The Crescent - Buxton

The Crescent is a most elegant range of buildings was built in Doric style of locally quarried gritstone for the Duke of Devonshire between 1780 and 1784 by the architect John Carr of York at a cost of £38,601 18s 4d. The magnificent interior, which included a ballroom and an Assembly Room was completed in 1788 and is reputed to have 376 windows. The Crescent contained a town house for the duke, and shops along the arcaded ground floor. By about 1804 the duke had relinquished his accommodation and it became the Centre Hotel with a hotel on each side - St Ann's Hotel to the west and The Great Hotel to the east. Hotel guests were able to use private entrances to the baths.