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 and 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!
Just over a mile out from Buxton's town centre is Solomon's Temple, a Victorian folly that sits atop Grin Low Hill. Despite the name, this folly has nothing at all to do with Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem: the name actually derives from the original structure that was built here in the early 19th century by a certain Solomon Mycock. Sitting atop a Bronze Age burial mound at 440 metres above sea level, Solomon's Temple is one of Derbyshire's most iconic landmarks. On a clear day, you can see across the town of Buxton and into the surrounding hills of the Peak District.
This design shows the two-storey folly squatting on its wind-swept hill. With its sturdy granite stone and imposing crenelated walls, it really is a sight to behold - a wonderful scene to enjoy as you dry the dishes!