Cavendish Arcade Buxton
The Crescent, SK17 6BQ (Next to The Crescent and opposite The Slopes)
History of Cavendish Arcade Buxton
The Cavendish Arcade Buxton sits at the heart of the town’s spa-heritage zone, built on the legacy of the thermal baths first established here. The site’s bathing tradition traces back to Roman times, when the settlement of Aquae Arnemetiae (modern Buxton) was founded around the hot spring.
The building that became the arcade was constructed in 1852–53 under architect Henry Currey, commissioned by the Dukes of Devonshire, in an Italianate style to serve as the “Thermal Baths”. In 1900 it was significantly remodelled by William Radford Bryden, replacing the iron-and-glass colonnades with a gritstone façade and a cast-iron canopy added in 1909.
After decades of prominence as a hydrotherapy centre, the baths closed in 1963 when usage declined following changes in the health sector. The building then lay largely unused for some years until a major conservation and adaptive-reuse scheme was undertaken between 1984 and 1987. Led by conservation architects Derek Latham & Company in partnership with the architectural artist Brian Clarke, it was converted into the shopping arcade we see today. The refurbishment included the installation of a barrel-vaulted stained-glass roof — at the time one of the largest secular stained-glass works in Britain – and the retention of original tilework and two historic baths as architectural artefacts.
The building is listed Grade II, recognising its layered history – from thermal baths to spa architecture to contemporary retail hall.
Cavendish Arcade Buxton – What It’s Like Today
Today, Cavendish Arcade functions as a stylish and vibrant shopping destination in the heart of Buxton. Visitors enter beneath the impressive stained-glass vaulted ceiling, walk past polished Minton tile-lined walls (remnants of the original baths), and browse a curated collection of independent boutiques, gift shops, artisan food & drink outlets, and cafés. The mix includes fashion, jewellery, local speciality beverages, gifts and cards, soap & bath-product makers, and chocolate/coffee shops.
The architecture remains one of the major draws: the barrel vault spans the arcade space, filtering light and creating a sense of grandeur despite the modest scale. Original heritage features (like two former baths preserved inside) make the building much more than a routine retail centre – it’s a historic experience.
TIP: See one of the original hot baths, on display inside the arcade, located outside Wild Olive.
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