Visitors arriving in Buxton by train will now be welcomed by the town’s very own goddess, Arnemetia.

The Friends of Buxton Station (FoBS) worked with the Buxton Roman Society and local artist Suzanne Pearson to create a stone-carved image of the goddess to greet folk as they arrive on Platform 2. 

Whilst many might associate larger urban places such as York or Bath with having Roman connections, the people occupying the town of Buxton during Roman times worshipped Arnemetia, the ‘Goddess of the Grove’, a deity based upon Celtic reverence of the town’s apparently sacred healing waters, which still flow to this day and are freely available at the St Ann’s Well on The Crescent.

There are no known images or descriptions of Arnemetia and very little is recorded about her appearance, so artist Suzanne produced her own interpretation in carved stone. To spread the story of Arnemetia even further, the groups have also placed an interpretation panel alongside the bust, to explain why her welcome was so rare and thereby so special. 

Dave Carlisle, Chair of FoBS, said: “Suzanne has brilliantly mixed elements of stone and water in the carving – very Buxton! It is great to provide this welcome to passengers arriving in Buxton, and let’s hope it is the start of town-wide celebrations of Arnemetia.”

Artist Suzanne Pearson said: “As an artist working out of the Green Man Gallery, I’ve always supported community arts. It has been a great pleasure to work on this public artwork – it was my first stone carving, and so it is very special to me.”

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