Lovers' Walks

Lovers' Walks, on the east bank of the River Derwent opposite Matlock Bath, dates back to before 1742; it is said be the oldest surviving example of a public pleasure ground. It featured The Cascades, where a thermal spring flowed to the river. The site became in 1782 part of the estate of Richard Arkwright, adjacent to the landscaped gardens of his home at Willersley Castle.

The area of Lovers' Walks is about 5 ha. Jubilee Bridge, built in 1887, leads there from North Parade in the village, and New Bridge further south, built in 1969, leads to the site from Derwent Gardens. A path constructed in 1997 leads from Matlock Bath railway station to the northern end of the grounds. About 60 m south of Jubilee Bridge there is a children's playground; in the 1920s and 1930s there were animal houses and an aviary nearby. The northern limit of the site was about here before 1785. About 180 m south of Jubilee Bridge are two small building, a former shop and a shelter once used by ferry passengers. There is a riverside path, and a parallel path above a wooded slope, which…