Hotel History
 On this site stood the White Horse Inn, a well-known Eighteenth Century
tavern and posting house. The honourable John Byng later fifth Viscount
Torrington, author of the Torrington Diaries, paid two visits to
Bakewell in 1789 and 1790 and describes how he stayed at the Inn. His
dinner consisted of a quarter of cold lamb, a cold drink, salad, tarts
and jellies; for this he paid one shilling.
He also paid one shilling
and three half pence for wine, three pence for rum and brandy, and five
pence for hay and corn for his horse, This totalled two shillings and
eleven pence half penny.
In 1796 the White Horse was the scene of a riot against the Militia
Ballot. The mob burnt the list of men liable to serve, in front of the
Inn. However, they dispersed peacefully, having paid for their drinks.
In 1804 the old Inn was demolished by the fifth Duke of Rutland, the
father of Lord John Manners, afterwards the seventh Duke of Rutland,
the lifelong friend of Benjamin Disraeli. The Hotel was then built as
it stands today.
The Bakewell Pudding originated through a mistake by the cook at the
Rutland Arms. A Strawberry Tart was ordered for the guest. Instead of
stirring the egg mixture into the pastry, the cook poured it over the
strawberry jam. The pudding was so well received by the guest that the
recipe became recognised as the Bakewell Pudding, although it’s exact
ingredients are still kept a closely guarded secret.
Mr William Greaves, whose family was associated with the hotel
during most of the nineteenth century, was a very notable figure in
Derbyshire. Mr Greaves had a monopoly of the posting from Bakewell, and
according to Slaters Directory of 1862, he was running coaches daily to
Rowsley, Buxton, Sheffield and Whaley Bridge. The Manchester to London
coaches could alight for refreshments at the Rutland.
Mr Greaves married a sister-in-law of Sir Joseph Paxton, head
gardener and man of affairs of the sixth Duke of Devonshire, who is
best remembered as the designer of the Crystal Palace.
| |
|
