Bakewell is a small market town in Derbyshire, deriving its name from 'Badeca's Well', the warm springs in the area - the Domesday book entry calls the town 'Badequella', meaning Bath-well. The only town included in the Peak District National Park and it is located on the River Wye. Although there is evidence of earlier settlements in the area, probably occupied in Roman times, there is a Roman altar at Haddon Hall, found nearby. Bakewell itself was probably founded in Anglo Saxon times, when Bakewell was in the Anglian kingdom of Mercia. In 924 Edward the Elder ordered a fortified borough to be built here. Bakewell Parish Church, was founded in 920 and has a 9th century cross in the churchyard, some Saxon fragments can be seen in the porch. The present church was constructed in the 12th and 13th centuries but was virtually rebuilt in the 1840s by William Flockton. By Norman times Bakewell had gained some importance, the town, and its church being mentioned in the Domesday Book. A few yards up the hill from the church is Old House Museum, housed in one of the few genuinely medieval buildings of the area. This house serves as a local history museum and is in the care of the Bakewell Historical Society.

The five arched bridge over the River Wye at Bakewell was constructed in the 13th century, and is one of the few surviving remnants of this earlier period which was quite medieval in character until the early 19th century. Bakewell has one of the oldest markets in the area, dating from at least 1300. Bakewell developed as a trading centre. The first recorded fair was held in 1254. Markets are still held every Monday and, unlike most of the other local centres, there is a thriving livestock market at the Agricultural Centre. The big event of the year is the annual Bakewell Show, which takes place the first Wednesday and Thursday in August and attracts farmers and many others from all over the Peak District and surrounding area.

A chalybeate spring was discovered, and a bath house built in 1697. Early in the 17th century, chalybeate water was said to have health-giving properties and many people have promoted its qualities. This led to an 18th century bid to develop Bakewell as a spa town, in the manner of Buxton. Two of the original wells, which serve up water rich in iron at a temperature of 15 degrees Centigrade still survive. These are the Bath-well in Bath Street and Holywell or Pete well in the recreation ground. The others have been filled in long ago.

In 1777 Arkwright opened a mill in the town and it was perhaps the resulting surge in prosperity which caused the town to be largely rebuilt in the 19th century. Walking along the river from the bridge in the centre of town, going downstream leads to the recreation ground and upstream takes you to the site of Arkwright's mill, via Holme Hall a fortified manor house dated 1626 and Holme Bridge dated 1664. The mill burned down in 1868, but the cottages associated with it; Lumford Terrace, still survive.

The Rutland Arms, overlooking the town square was built in 1804. Jane Austen stayed here in 1811 and in Pride and Prejudice she has Elizabeth Bennet stopping here to meet the Darcys and Mr Bingley. However the Rutland Arms' chief claim to fame is as the place where the Bakewell Pudding, Bakewell has never heard of tarts was invented by a chef of 1859 who made a mistake. You can now buy Bakewell Puddings at several establishments across the town, all claiming to have the original unique recipe.