1752. A DESCRIPTION of DERBYSHIRE. one meer, and other perquifites, for par- 4. Bakewell, 9 miles N. W. of Wirkfworth, another confiderable town in the Peak, feated among hills, with a large market on Mondays for lead, the great manufacture of thefe parts, and for all B forts of provifions. The parish is of great extent, having 7 chapels, and is a pecuhar, exempt from all epifcopal jurisdiction. Near it is a field, which the country people fay will either fatten or kill a horse in month's time. 5. Tiddefwell, or Tidefwal, 8 miles N. W. of Bakewell, an indifferent town, with a fair church and free,fchool, and a market on Wednesdays. 6. Chapel in Frith, 5 miles N. W. of Tiddefwell, was formerly a market-town, but the market is now difufed. And the fame may perhaps be faid of Winfter, or Winftre, which lies between Wirksworth and Bakewell, and is marked in the maps for a market-town. 7. Dronfield, 16 miles E. of Tidefwal, a fmall town, ftanding on an eminence, 'with a market on Thursdays. 8. Chesterfield, 3 miles S. E. of Dronfield, an ancient corporation town, governed by a mayor or bailiff, and aldermen. It is pleasantly situate between two rivulets, on the fouth fide of a hill, in a fruitful foil; is well built and populous, has a fair church and a free-fchool, and a good market on Fridays for lead, and for corn and other provisions. It gives title of earl to the family of Stanhope. 9. Balfover, or Bolfover, 5 miles E. of Chesterfield, a large, well-built town, with a market on Fridays, and noted for making fine tobacco-pipes. 10. Alfreton, 8 miles S. of Chesterfield, pleasantly feated on a hill, and thought to be first built by king Alfred. Its market on Mondays is not very confiderable, except for the great quantities of bread fold here. Ꭰ well, or Wendon-Well, Pool's-Hole, and the Devil's-Arfe. Mr. Hobbs has com prized these 7 wonders in this fingle verfe, des, mons, barathrum, binus fons, antraque bina. House, mountain, depth, two fountains, and two caves. 1. Chatsworth-House, a noble and stately palace of the duke of Devonshire, of which we have here given a beautiful VIEW, and which is thus defcribed by Dr. Leigh, in his Natural Hiftory. Like the fun in a hazy air, it gives luftre to the dusky mountains of the Peak, and attracts multitudes of fpectators. The paffage is by an easy afcent, and the gate adorned with trophies. The hill compofes a ftately fquare, from which, thro a gallery, upon ftone ftairs, fo artfully contrived, that they feem to hang in the air, is a profpect of a beautiful chapel and hall, full of curious paintings; the one being the hiftory of Cæfar ftabbed in C the fenate, and the other a draught of the Refurrection; both done by the famous Vario. The chambers are noble and large, richly inlaid with the choiceft woods, and compofe a ftately gallery, at the upper end of which is the duke's clofet, finely beautified with Indian paint, and figures of birds drawn by native Indians. The gardens are pleasant and ftately, adorned with exquifite water-works; as, 1. Neptune, with his nymphs, who feem to fport in the waters, let out by a cock in several columns, and falling upon fea-weeds. 2. A pond, where fea-horses continually roll. 3. A tree of copper, refembling a willow; and by the turning of a cock, every leaf drops water, which represents a fhower. 4. A grove of cyprefs, and a cafcade with two fea-nymphs at top, and jars under their arms, from whence water falls upon the cafcade, which makes a noife like cataracts. 5. At the bottom of the cascade there is a pond with an artificial rofe, thro' which, by the turning of a cock, the water afcends, and hangs in the air in the figure of that flower. 6. F Another pond, with Mercury pointing at the gods, and throwing up water. Befides these there are the ftatues of several gladiators in very lively postures. For the honour of Chatsworth we fhall obferve here, that when count Tallard, marshal of France, being taken prifoner in the battle of Blenheim, by the renowned duke of Marlborough, was brought over and ordered to refide at Nottingham, the duke of Devonshire gave him an invitation to this his feat, where he staid about a week, and at his departure made his grace the following almost inimitable com F We now come to the feven wonders of the Peak, which are the furprize of all G travellers who go to fee them, and are ingeniously defcribed by Mr. Hobbs, Dr. Leigh, and Mr. Cotton. These are Chatfworth-Houfe, the mountain called MamTor, Elden-Hole, Buxton-Wells, Tiddef pliment The WONDERS of the PEAK. pliment, My lord, when I return to my own country, and come to reckon up the days of my captivity in England, I shall leave out thofe bave spent at Chatfworth. 2. Main-Tor, or Mam-Tor, a mountain near Caftleton, under which are feveral lead-mines. This hill almost perpetually fhivers down earth and great A. ftones with such a noife, be the air never To calm, that it often frightens the inha-, bitants; yet they never obferve the hill to grow lefs; which is afcribed to its great breadth, that tho' it is daily diminifhed, it is not difcernible. By this continual falling of earth and stones, another hill is formed at the bottom, and both together they call the Mother and the Daughter. B C Jan. run thro' the adjacent meadows. Near this place are marble ftones, orderly difpofed in feveral rows by mere nature. Thefe are by fome reckoned another wonder of the Peak. Caftleton, not far from hence, has a caftle on the top of a steep rock, but of no ufe for ornament or defence. 5. Wendon-Well, near Tiddefwell, a yard broad and deep, but cbbs and flows irregularly 3 quarters of a yard, as the air is fuppofed to push the water from the fubterranean cavities; and when it ebbs, it makes a noife. 6. Pool's-Hole, a cave at the foot of a large mountain, with a very fhallow entrance: But thofe who have crept in fay, that after fome paces it opens to a vast height, like the roof of a large cathedral; and in a hollow cavern on the right hand, called Pool's Chamber, there is a confiderable echo. In this cavity are great ridges of ftone, and many furprizing reprefentations of art and nature, produced by the petrifying water continually dropping from the rock; as, the figures of fret-work, organ and choir-work, of men, lions, dogs, and other animals. Here is a column, called Mary queen of Scot's pillar, becaufe fhe went in fo far: It is as clear as alabafter; and beyond it there is a fteep afcent for near a quarter of a mile, that terminates near the roof in an holD low, called the Needle's-Point, in which when the guide places his candle, it looks to thofe below like a ftar in the sky. If a piftol be fired near the queen's pillar, it is refounded by the rocks as loud as a cannon. Thofe who go in, return by another way, over many fmall currents of water. Near this place is a fmall clear brook of hot and cold water, fo united into one ftream, that a man may put the thumb and finger into both at once. 3. Elden-Hole, a frightful and terrible chafm, 7 yards broad, and 14 long. Its mouth is very craggy, and it is reckoned bottomlefs, the depth having never yet been found, tho' often attempted. Water tickles down from its top, which prefently congeals into icicles; and ftones, when thrown in, make a noife like thunder for a long time, which leffens by degrees, till the found is loft. Mr. Cotton, in his poem on the wonders of the Peak, tells a most difinal story of a gentleman who got two guides to conduct him thro' this country (as is the common way of travelling here) and they being allured by his portmantua, imagining. there was fomething valuable in it, under pretence of his travelling more fafely in this craggy country, advised him to alight from his horfe, and fo conducting him to Elden-Hole, which he knew nothing of, pushed him headlong in; as one of them, being ftung by the agonies of his confcience on his death-bed, voluntarily con- E feffed. The fame author, concerning the unfathomable depth of this hideous chaẩm, has thefe words: -Imyelf, with half the Peak surrounded, Eight hundred fourfcore and four yards have founded; And tho' of thefe fourfcore came up wet, 4. Buxton-Wells, fo called from the 2 7. The Devil's-Arfe, or the Peak'sArfe, a wide cavern under the hill near Caftleton: It is large at the entry, but more contracted within: The top is very high, and refembles a graceful arch, chequer'd with ftones of different colours, and continually drops water, which petrifies. Here are feveral fmall buildings, where poor people live, with candles and lanthorns to fhew ftrangers the place. The cave, after one is in a little, is dark and flippery, because of a current of water under foot; and the rock hangs fo low, that one is forced to ftoop. Having paffed this place, and a brook, that fometimes cannot be waded, the arch opens again, and here is a fecond current with large banks of fand. Then one comes to a third current, which is impaffable, and the rock clofes, JOURNAL |