Buxton - Derbyshire Spa Town tea towel

Some people call it the Bath-of-the-North. Tucked on the edge of the Peak District, Buxton is a historic spa town famous for its beautiful Georgian buildings. Domes, columns, crescents, arcades - its architecture alone is enough to draw thousands of tourists every year. But it was its geothermal spring that first attracted the Romans to Buxton, who settled here to make the most of the water's healing properties. And during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Buxton became one of the most popular spa resorts in the country: even Erasmus Darwin gave the town his recommendation!

'The Pavilion Gardens must be the most delightful town park in the country.' Clearly Bill Bryson thought pretty highly of them, and it's easy to see why. With 23 acres of landscaped park dating back to 1871, these rivers, lakes, shrubberies and trees are a haven for all sorts of birdlife, not to mention the water voles that creep along the grassy banks.

This design shows the Gardens on a summer's day, with a fountain shooting out of the lake in the foreground, and the Conservatory in the background, a cast-iron and glass structure built in 1870 - a beautiful scene to enjoy as you dry the dishes.