Editing Matlock Bath (section)

==History==
In 1698, warm springs were discovered and a bath house was built. As the waters became better known, access was improved by building the bridge into [[Matlock, Derbyshire|Old Matlock]] and in 1783, the opening of a new entrance at the south of the valley. [[Queen Victoria|Princess Victoria of Kent]]'s royal visit in 1832<ref name=vic1832 /> confirmed Matlock as a society venue of the time. Victoria's party visited a pair of museums and a petrifying well.<ref name=vic1832>RA VIC/MAIN/QVJ (W) 23 October 1832 (Queen Victoria's handwriting). Retrieved 2013-05-24</ref> [[John Ruskin]] and [[Lord Byron]] were visitors, Byron comparing it with alpine Switzerland, leading to a nickname of ''[[Little Switzerland (landscape)|Little Switzerland]]''.  [[Erasmus Darwin]] recommended the area to [[Josiah Wedgwood]] I for its beauty and soothing waters, and members of the families vacationed and settled there. [[Edward Levett Darwin]], son of [[Francis Sacheverel Darwin]], lived at Dale House in Matlock Bath, where he was a solicitor.

When the [[North Midland Railway]] opened in 1840, carriages plied for hire from [[Ambergate railway station|Ambergate station]]. The [[Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway]] ran a number of excursions, taking the passengers onward from Ambergate by the [[Cromford Canal]].

Matlock Bath is a designated conservation area with an [[Article 4 direction]] in relation to properties, predominantly along North and South Parade.