was last used to ‘take the waters’ in the 1970s.<\/p>\n

Buxton has drawn bathers to its natural thermal water for centuries. The Romans established a bath house here, Mary Queen of Scots famously longed for Buxton\u2019s springs from her prison cell, and during the 19th century the town rode a wave of interest in the health benefits of hydrotherapy. Back then, the Crescent \u2013 a sweeping masterpiece of 18th century architecture \u2013 was the place to take the waters.<\/p>\n

The planned renovation works are meant to keep the existing natural bath as a centre point and restore the original pump to provide working facilities as well as building around it more modern hotels restaurants etc.<\/p>\n

Our Visit<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

Visited with Matt Andy of BCD Urbex<\/a> and Spider Monkey, we’d been tipped off about this place by our good friend Darbian<\/a>s<\/span><\/strong> and headed over to grab a few shots for ourselves. The place was excellent having been left empty since the 1970s but very well built originally the decay was very photogenic but the building itself pretty structurally sound. Lighting was nice due to the abundance of skylights providing natural down lighting and the main thermal pool was a pleasure to see. Enjoy the photos:<\/p>\n